We’re sure you’ve all heard the saying about not judging a book by it’s cover. Well, when it comes to one of the biggest financial decisions of your life – buying a house – it also pays not to take things at face value. Getting a proper building inspection done before you sign the papers and hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars is a vital way of ensuring that you’re making a sound financial decision.

In one of our recent blogs we discussed the 5 secrets that a pre purchase building & pest inspection report can reveal. However, not all the people performing those inspections work at the same level. If you want to protect your investment and take full advantage of all the benefits that a building inspection can provide, then you need to make sure that the right person is doing the job.

That’s why we’ve put together this helpful building inspector checklist. If you’re going to be purchasing a property any time in the future, make sure you check it out so that you’re armed with the information you need.

Are They A Registered Builder?

Believe it or not, there aren’t any licensing requirements for building inspectors in any state in Australia. That being said, the Building Commission and industry bodies like HIA and The Master Builder’s Association recommend that your building inspector should be a current registered builder, so make sure this is the case before you engage anyone.

Do They Have Good Online Customer Reviews?

We’re currently living in the internet age, so it’d be silly not to take advantage of online customer reviews when trying to gauge the quality and reliability of a building inspector’s work. The more positive reviews they have from satisfied customers, the more likely it is that they’ll do a great job, so take some time and do your research (you can view all our online reviews here).

Do They Have The Right Insurance?

To give you peace of mind, your building inspector should carry both public liability and professional indemnity insurance. This will ensure you’re covered in case the inspector misses any structural faults that would otherwise have stopped the purchase going ahead. That being said, indemnity insurance isn’t quite as important if you’re building a new house, as the builders indemnity insurance will cover you for an additional 6 years after the completion of your home.

Ask Them For A Sample Report

The best way to gauge the thoroughness and quality of a building inspection company’s work is to have a look at a report that they’ve done for a previous client. Do this with multiple companies and comparing the level of detail in the different reports is a great way of assessing which you should engage to do your pre purchase building inspection.

Cheaper Isn’t Necessarily Better

With services like building inspections it can be easy to base your decision solely on price. But as with most things in life, you really do get what you pay for. Choosing the cheapest option means that you’re less likely to get a really thorough report from an experienced inspector. Given that purchasing a home is such a huge financial exercise, it’s worth paying a bit extra up front to ensure that you’re making the right decision.

Ask What Kind Of Inspection Options They Offer

Lots of companies will offer a structural only inspection, however some will also offer a more premium service which can test out other aspects of the house’s functionality (such as the electricity, functioning taps & plumbing etc). Just because the house is structurally sound doesn’t mean that everything within it works as it should, so going for a more premium service that offers these extra checks can save you having to repair or replace important elements yourself after you’ve signed the sale documents.

Do They Have Separate Inspectors For Different Types Of Inspection?

A competitors pre purchase building inspection report will contain two separate elements: a structural report and a pest inspection. Often, both parts will be done by the same person. At BestWest Building, we have a different specialist inspector for each part of the report. This means that they can focus entirely on their individual task and there are more eyes on site, which results in a more detailed and higher quality end result.

Take Your Time & Make The Right Choice

Purchasing a home that has serious structural defects can be financially disastrous. A through, detailed property inspection report performed by an experienced inspector can save you from this fate ,so it’s important that you take your time and choose the right company.

At BestWest Building, our dedicated inspectors have years of experience and can give you the peace of mind you need when purchasing a property. Get in touch with us today to find out more.