In the last 90 days two major builders have gone into liquidations;

1. Cosmopolitan Construction
2. West Minister Homes

Who would have known that a trusted, well-known and highly reputable company that has been around for over 30 years would now be in liquidation?

No one would have expected this however this is the reason why progress inspections are vital for every stage of your newly built home. Furthermore, it is also important to note that when looking for the right builder to build your house it doesn’t mean if you go to a well-known company you will experience a smooth building process. In fact, most of the CTTT Dispute Inspections we conduct for clients are from major building companies for things that have gone wrong during the construction. In our opinions sometimes it is better going with a small-medium sized building company as you will receive more one-on-one contact which will help ensure a smooth building process.

Have you heard story’s of people who were just about to have their house handed over to them however the contractors which are still owed thousands of dollars by the builders end up dismantling the house into bits and pieces and the owner just sits there and watch them take their dream home away from them!
This can happen to anyone, but the catch is, have you over paid your builder?

Effective Building & Consultancy we will help ensure you that you have paid the builder only up to the building stage they are currently at, northing more nothing less. We can help you do this by completing Progress Inspections for you which helps ensure that the builder gets paid up to the right amount which they are up to in the construction process and will ensure you have not over or unpaid your builder to avoid any building disputes.
This will eliminate any nasty Home Warranty Insurance Surprises and any loss from your pocket.

Once again it is important to note that when choosing the right building company to build your dream home make sure you feel confident and happy with your builder, don’t always go for the cheapest or most expensive builder, go with whom you feel most comfortable with. EBC Wish you good luck whilst building your dream home & are here to help you should you require any information or a quote.

Over the years our inspectors have inspected a number of different newly built homes built by well-known builders who have been in the industry for over 30 years however there have been many instances of un-happy buyers and major delays in settlement due to defective construction work of these newly built homes.

There have been instances we have gone out to do an inspection for a customer and when our inspectors arrive we find that the property being built is still incomplete and only up to 90% complete, and the customer purchasing the home is unaware.

It is highly important that you book a Defects and Completion Inspection Report with Effective Building & Consultancy to ensure the home the home you are purchasing or building is free from defects prior to moving in or settling on the property.

Once you have moved into your newly built home it is a lot harder and more stressful to get any defects found repaired by the builder, especially if the defects are cosmetic issues such as, scratch marks on the walls, the builder can argue that you damaged the walls whilst moving into the property. This is the reason why we stress the importance of getting a Defects and Completion Inspection Report conducted to the property prior to moving in or settling as it is a lot easier to have the builder fix any issues to the home when the builder is waiting on final progress payments. However if the builder isn’t waiting on any payments when you’ve moved into the home, builders tend to drag the issue out and make it a long, lengthy and costly problem you will have to face if you would like defects repaired.

There are many clients we are currently dealing with that are still in the progress of taking their builder to court from over 12 months ago because the client did not do a Defects and Completion Inspection Report and when the client moved into the property they noticed numerous defects although now a lot of the builders are in liquidation and the legal costs, CTTT Inspection reports cost, and time and effort spent on trying to get these defects fixed are sometimes just not worth the headache and sometimes you end up spending more money than the defects actually cost ! Furthermore, if the builder has liquidated it is even harder to recover the full costs for the defects as Home Warranty Insurance takes over and you will need to wait in line where there are thousands of other people in the same situation as you and they will not always reimburse you the entire costs of defects as it is an insurance company so they have very strict guidelines.

This is why EBC stress the MAJOR importance of getting a Defects and Completion Inspection for your newly built property you have just had built or are purchasing, as this small cost now the inspection can save your thousands later and save you from a lengthy ongoing costly headache which you can help avoid by just picking up the phone and Contacting us now on (02) 8677 9904 or by Booking Online today before you move into your newly built home.

The termite inspections are done yearly in which chemical barriers are set among walls to reduce the increasing number of termites. There are plenty of termite applications to be considered through the help of professional inspectors. Some of the termite applications involve a decade of warranty just to ensure the durability of homes.

The attacks of termites yearly increased for more than a hundred thousand. The attacks caused a lot of damages in the properties letting homeowners spend millions just for rectification. The warranties set by agencies are reasonable enough to keep from spending money because of repairs.

Every homeowner must use his common sense to take part in the war against termites. Since they are not licensed professionals, they need the help of termite inspectors to check the condition of their houses; otherwise, their homes would fall into pieces.

If the homeowners would not take a decade of warranty to sustain the safety of the building, it is necessary for them to have yearly termite inspections. If they will decide to have the inspections twice a year, they could maintain the safety of their homes all the more.

Homeowners need termite inspections to do away with spending too much money in restoring the parts of residences. If they will not show any concern about it, termites would feel a significant tolerance to continually destroy their houses. It is better to invest money for termite inspections than rebuild homes year after year.

