Inspection of Destroyed Real Estate in Chernivtsi: The Path to Recovery After Devastating Attacks
Chernivtsi is a city that has suffered some of the most perceptible strikes on civil infrastructure in western Ukraine. On July 12, 2025, a Russian attack claimed the lives of two people and damaged residential buildings, shops, administrative structures, and cars. The main hit fell on a nine-story residential building. Damage was recorded in 90 apartments of the building on Heroes of Kruty Boulevard. This day became a dark one for many families—some lost loved ones, some lost their homes, and others lost their sense of security. But even in this despair, there is a chance for recovery. A year after the missile strike, the multi-apartment building that sustained significant destruction was almost completely restored. And the first step toward this was a professional technical inspection, which provided answers to the most critical questions: what can be saved, and what will have to be built from scratch.
When an Inspection Becomes a Necessity
After any shelling, regardless of its scale, property owners face a choice: what to do with damaged housing. Technical inspection is required in such cases:
- to record damage in order to receive compensation under state support programs;
- to understand whether the building can be restored at all or if it is in an emergency condition;
- to plan repair work — which structures need reinforcement and which require complete replacement;
- to protect your rights in court if disputes arise with insurance companies or local authorities.
It is especially important not to delay: the longer a damaged building remains unattended, the greater the scale of destruction becomes. Moisture, frost, wind — all of this accelerates the loss of structural strength.
What the Inspection of Destroyed Real Estate Includes
The technical inspection process is not just a superficial visual check. It is a comprehensive engineering diagnostics that includes:
- studying available documentation (if preserved);
- visual inspection of the building with the recording of all visible defects: cracks, spalling, deformations, fire traces;
- instrumental measurements: geodetic — to check if the building has shifted; ultrasonic testing — to assess concrete strength; thermal imaging diagnostics — to identify hidden cavities and thermal bridges;
- calculations of the residual load-bearing capacity of structures — whether they can withstand loads;
- laboratory testing of material samples (if necessary) — to determine if they have lost their properties.
Read about how to identify hidden defects and document them properly in our material.
How the Inspection is Carried Out
The work takes from a few hours to several days, depending on the size of the building and the complexity of the damage. The algorithm is as follows:
- Study of documents (if available) and preliminary assessment of destruction zones.
- Visual inspection of all accessible structures: facades, floor slabs, roofing, basements.
- Instrumental diagnostics: measurements, scanning, thermal imaging surveys.
- Data analysis, calculations, and determination of the technical condition category according to DSTU.
- Preparation of a detailed report with conclusions and recommendations.
What the Customer Receives
Upon completion of the work, the owner receives an official technical report. It specifies:
- an assessment of the building’s condition and individual structures;
- a list of all identified defects with references to building codes;
- calculations of residual strength;
- categorization of the condition: from “fit for operation” to “emergency, unfit for restoration”;
- clear recommendations: what to restore, what to reinforce, and what to dismantle.
The report is registered in the Unified State Electronic System in the Construction Sector (EDESSB), which gives it legal validity. The process of preparing a technical report on the destruction of a building or structure is key for any compensation procedure. In cases where destruction is critical, the dismantling or demolition of buildings and structures may be required, which also demands proper technical justification.
Cost and Timeframe
Each object is unique, so the cost of the inspection is calculated individually. It depends on the area, number of floors, degree of destruction, and the need to use special equipment. The remoteness of the object and the difficulty of access to structures are also taken into account. The timeframe for completing the work is determined after a preliminary visit by an expert. GlobalBud Ukraine provides a full cycle of technical inspection of real estate objects with subsequent registration of the report in EDESSB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an inspection be carried out if the documents for the house are lost?
Yes. The inspection is carried out based on the actual condition of structures. The lack of documents is not an obstacle, although having a technical passport significantly simplifies the work of experts.
Will the technical report help to obtain compensation?
Yes. To receive state assistance, a commission inspection act is required, but a technical report from an independent expert registered in EDESSB is weighty proof of the degree of damage and can be used when appealing commission decisions.
How long is the technical report valid?
The report records the condition at the time of the inspection. If the building remains unpreserved for a long time, it is recommended to conduct a re-inspection after a certain period, as destruction may progress.
