INSPECTION TIME!

I love my inspector...her handled the inspection on our house and the inspection on my friends coop (and she then recommended him to a bunch of other people in the building, so he's in the 'hood a lot). Really nice guy, and very thorough. (Full disclosure: he's also a good friend of a good friend.)
Jay Kaplan
914-261-8504

BrooklynJack wrote: Why do you feel a need to do this? How big is the building? Do you have an inspection contingency in your contract?

Usually if the appliances work your OK and anything in the building is beyond your, or the seller's, direct control. The only thing I'd worry about is if it is a pre war and has sub standard electrical that hasn't been upgraded yet, that would be your responsibility, generally speaking. but for that you just look and see. Will the coop board give you access tothe building to do an inspection even?

All that sid if you really feel you must call these guys
http://www.accuratebuilding.com/
never used them but many have and they are on teh Lennard LOpate show regularly

The inspection should be done before the contract is signed, so no inspection contingency should be needed in the contract. Manhattan might be different, but in my experience (buying two co-ops in medium to small buildings in Park Slope) co-ops do not have an issue with inspectors. Building mechanicals might not be your direct responsibility, but in a small building an assessment or a hike in the common charges might be needed to fund major repairs.

I would strongly suggest you get an inspection. Chances are that everything is fine, but in the outside chance that something is wrong, you want to have the abilty to request that it be fixed or to adjust your offer.