Property inspection is necessary to check the condition of the building and its surroundings. It even involves the checking of garage, gardens, and pools. If property inspectors found that there are a lot of defects in any of the properties, the owner is advised to fix them to avoid unnecessary accidents.

Basically the property inspectors would check the ventilation of the building. The owner may desire to put an air conditioning generator for the building if it is closed. Other areas such as pools, retaining walls, drainage, fences, barriers, roofs, gardens, window, doors, and fire preventing areas need to be checked.

If not about insects, the causes of damages in property are associated to fire and electric hazards. Property inspectors are keen enough in identifying even the smallest leak because they are licensed professionals and the safety of people depends on them. Furthermore, they need to create detailed inspection report based on the standard inspection procedures in Australia.
Residences and commercial buildings need to undergo property inspections to maintain the quality of the establishments. Since Australia is also known in exporting sets of furniture and building materials made in highest qualities, residences and companies must pass certain criteria before people take their stay as a form of pleasure.

Property inspection plays a vital role in maintaining high quality homes and establishments. Through inspection, people could easily make remedies to maintain the good condition of their buildings.

A Dilapidation report is an inspection carried out in order to assess the condition of a building or property prior to proposed building or infrastructure works. The report is generated through photographs and observation.

The proposed work can include the following:

• New Building
• Renovation
• Alterations
• Retaining walls
• Demolition
• Underground excavation
• Road Works.

When do you undertake a Dilapidation report?

The initial inspection will take place before any work begins. This will ensure all findings are documented, such as cracks, breakages and scratches. A second report will take place upon completion of the project. This report will provide useful information to the interested party in order to verify any damages towards property found from construction. The report will document the findings (if any) such as damages to the properties, or the new building project itself. Damages that are found range from brickwork damage, cracks in walls to scratches along fencing etc.

Do councils require a Dilapidation report?

In some circumstances the council may request a dilapidation report to cover areas outside construction, such as kerbing, footpaths and roads, or as part of DA approvals. In this circumstance, the report and inspection must be done by an independent qualified person. This will ensure accuracy in the report whilst eliminating conflicting interests.

A dilapidation report can make you claim trouble-free!

In the absence of a dilapidation report, proving a claim for damages may become rather difficult, or even defending a claim against damages. Therefore a report will provide comfort that in the event of damages, a conclusion may be made. Please note that a Dilapidation report differs from a defect report, it does not specialize in aspects such as terminated, dampness and structural compliance.

Can a Dilapidation report protect you from existing damage?

Obvious  problems are documented, although some things may appear separate from construction for example, the brick fencing of the adjacent property is old and has decayed over time causing many bricks to become free standing and/or fallen on the ground. The owner may try to make a claim blaming the constructions “vibrations” causing the fence to become weak, hence damaged. All properties are different, so all reports will vary, and specific places to look for, neighbouring property vary in ages and surroundings, hence a professional inspector will asses the relevant areas required relevant to each project and its surroundings.

Who is a Dilapidation report useful too?

Dilapidation reports assistance both the owners, and builder. It will identify general cracks to owners that they may have been unaware about and also give professional advice and reasoning as to why they may have occurred.

A Dilapidation report is helpful to some of the following:

• Contractors
• Builders
• Developers
• Neighbours
• Council
• Sydney water
• Insurance companies

Can a dilapidation report assist an insurance or legal claim?

A dilapidation report should be done, so all damages prior and after are documented. This will ensure all relevant photographs and documentation are noted down should an insurance or legal claim take place, legal action can be either prevented or claims can be justified easily!

Building inspectors in Sydney and building inspection companies are becoming more focused on the areas of service they provide. It is common for building Inspection Company to have a particular target market and specialty of service.

Some building inspectors in Sydney will only work in the area of pre purchase established home inspections, some will focus on dispute resolution and others may be trade specific with a further focus on a single particular component of the construction e.g. roof inspections, electrical inspection and plumbing inspections.

It is important to consider the following key points when it comes to selecting the best suited building inspector in Sydney for you and the particular job you require.

Selecting building inspectors

What is their specific field of expertise?

It is important to understand the inspector’s strengths and expertise. Is the inspector qualified, and are these inspections apart of there usual routine? Perhaps they may undertake inspections at a bare minimum, in comparison to inspectors who complete over 2-3 hours per day.

You should ensure that the building inspector you are after understands what your specific needs are, many inspections vary and are all different, no two inspections are the same. Therefore it is important the inspector you choose is experience and has the ability to person and satisfy your needs. For example inspecting an old house requires a different set of developed skills and expertise as opposed to inspecting a house that is still undergoing construction.

