In Queensland, getting a pre-purchase building and pest Inspection is common practice. Usually, it is included as a clause within a contract of sale. This means the sale of the property is contingent upon the outcome of a building and pest inspection. Due to this, there is high demand within Queensland for building inspectors, especially when the property market is hot. With so many to choose from, how do find the best building Inspector in your area?
Thankfully, by asking a few simple questions and doing some quick research, you can find a reliable and trustworthy inspector.
1. Look for someone who has plenty of experience
Buying a new home is a big investment. You don’t want to go into it blind. The best building inspector will have years of experience within the building industry and know exactly what to look for when inspecting a property. They will be able to give you a crystal-clear picture of the current condition of the property. This should include an outline of any major and minor building defects, safety hazards and other issues affecting the livability of the property. By knowing this information, you will be able to make an informed decision about the property and buy with confidence.
At Local Inspections, our inspectors are our best asset. Each inspector has over 30 years of experience within the building industry. They bring a wealth of knowledge to each inspection and know exactly what to look for and will give you solid advice that you can trust.
2. Check reviews and ask for recommendations
In addition to looking for someone with plenty of experience, it’s best to book with a company that has a good reputation. The best building inspectors will have online reviews from previous clients and good working relationships with local agents. Look for reviews that mention things like, “good communication”, “helpful, friendly or informative staff”, “thorough inspection/report” and “the inspector answered all my questions” as a sign of a genuine review. Another great place to start is by asking family and friends for recommendations.
3. Make sure they are licensed and insured to conduct building inspections
As you can imagine, buyers could easily be caught out if they hired someone who is inexperienced or unqualified. To prevent this from happening, all building inspectors in Queensland must be licensed by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). They are the industry regulator for the state and have some of the strictest standards in Australia.
To obtain a building inspector’s license, the person applying must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as a licensed builder and have completed a ‘Completed Residential Building Inspector’ course. This ensures that only people who have the necessary skills and experience are carrying out building inspections.
The best building inspector will also hold a current certificate of insurance. They will also be happy to supply their license number (which you can search on the QBCC database to confirm its current) and certificate of insurance if asked. If the person seems to hesitate to supply this information to you, it may be best to keep looking.
4. Ask smart questions to gauge whether the building inspector is thorough
You can do this by asking how long the inspector allows for each inspection, which areas of the property they inspect, and for a copy of a sample report.
The best building inspectors will allow 1.5 – 2 hours for each inspection, depending on the size of the property. This ensures they have enough time to thoroughly inspect the property and answer any questions. Likewise, they will also check all accessible areas of the property within 30 meters of the home including the roof, roof void and subfloor (if it’s safe to do so). Lastly, they will be happy to provide you with a sample report. This gives you a great indication of the quality of their work and whether their reports are easy to read.
At Local Inspections, all our reports are easy to understand. Building defects are clearly listed at the start of the report with more details, recommendations and coloured photos provided further down in the report. If you would like a copy of our sample report, let us know by filling out our contact form.
Limitations of a building inspection
Regardless of who you go with, there are strict guidelines that building inspectors must follow. Under Australian Standards and QBCC guidelines, a building inspector can only:
- Check items that are within their qualifications such as the building interior, exterior, roof, subfloor and roof void. They cannot check items outside their scope such as plumbing, electrical and household appliances as they are not qualified to do so. If you need these items checked, we recommend contacting a licensed plumber or electrician.
- Guarantee a building report for 4 weeks. After this time, a building report is considered out of date/void. This is due to the many variables within the environment that can rapidly change or impact the condition of a property. For example, termites can move into a property at any time without warning. Likewise, a burst water pipe could happen at any time causing damage to the property.
- Comment on the condition of the building such as building defects, safety hazards and other issues that impact the livability of the property. This means they are unable to comment on whether the building is currently up to the building code or whether it’s in a flood zone. Checking whether a building is up to code falls under the scope of a building certifier. Whereas, the city council is the best point of contact for finding out whether your home is in a flood zone.
The best building inspector will always act with integrity and will be unwilling to act outside the state guidelines.
Have peace of mind with a building inspection from Local Inspections
If you’re looking for the best building inspector near you, Local Inspections can help! All our inspectors have over 30 years of experience within the building industry and are licensed and insured.
We provide building inspections, building and pest inspections, annual timber pest inspections and handover inspections in Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Maryborough, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast.
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