What You’re Actually Assessing Before Any Work Begins

A site assessment confirms the planned installation is actually feasible as designed — not a formality, but the step that catches problems while they’re still cheap to fix.

Structural Assessment

For heavier units (masonry-adjacent, some larger built-ins), confirming the floor or wall structure can support the load — a question worth raising with a structural engineer or the GC rather than assuming standard residential framing is adequate for every product.

Venting Path Feasibility

Walking the actual physical path a vent run would take, checking for obstructions (other venting, ductwork, structural members) and confirming it stays within the manufacturer’s maximum equivalent length (introduced from a sales estimating perspective elsewhere in this academy) before committing to a specific unit or placement.

Gas and Electrical Service Assessment

Confirming existing gas line capacity and routing, or electrical circuit availability, matches what the specific unit requires — the same capacity question a sales consultant should flag pre-sale (covered elsewhere in this academy) gets physically verified by you before rough-in work begins.

Documenting the Assessment

A written site assessment, with photos of the existing conditions before any work begins, protects everyone if a dispute arises later about what conditions actually existed at the start of the job.