What suburbs of Sydney does the building inspector know best and work in most?

How easy is it for the inspector to fit your inspection work into their regular travel path?

Although this may seem farfetched, it is important to consider the inspectors most common areas work in. This will ensure the inspector is familiar with your local surrounds and potential common issues relevant to the area. A simple example may be your area is prone to flooding or high volumes of rain increasing your chances or termites in specific area, such knowledge will allow the inspector to thoroughly asses the most important areas to ensure the report is as accurate as possible.

The further away your chosen inspector is from their most common locations, the less familiar they will be with the local buildings and surrounding conditions.. You are also likely to be paying more for the inspectors travel time.

The familiarity with the local constructions and architectural designs will further assist the inspector in recognizing fundamental design flaws, and construction issues.

Also consider the location as it may affect the service and quality you may receive. The easier it is for the inspector to schedule your inspection into their daily travels the quicker you are likely to have the inspection completed.

Choosing a Sydney building inspectors.

Effective Building offers Sydney and all New South Wales Building high quality building Inspections, we aim at offering consumers building inspectors that are truly local to their area of service and that are genuine specialists in the field of inspection service you require. Our team is highly qualified, insured and guarantees the inspections to be of a high quality and standard.

We aim at offering you the best possible service through our highly trained team, offering services to many areas all over NSW; we listen to your needs and arrange the most suitable inspector with strong knowledge to match your needs and location.

This action was taken in response to a Council of Australian Governments commitment to rationalise occupational licensing across Australia to cut red tape for Building Inspectors across NSW.

See fair-trading web site for further information on Property Inspections below link: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tradespeople/Home_building_licensing/Licence_classes_and_qualifications/Building_consultancy.html

Effective Building & Consultancy (EBC) understands the purchase of a home will be the biggest financial decision that many consumers will ever make, this will be a considerable step for many of us, marking both a new beginning, and simple an investment. However, regardless of your reasoning, this is an important step for many of us, and a step that must be taken with caution, and piece of mind regarding the properties true underlying state.

Consequently, purchasers of existing property need to be positioned to make an informed decision on the current condition of the property so as to avoid expensive repairs to defective or non-complying work. Not only will this be a financial concern, this will also affect home owners comfort, as repairs take place, and a decrease in satisfaction with your new home.

EBC strongly recommends that you only use consultants that have adequate insurance cover, particularly for professional indemnity insurance for any type of Building & Pest inspection reporting.

Professional Indemnity insurance for property inspectors will cover you if you’re building property inspector fails to meet an adequate standard, and is perceived to be in a condition it is not in as stated in the report.

“Cutting the red tap”, will open many doors for potential issues, a report by an inexperienced inspector, may end up costing home owners thousands of dollars. Our team inspector is extremely concerned with the reduced regulations in place. The quality and information presented can potentially be manipulated by inspectors without licenses or insurance at the home owner’s risk. Our team has over 15 years experience in inspections and it is not all as clear cut as it may seem. Inspectors who are unqualified, and inexperienced can now be a homeowner or someone in a conflicting position, they can potentially “tone down” some of the findings to stimulate a sale. The issue now is in an unregulated market almost “anyone” may create an inspection report, in a “favorable” manner in order stimulate a desired outcome. It should be compulsory and a license should be brought back, there are many organizes without insurances now simple “after a sale”, without the true capabilities of carrying out a thorough inspection, without our experience and insured inspection team, we offer warrantee, protection to our consumers and a genuinely have our clients interest at our forefront.

Many experienced inspectors have suffered sever downturns, due to the unregulated circumstances.

“Experts believe a government property inspections register should be created to help improve transparency and reliability of reports. “ http://smh.domain.com.au/real-estate-news/report-crackdown-to-stop-nasty-surprises-20100915-15cro.html

The situation will reduce confidence in the housing market, more agents, and consumers interested in “selling” are able to become involved in report shopping to conceal defects and improve their sales prospects.

One reason for the change in structure is an attempt to save buyers thousands of dollars, as the successful buyer of the property will be the one who pays for the inspection report, although this means compulsory reports will shift the onus to sellers. It will give them the power to choose their inspector and provide no guarantee of the impartiality or the quality of the report.

The system that all houses for sale must have an inspection report is supported by our organisation, although we believe a minimum qualification and licensing of inspectors should be put back into place, which the state government dumped last year as an attempt to increase efficiencies.

Therefore, here at effective building and construction, all your worries are free! We guarantee professionalism, integrity and of course your protection. Your satisfaction is guaranteed, we have experienced staff, qualified inspectors and insurances for your protection. We offer inspections with a true piece of mind, and quality.

