Question 1

Why should I get a Building Inspection for Pre-purchase or Post Handover?

Accepted Answer

For many, purchasing or building a house or buying a commercial/industrial building is the most significant expense of their lifetime. We believe that as a client or purchaser, you deserve the best value for your money. Proper due diligence is essential to ensure the final product meets legislative standards and quality finishes, which is the responsibility of the builder or seller.

Our website features photos from completed inspections of houses claimed to meet Australian Standards by builders, including certificates of compliance from contractors. The cost of a thorough and detailed inspection is often minimal compared to the potential tens or even hundreds of thousands in repair costs, not to mention the stress and disruption to your life.

Question 2

What is a Hydrostatic Test and why do it?

Accepted Answer

A Hydrostatic Water Test is used to apply pressure to an area. In Building Inspections, we utilise this test to apply water pressure to wet areas such as showers and balconies to test the performance of the materials and construction. This also helps verify if the area is constructed correctly. This simple test can save tens of thousands of dollars by revealing any issues before making the final payment or purchasing the property.

Question 3

How long does an Inspection take?

Accepted Answer

This will differ for each property and is dependent on factors such as location, size, testing required, and additional services requested. Typically, an average onsite inspection would take 3-6 hours, and due to the length, we recommend informing the agent/builder of this.

We believe respect should be applied through a thorough inspection, due to the cost of such a big investment.

Question 4

Do I need to be available for the Inspection?

Accepted Answer

While we do prefer a representative who has arranged the inspection to be there for the introduction, this isn’t necessary. We do require that access has been granted, and time allocated for us to complete the inspection, as additional charges may apply if we are unable to complete.

Question 5

Do you complete intrusive works as part of the inspection?

Accepted Answer

Our Engagement Agreement, which must be signed before formal engagement, includes a section requiring approval for minor intrusive investigations. These investigations help enhance the inspection and provide more accurate information.

Question 6

What happens if my builder or agent has questions or doesn’t agree with the findings?

Accepted Answer

We provide additional services after the issuing of a report which is charged at an hourly rate. This service can involve phone discussions, emails, and/or formal replies for any concerns. We will discuss the potential requirement for these post-completion services with the client initially, to ensure that there is transparency with what the journey could be like with these engagements, pending individual circumstances.

Question 7

What if something is missed in the inspection?

Accepted Answer

Although our inspections are thorough, there are items that may be missed. To help reduce the potential of items missed, we follow a project specific checklist and allocate time to review photos and documents off site, to capture as much as possible.

Within the Engagement Agreement we have outlined that there may be items that are missed within the onsite inspection and that the client needs to acknowledge this. Reasons could include inaccessibility to certain areas, equipment failure, and lack of available documentation at the time of the inspection and reporting. We support the client to also do their own inspection as well and document any findings.