CASp inspections and the resulting CASp report are a critical and vital part of accurate accessibility compliance for your property. Performed by a Certified Access Specialist with rigorous training in disability access, a proper CASp inspection evaluates ADA and California Building Code requirements, documents barriers, and outlines a clear path to compliance.
Choosing a qualified inspector for your CASp inspection helps reduce exposure to ADA-related claims, supports safe and achievable corrections, and provides owners and tenants with a prioritized plan. Your report should include photos, measured findings, and code references so your ADA design professional and contractor can implement compliant solutions. This is the most reliable way to align your site with current standards and protect your investment.
Before the CASp program, owners lacked a precise route to pursue compliance. City building officials, inspectors, architects, and contractors each had limited, specialized training—so architects designed projects, cities approved them, contractors built them per plans, and owners were sued afterward. That is exactly why all projects should start with a CASp inspection and a report by a quality inspector. The CASp program was established to provide a specialized, code-focused review that identifies barriers early, supports proactive correction, and helps reduce costly rework and litigation risk.
Beginning with a CASp assessment—whether pre-lease, pre-design, or pre-construction—helps align drawings, permitting, and construction with ADA and CBC accessibility requirements from day one, minimizing surprises and change orders later.
When locating and ordering your CASp inspection, ACR highly suggests working with a qualified ADA TEAM. If you elect not to work with a TEAM, you will most likely have difficulty finding an ADA designer or a contractor qualified to perform the corrections within the report, which often becomes very frustrating. When you work with a truly qualified ADA TEAM such as ACR, we provide the CASp report, ADA design, an ADA contractor for the corrections, and the city permit—all in-house—which reduces costs, mistakes, and frustration.
Keep in mind, like everything else, there are good CASp inspectors and poor inspectors. Be careful and ask questions such as, “As an inspector, do you also work for law firms that file these cases against owners?” Believe it or not, some inspectors assist the law firms that file these cases, so be careful. Ensure your inspector uses a BlueDAG format since it is one of the best ways to review a CASp report with clear photos, measurements, and code references. The report should not be used as a design and should not be handed to a contractor to correct according to the report since it is not a blueprint. The report should be handed to the ADA TEAM and the ADA design professional for a design and city permit.
For example, the cost for a typical CASp inspection and report for a small retail center exterior is commonly in the range of $450–$750, giving you a basic benchmark for a quality assessment. Actual pricing varies by site size and complexity.
Ensure your CASp inspector does not insist or pressure you to use their contractor. Often, the inspector has a financial relationship with the contractor and may overlook corrections in the contractor’s favor. Ask directly, “Do you have any financial agreements with this contractor?” This could be as simple as a finder’s or referral fee. The key is to keep the inspector separate so there is no conflict.
When working with ACR and our TEAM approach, we are all separate professionals—including the CASp Inspector, ADA Design Professional/Contractor, and our expert ADA attorney to assist clients with ADA lawsuits. This confirms there is no conflict, and we work together to deliver the best compliance to reduce multiple lawsuits caused by inferior work. This method consistently produces stronger, more durable compliance at a competitive price while streamlining your path from CASp inspection to final permit and construction.