So for you to have the right to impose a good price on your house it is just fair to have it prepared first before selling it and when we say preparation it involves doing everything you can to make the house back in its good shape before planning to sell it but in either case that your done making your house desirable for its buyers and then it turns out that on the report it is still got some negative feedback, don’t be discourage, inspectors are just doing their job of making sure to note everything they notice in your house that needs to be included in the report, they are just doing their job and besides there is no perfect home as they say.
Always put in mind that an inspectors report is just what the buyers needed to know, so if there is any pest inspections report given to the buyer don’t get easily down because this only means that you still have a chance to improve something in your house to have it renovated and ready to sell of a higher value.

Most buyers and sellers hired this kind of people to do some series of inspections to all minor details of the entire house or building since most of the people especially who are not into the field of constructions cannot possibly detect the tell tale sign of any minor differences or alterations of the property. It must always be this person that can do such job, they are skilled to assess buildings and houses as to the value as well as its present conditions, this includes assessment of floor to ceiling structural support system if its strong enough to support the entire structure, the built in systems like electrical wirings and ventilations and the most important one is the pest inspections wherein inspectors will look for any possible termites invasion in any parts of the house or building which might cause any possible problems in the future. After all the inspections done a detailed report on the present conditions of the house will be handed down to either buyer or seller whichever hire them to do the inspections.

Property inspection reports help buyers to decide whether to take the house or not and in the case of the seller it would give them an idea as to what are the possible areas of the house that needs their attention before they can sell it in a higher value.

Other than that having a pre-list building and pest inspection done ahead of time comes with so many benefits. For one it helps vendors to have their house viewed in a third party perspective, another thing is that it allows you to have the right to make some realistic pricing of your house. And the good thing with subjecting your house before selling it is that it would give you an ample time to rearrange or repair those things that needs some changes to pass for the inspector, this way you will be meeting your deadline to have your house sold and at the same there is no room for prospective buyers to use this things as a loop holes for them to have the right to demand with regards to the value of your property.

Aside from that having your house inspected at an early time would help you to let your purchaser waive the inspection contingency and at the same time it will save you from any prospective suspicions and concerns on the side of the buyer. And lastly, the good thing of this inspection is the warning that it gives you with regards to safety matters before anyone else can such as those real estate agents.

Pest inspections in Sydney

Pest inspection is a common activity that needs to be done before acquiring a new home. A home is very important to all people since it is the resting place after a tiring work. Your family lives in a home which needs to be free from insects. Children in particular are afraid of insects. They usually got goose bumps after seeing them. Besides, your home deserves proper maintenance because your visitors come and go. A very beautiful residence deserves appreciation from guests. You can only receive their accolades when pests are not roaming around.
Pest inspection involves examining of wood where insects probably reside. Since wood are included in the main framework of the building, home sellers should be very keen in purchasing wooden materials to keep the standards of their residences. Big buildings are often susceptible to insects if most of their compositions involve wooden crafts. Think about the children who are fond of weird stories. Their fear from insects would possible result to the closure of companies if home sellers will not incorporate pest inspection during and after the building.
During pest inspection, the common insects seen in the fields are ants, fleas, rodents, bees, cockroaches, crickets, spiders, mosquitoes, wasps, and silverfish. Ants can easily evade your residence by colonies. This happens during the change of weather. However, the corners of your house can be potential kingdoms for them if nests are not treated. Cockroaches are known for spreading diseases. Their contact to food would cause risks to health. Toxic sprays can be applied to eliminate their number. The rodents which could easily multiply can be best avoided through baiting.
The use of sprays and insect killing instruments is very dependent of pest inspection. If you want a very clean environment, you need to apply anti-pest procedures to the affected parts of the house. You will only know which parts are largely affected once pest inspection takes place.

Building inspector is the name used for a person who inspects or checks houses for us to assure compliance with the plans and to see workmanship and also code compliance, or also a home inspector consulted in regards to house sale. And also remember that building inspectors are contractors which are private ones, in other words, having no connection to any agency or any governmental department.

Hiring some engineers usually makes a building inspection to find out whether the structural composition of a building is safe or not. If you ever find any building structural problems, it is better to see an engineer to provide a building inspection to your building for they can immediately make some plans and proposal for a counteractive action.

Most of these building inspectors are employed by a strata management which is an expert to property management.

Having a building inspection and report of related properties is strongly required and is mostly done before and after building construction, in order to see that there is no damage in the work done.

A pre purchase inspection is not an invasion of privacy or of space. It is actually a legal procedure that actually protects both the buyer and the seller. A professional building inspector is invited to check at the building’s structure, its foundation, the electrical systems, plumbing, walls, crevices, ceilings and the like. The duration of the inspection will depend on how big the house is and how many rooms it has. On an average sized home, it will not last all day. There are inspections that are done so fast than others no matter how thorough they are made.

