Building a house is a huge project made up of hundreds of smaller tasks, and without some vigilance, it’s easy for a mistake or flaw to slip by. Hiring a building inspector is one of those steps that could save you a lot of money and hassle in the future. A building inspection report will cover everything from the structure of the roof, walls, floors, fences and any adjoining buildings, and look for things such as cracks, faults, asbestos and movement. Today’s article is all about what a building inspector does, and the top eight benefits of hiring one for your project.
Why building inspectors are worth their weight in gold
No matter how great your builder is, it’s simply good practice to have a third party look at the finished product. A builder shouldn’t be the only source telling you their work is up to standard, because they obviously can’t help being subjective. One of the benefits of a building inspector is they provide an impartial opinion on your project.
Building inspections are like a car service or a dental check. It’s a chance to keep an eye on things and catch problems in their early stages. A pest inspector will check your house for termites, white ants, and other pests. The building inspection report should be available within 24-48 hours and written in plain language that anyone can understand. If you do have any queries, your inspector should be happy to answer them.
A building inspector is the second line of assurance after an engineer looks at your home at the frame stage.
Building inspectors can be useful for:
- Slab inspections
- Frame inspection
- Pre-plaster and lock-up inspections
- Waterproofing inspections
- Pre-paint/fixing inspections
- Handover stage
- Maintenance inspection, final phases
What does a building inspector do?
While you’ve no doubt seen houses with such obvious flaws that anyone could spot them, most of the time, it’s a lot more difficult to pick up these things unless you know what to look for. There are standards and building codes your house needs to meet for it to be safe to live in and meet all council guidelines.
If you’re not familiar with these standards, it’s easy to simply take the builder at their word. A quality building inspector knows what to look for.
They match your project with the building standards to ensure the house is being built to code.
How do you know you need a building inspector?
You’re probably wondering how necessary it is to have a building inspector. Is your builder inconsistent with the following:
Updates
Ideally, your builder should keep their word, or be open and honest when they can’t. For example, if they say they’ll build two months after the land has been settled (the industry standard) and don’t meet this deadline without explaining why.
Getting to the site
Builders need to be reliable when it comes to showing up on-site. If they don’t, it’ll lead to delays in your build. It’s also a sign that your builder isn’t taking your project seriously and makes you wonder what else they’re cutting corners on.
Has your builder been in the news lately?
We’ve all been seeing new articles about builders who are struggling or about to fold. If you see any news article suggesting not everything is not quite right with your builder, it may be worth investigating further.
Has your builder asked for more money after signing the contract?
This is a big red flag, especially if you’ve agreed to a fixed-price contract. It helps to have a third-party opinion on any extra costs and to offer a second opinion on any prices.
Is your building inspector being vague or avoiding any of your concerns
You should have someone inspect your home in the frame stage of your house it allows the inspectors to see the structure. This is an opportunity to catch a lot of problems that will be a lot harder to detect once the walls are off.
Gain peace of mind
Building a new home is a stressful process at times and towards the end, you’ll be hoping everything turns out. For the same reason, it’s better to get that knocking sound in your car checked than spend weeks worrying about it, having your house inspected provides the extra reassurance that things are going to plan with your build. Clients can have confidence in the job their builder is doing and that their investment is paying off. They’ll hold your builders and contractors responsible for any repairs they need to make.
Identify hazards and defects from the get-go
Building inspectors do this job day in and day out, so they know what to look for and what isn’t quite right. They’ll help spot any potential problems and problem areas.
Save money
When things go wrong during a building project, the financial costs will be thousands of dollars that you’ll have to pay. Most issues not only won’t magically fix themselves, but they’ll also gradually get worse if not attended to. Catching any problems during the build means it’s still on the builder to fix them.
If there are any major flaws, the inspection report can be used to negotiate with the builder, especially if they’ve broken the terms of the building contract.
Save time
Inspecting a house yourself will take a lot of time, especially as most of us haven’t done this before. Not only will a professional be more efficient, but they’ll also be able to spot things you won’t haven’t even considered looking for.
Put health and safety first
Expert building inspectors don’t just catch aesthetic problems with your new home, they will point out any safety issues with your new house. These include structural issues, your electrical system, damage to your property and any defects with walls and doors.
Determine areas requiring further investigation
Along with knowing what isn’t up to standard, your inspector can spot anything that could potentially cause problems in the future.
Estimate time scales and costs efficiently
Your inspector should be able to tell you how long the proposed repairs should take and the costs, if any, of these steps.
Stay within the law and up to code
For most people, it’s difficult to tell if building codes are being met. A building inspector knows the codes inside and out and can quickly identify any potential issues.
Is it essential I get a building inspection?
At the very least, it is worth having an experienced, third-party look at a builder’s work. You want someone who has knowledge of the building industry, understands what you’re legally entitled to expect,
It’s important to remember not all people who offer building inspections are legitimate, so you need to make sure that your inspector has the right qualifications.
Need help finding the right design and builder for you?
At Buildi, we help you find the right builder, save time, reduce stress and stay on budget.
How We Can Help You
Building a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. At Buildi, we’ll be there throughout the entire building process, guiding you step by step so you can avoid any pitfalls. We will help you by following these steps.
- Free Consultation – We will sit with you to understand what you are looking to accomplish.
- Due Diligence – We work with you to ensure you’re buying the right block of land at the right price without hidden problems.
- Builders tender – We will take your requirements out to the market of builders and they will bid to win your business.
- Present solutions – We will compile the top 3 options and present you with a comprehensive proposal on builders’ strengths & weaknesses along with prices and specifications.
- Contract Signing – We will work with you and your selected builder to ensure there is full transparency in what you are entering into.
- Building your home – We work closely with the builder to ensure all service levels are met and your project is on schedule.
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