A new home will always have problems no matter how clean or how fixed it is. Only the trained professional will be able to see this. With regard to cost, the charges will vary. There are those private inspection companies that will charge a minimal amount depending on the kind of inspection you will have them do while there are free inspection services which you can request from the local health department.

Whatever be the case, it will be best to just have your prospective dream house inspected. Buying a house does not come cheap. With a pre purchase inspection, you will be protecting your investment.

When buying a new home, having a building inspector will help you decide whether you should buy the property or not. It is important to note that properties that are for sale will always be made to look their best. Without having an expert’s opinion on the state of things, you might be ending up with a house that might need major repairs or one that is infested with lots of pests.

When looking for a building inspector, your best bet is to check online. With the advancement of technology nowadays, online directories are always at the tip of your fingertips. In spite of this, however, it will still be convenient if the building inspector is someone from your town or someone near. This is because he knows the area well and he will be able to immediately spot if something is not right or not.

A professional building inspector will also have a license. Knowing that the service provider has all the qualifications of a professional building inspector is crucial because only a legitimate service provider will know the internal structure of the house or building and he is aware of new developments in this field. Having a license also helps you weed out the unqualified thereby making it easier for you to take your pick.

Building inspections Sydney are very much necessary due to the volume of pest infestation present in homes the past few years. Termites are not the only problem but also funnel webs, red back spiders and the like. They can crawl under burrows or holes on the walls looking for crevices or cavities where they can live. Building inspections Sydney will also be able to provide other services such as pest control in case the home has been found to be infested. Because of this, you are already adding more value to your money.

When buying a new house, never hesitate to have the place checked. Being new buyers you always have to ask yourself of what possible problems might you be facing once you move in. It is better that you avoid these things as early as possible. After the building inspections Sydney has done their job and have given you their inspection report, it is now up to you what to do next. Of course there will be some little unexpected repairs, and it is with these small things that you will have to decide whether you want to push through with the deal or not. However, you have to realize that all kinds of buildings, whether new or old, will have maintenance problems and repairing them are really inexpensive. But if your preference is to buy something where you will not have to do some repairs anymore, then you should start making up your mind.

Not many people in the real estate industry understand the advantages of having a building inspected. After the building is inspected, a report is released which would usually mention what needs to be repaired, an estimation of how much these repairs will cost, a listing of minor problems and then a proposal or recommendation of what needs to be preserved or what needs to be repaired. The advantage of having a report is because, if you are the homeowner or the building owner, you will be able to have an informed decision on how repairs can be made. As a buyer of the house or building, the report will help you decide whether to buy it or not.

Reports will also include a recommended price. This depends on the property to be sold as well as the repairs that need to be taken cared of. It is actually a good thing to have a building inspection made so that, as an investor, you will be able to take preventative measures to repair the property as well as avoid any costly repair in the future.

The building inspector has the responsibility of determining the overall condition of the property.  With years and years of training and experience, he will be able to determine whether the property is infested with pests and whether it has caused some damage.  This is what makes pest inspection necessary when having the building inspected.  Traditionally, this practice is usually not part of the buying process but investors are now becoming more careful with their investments.

When dealing with a building inspector for the first time, make sure that you are specific with what you want.  Most of the time these professionals will show you a checklist of what they regularly look for in making building inspections.  With regard to pest inspection, the inspector will analyze all problems caused by common household pests such as rats, termites, ants and mice.  He will check the wood as well as all other areas of the home where these pests commonly hide.

What is building inspection and a pest inspection?

An inspection usually performed by a hired inspector to inspect or check a building to assure compliance with the plans and to see workmanship and see whether a property is safe or not is called Building Inspection. Indentifying defects and other structural problems is the duty of a building inspector. Take not also that an inspector is a private contractor mostly under a strata management, which means that they are not related to any department, or shall we say to any governmental agency.
In the other hand, a pest inspection is performed by a pest inspector in order to identify termites and rodents (white ants, mice, rats and other pests) that can ruin your property. An inspector carefully checks every part of a facility to accurately determine what kinds of pests and rodents are present and immediately work for a plan on how to delete this kind of issue to your property especially when a property is on sale.
Take note that a building inspector and a pest inspector is a private contractor employed by a management, in other words, are not related to any governmental department.
Both differ but are very important especially for the real estate buyers for they will have knowledge on what property they are about to purchase. Having a building and pest inspection and report of related properties is strongly required and is mostly done before and after building construction, in order to see that there is no damage in the work done.

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/Tradespeople/Home_warranty_insurance.html;

• 6 years from the date of completion of the work or the end of the contract for the work (whichever is the later), for loss arising from a structural defect, and
• 2 years for loss arising otherwise than from a structural defect.
We recommend you do a building inspection report prior to expiry date of the above structural and non-structural time lines. By doing this type of report, and sending our expert building inspection report, you can hold your builder responsible for some of the defects as long as you have maintained your property correctly.

You should ensure that the building inspector you are after understands what your specific needs are, many inspections vary and are all different, no two inspections are the same. Therefore it is important the inspector you choose is experience and has the ability to person and satisfy your needs. For example inspecting an old house requires a different set of developed skills and expertise as opposed to inspecting a house that is still undergoing construction.

Why is it important to find a building inspector who regularly serves a certain area?

Although this may seem without reason, it is important to consider the inspectors most common areas work in. This will ensure the inspector is familiar with your local surrounds and potential common issues relevant to the area. A simple example may be your area is prone to flooding or high volumes of rain increasing your chances or termites in specific area, such knowledge will allow the inspector to thoroughly asses the most important areas to ensure the report is as accurate as possible.
The further away your chosen inspector is from their most common locations, the less familiar they will be with the local buildings and surrounding conditions.. You are also likely to be paying more for the inspectors travel time.

The familiarity with the local constructions and architectural designs will further assist the inspector in recognizing fundamental design flaws, and construction issues.

Also consider the location as it may affect the service and quality you may receive. The easier it is for the inspector to schedule your inspection into their daily travels the quicker you are likely to have the inspection completed.

Effective Building offers Sydney and all New South Wales Building high quality building Inspections, we aim at offering consumers building inspectors that are truly local to their area of service and that are genuine specialists in the field of inspection service you require. Our team is highly qualified, insured and guarantees the inspections to be of a high quality and standard.

We aim at offering you the best possible service through our highly trained team, offering services to many areas all over NSW; we listen to your needs and arrange the most suitable inspector with strong knowledge to match your needs and location.

Building inspectors in Sydney and building inspection companies are becoming more focused on the areas of service they provide. It is common for building Inspection Company to have a particular target market and specialty of service.

Some building inspectors in Sydney will only work in the area of pre purchase established home inspections, some will focus on dispute resolution and others may be trade specific with a further focus on a single particular component of the construction e.g. roof inspections, electrical inspection and plumbing inspections.

It is important to consider the following key points when it comes to selecting the best suited building inspector in Sydney for you and the particular job you require.

You can check their consultancy licence online by going to the online licence check facility at fairtrading’s web site address.

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/About_us/Online_services/Home_building_licence_check.html

Questions to ask a consultant

If possible, you should get at least three quotes for the inspection and report. Here are some questions you should consider asking the consultant or organization that provides the best quote.

1. What are your qualifications and experience?
2. What is your licence number?
3. How long have you been doing building inspections?
4. Do you have current insurance cover for:
   1. professional indemnity
   2. public risk
   3. death or injury of any employees
5. Who is the insurer?
6. Are you a member of an industry association? If yes, do you follow their Code of Conduct?
7. Do you have any set procedures for handling disputes or complaints?
8. Can you give me references or contact details of three clients with similar properties?
9. What will the report cover and what format do you use?
10. Can I look at a sample of the report?
11. How long before I can have the completed report?
12. Can you call me with a verbal report on the day of the inspection? Will this cost any extra?
13. Do you follow the Australian Standard AS 4349.1 for the inspection?
14. Are you independent of the vendor or their agent?

Information you need to give the consultant

You should give the consultant the following information:

• the address of the property
• the name and contact details of the owner or real estate agent
• a brief description of the property including the number of rooms, construction type, age and size etc.
• details about particular parts of the property you want inspected.

It’s important that you arrange for the consultant to have reasonable access to the property. To do this you will need the permission of the vendor or their agent.

The cost

The price charged for a building inspection report will vary depending on the type of property, the report format (particularly the amount of detail), the period of time spent on the inspection of the property and the period of notice given to the consultant. Indications from industry sources are that the minimum price of a simple, basic report on a standard residential dwelling would be around $450 to 500. Detailed reports would normally cost more. As previously stated it is recommended that you obtain a minimum of three quotes.

How long does an inspection take?

Most consultants will need a minimum of 1-2 days notice to do a building inspection.

When ordering your building inspection report, make sure you give yourself enough time to make a decision. You should get the vendor’s permission to have the property inspected as early in the sale negotiations as possible. This will help you decide if the property is worth buying. There may be little point in spending money on conveyancing until you know the condition of the property.

Inspections done during the cooling-off period

When you buy a property in NSW there is a five-business-day cooling-off period after you exchange contracts. During this period, you have the option to get out of the contract as long as you give written notice. The cooling-off period starts as soon as you exchange and ends at 5 pm on the fifth business day.

A cooling-off period does not apply if you buy a property at auction or exchange contracts on the same day as the auction after it is passed in.

You can waive the cooling-off period by giving the vendor a ‘66W Certificate’. This is a certificate that complies with Section 66W of the Conveyancing Act 1919.

If you use your cooling-off rights and withdraw from the contract during the five-business-day period, you will have to pay the vendor 0.25% of the purchase price. This works out to be $250 for every $100,000.

If you want to get a building inspection done during the cooling-off period, make sure you give the consultant as much notice as possible. They will have to do the inspection, prepare the report and still give you time to make a decision. If you decide not to buy the property you will also need time to get a letter to the vendor or their agent, saying that you are withdrawing from the contract.

Other types of reports

Special-purpose property reports

A special-purpose property report would normally cover the same items as a building inspection (pre-purchase property inspection) report but it may also include:

• an estimate of the cost of fixing major problems
• a list of minor problems
• a recommendation of the repairs and maintenance work needed.

Check with the building consultant on what information they normally include in their pre-purchase property inspection reports and inform the consultant if you require additional information.

Pest inspection reports

While the building inspection report should identify any visual damage caused by termite activity, it won’t include the detection of termites and other timber destroying pests.

If the property is located in an area where termites are known to be a problem, you should consider getting a pest inspection done as well as the building inspection

Pre-sale (vendor) building reports

Vendors will sometimes get a building report on the property they are selling so they can give it to interested buyers. While this can be helpful, it is better from your point of view to get your own independent report.

How are you protected if problems are not found?

If you can show that the consultant was negligent in doing the inspection, you can take legal action against them.

It is therefore strongly recommended that you only use consultants that have adequate insurance cover, particularly for professional indemnity

Who to contact if you’re not satisfied with the report

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the building inspection report or your dealings with a consultant you should first try and resolve the problem with them or their company. If they are members of an industry association you may be able to get help from that association to resolve the dispute.

If you buy the property and later find that there are problems that weren’t identified in the building inspection report, you may need to seek legal advice about your position, particularly if the consultant’s negligence ends up costing you a lot of money.

You can also call one of our Fair Trading Centres for advice and assistance.

Fixing the problems

If you end up buying the property you may need to organise repairs or renovations before you move in. If this is the case, there are some important things you should know. When using a builder or tradesperson for work where the labour component is over $200 the builder or tradesperson must:

• be correctly licensed with the Office of Fair Trading for the work they are doing
• provide you with a written contract where the value of work (labour and materials) is over $1,000
• give you a certificate of home warranty insurance before taking any deposit and before starting the work if the job costs more than $12,000.

Effective Building and Consultancy is the leader in building and pest inspections around Sydney, get in touch or learn more about us.

A building inspection report is different to a pest inspection report. While a building inspection report should identify any visual damage that may have been caused by termites, it usually won’t include the existence of termites or other timber destroying pests. It can be advisable to get a separate pest inspection report done before you buy a property.

Why do I need one?

There are three good reasons why you should get a building inspection report done before you buy a property:

1. So you’ll know in advance what the problems are
2. So you can use the information to try and negotiate a lower price for the property i.e. you may have to pay to repair some of the problems
3. So you can get specialist advice about any major problems and how they will affect the property over time.

Of course, the building inspection report will be one of many things you will need to consider before buying a property.

Who can do a building inspection?

Only building consultants licensed under the Home Building Act 1989 are permitted to carry out pre-purchase inspections of residential properties in NSW. Other inspections, e.g. pest inspections, do not require a licensed practitioner but ensure the inspector is workcover approved contractor.

What’s in a building inspection report?

The format and amount of detail in the report will depend on the type of property, its size and age, its condition and the reporting process used by the consultant or organisation preparing the report. These factors will also influence the cost of the report.

Some building inspection reports will adopt a standard format or use a comprehensive checklist while others will be individually tailored for each property. Photographs may or may not be included. The important thing is that the report complies with the Australian Standard (AS 4349.1).

A building inspection report should include enough information for you to be aware of the property’s condition and identify any significant problems.

General information

The consultant should inspect all accessible parts of the property. These include the following areas:

• interior of the building
• exterior of the building
• roof space
• under-floor space
• roof exterior
• site.

You may also like to ask that a particular part of the property also be inspected.

The site

The following items would normally be included in a building inspection report:

• garage, carport and garden shed
• separate laundry or toilet
• small retaining walls (ie. non-structural)
• steps
• fencing
• surface water drainage
• stormwater run-off
• paths and driveways

Make sure you specify any particular items or areas on the site that you want inspected.

Other important information

The report should also include the following information:

• your name
• the address of the property to be inspected
• reason for the inspection
• the date of inspection
• the scope of the inspection
• a list of any area or item that wasn’t inspected, the reasons why it wasn’t inspected and if necessary, a recommendation for further investigation
• a summary of the overall condition of the property
• a list of any significant problems that need fixing
• if necessary, a recommendation that a further inspection or assessment be carried out by a suitably accredited specialist, e.g. pest inspector, electricity supply authority, water supply authority,
• structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, surveyor or solicitor

The summary

The summary is possibly the most important part of the report. It should give you a brief summary of the major faults found in the property and its overall condition considering its age and type.

What’s not included in the report?

A building inspection report usually won’t include:

• parts of the property that weren’t or couldn’t be inspected
• matters outside the consultant’s expertise
• an estimate of repair costs
• minor defects
• termite detection.

A building inspection report shouldn’t be seen as an all-encompassing report dealing with every aspect of the property. Rather it should be seen as a reasonable attempt to identify any major problems that are visible at the time of the inspection. The extent of any problem will depend to a large extent upon the age and type of property.

While the report will give you valuable expert advice, it won’t cover everything.

The consultant normally wouldn’t check things such as:

• footings
• concealed damp-proofing
• electrical wiring and smoke detectors
• plumbing
• drainage (including site drainage)
• gasfitting
• air conditioning
• garage door locks
• swimming pools and pool equipment
• watering systems
• fireplaces and chimneys
• alarm systems
• intercom systems
• carpet and lino
• appliances such as dishwashers, insinkerators, ovens, ducted vacuum systems, hot plates and range hoods
• paint coatings
• hazards
• every opening window
• television reception.

Strata schemes and company title properties

With strata scheme and company title properties, the consultant will normally only inspect and assess the condition of the interior and immediate exterior of the unit you’re thinking of buying. If you want the consultant to inspect other common property areas you will need to request a ‘special-purpose’ property report.

You should contact the secretary of the owners’ corporation or company to enquire about the history and cost of repairs to other units and the common property. This information is important as the cost of repairs to common property can in some cases be substantial. Owners normally share the cost of these repairs.

Minor defects

Most properties will have minor defects such as blemishes, corrosion, cracking, weathering, general deterioration, and unevenness and physical damage to materials and finishes. If you want the consultant to report on minor defects and imperfections you will need to ask for a ‘special-purpose’ property report.

Factors affecting the report

There are certain conditions you should be aware of that will affect the final report. These include:

• problems that are difficult to detect due to weather or other conditions such as rising damp and leaks
• the information you provide to the consultant
• the specific areas of the consultant’s ‘expertise’ as specified in the report
• problems that may have been deliberately covered up to make an area appear problem free.

It may be difficult to detect leaks and other problems if services, such as water, haven’t been used for some time. For example, if the shower hasn’t been used recently, leaks or dampness may not be obvious.

Using the report for other purposes

This type of building inspection is carried out specifically for the information of home buyers. Its main purpose is to give you an expert’s view of the condition of the property you’re interested in buying.

It is not intended to be used as a certificate of compliance for any law, warranty or insurance policy against future problems. Nor is it intended to estimate the cost of fixing problems. If you want the consultant to estimate the costs of necessary work you will need a ‘special-purpose’ property report.

It is normally the role of your conveyancer or solicitor to deal with all law-related matters. The building inspection report can’t comment on things like the location of fencing in relation to boundaries, as this needs to be done by a registered surveyor.

In our next post we’ll discuss some tips on how on choosing a Building Consultant

Effective Building and Consultancy is the leader in building and pest inspections around Sydney, get in touch or learn more about us.

There was a case where a client had a home extension complete to their property, however there were major defects to the extension made and rectification work was required immediately. The builder whom completed the extension was not very co-operative, and they did not come out to the client’s constant calls for rectification work to be complete.

The builder had been paid the full amount for the works carried out, which was one of the main reason they did not listen to the client and come out to rectify their defect work. After a period of time, after the client continued to hassle the builder and no appropriate response was received, the client finally decided to go dispute the matter at the CTTT, to resolve the matter and recover any monies lost for the defect work still needing to be done to her property.

Obviously without the appropriate documentation stating that there was in fact negligence done on behalf of the builder in rectifying any defects work was needed in order for the client to succeed in her CTTT dispute. So, the client obtained a CTTT report from Effective Building & Consultancy which helped her prove her dispute, as the report showed the clear and major defects found with the property extension complete by her Builder. The client won the dispute and received money from the builder to have the works rectified by a new chosen builder she had appointment.

Overall, CTTT dispute can be very frustrating when dealing with Builders whom an uncooperative and especially when there are major defect works at your home which need to be rectified immediately. This is why Effective Building & Consultancy can help make this a smooth and easy process for you by providing you with all the required documentation to help prove your dispute!

Effective Building and Consultancy is the leader in building and pest inspections around Sydney, get in touch or learn more about us.