Buying property is likely to be one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in life, so you want to be sure your new home is not a dud. There are likely to be obvious repairs or signs of ageing you can see when you inspect a property, but you need an expert to point out the things that are not so obvious to an untrained eye. So how can you be sure that the expert you employ to inspect your home is in fact an expert? You are likely to start with looking at local Brisbane building and pest inspector reviews.
Looking at Brisbane Building And Pest Inspector Reviews? Here Are Our Answers to All the Top Review Questions.
We share our answers to your commonly asked questions!
Read on to discover a list of real client concerns taken from online Brisbane building and pest inspector reviews.
1. Do building and pest inspectors need professional indemnity insurance?
Although the Building Services Authority Act states that all building inspectors must hold professional indemnity insurance, don’t get caught out by those that have been granted a BSA exemption. Some building inspectors are granted an exemption because they either cannot afford to obtain insurance or they have had too many claims. Professional indemnity insurance is a safeguard for the building inspector and the client in the case of a claim.
At Action Property Inspections, we value quality and accuracy. For this reason, we’ve never had a claim. We highly recommend that you ask a building and pest inspector to produce their certificate of currency before employing their services.
2. Can I attend the building and pest inspection when it’s being undertaken?
At Action Property Inspections, we believe it’s in your best interests to attend the building and pest inspection. This is the best opportunity for you to see the property up close, get a chance to ask questions and for us to point out any concerns. If you can’t attend, don’t worry, our reports include photos and a detailed overview of the property’s condition. We will also discuss the report in detail before it is sent to you.
“Thanks to Andrew’s report, my partner and I successfully pulled out of the contract. I was not there at the inspection, but my partner was there with Andrew and Ryan when they were doing building and pest inspection. He told me that they were both very good guys and very professional. They also taught my partner some simple tips on checking on a house before we make an offer, which was very informative.” T Xu (19/04/16)
3. My real estate agent doesn’t seem happy about the inspector I would like to use. What should I do?
Our recommendation is to do your own research and go with a company you trust. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous agents and inspectors out there who can work as a team to ensure certain defects are conveniently overlooked.
At Action Property Inspections, we are forthright in our findings and offer unbiased Full Defect Reports. 82% of our work stems from referrals from happy clients, not real estate agents.
4. Should one person do both the building and pest inspection?
You might think it makes sense to have one person do both the building and pest inspection but, in fact, it’ll be doing you a disservice. Ideally you want to have two sets of eyes carrying out the inspections: one set on the building and one set on the pests. This way it’s less likely that faults are missed. What’s more, although the two skill sets are interrelated, building and pest inspections are two very different practices.
The Australian Standard states that the pest report is a ‘special purpose report’ and that it should be separate from the building report. At Action Property Inspections, we specialize in building inspections. At the same time, we save you time and money by providing a list of reputable pest inspection companies, who you are welcome to contact. Or, we can contact them on your behalf so that both inspections can be carried out at the same time.
5. My building inspector finished the inspection really quickly. I’m worried he missed things. How long should a building and pest inspection usually take?
This is variable and depends on the size and condition of the property. If you find the inspector leaving after only 30 minutes, however, you have every reason to be concerned. Quality building and pest inspections should take approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours each.
“We were very impressed with how thorough the inspection was and even had comments from the sellers saying how in depth it was compared to the one they had. The report was very well detailed. If I were to buy another house I would not hesitate to use you guys again. Found problems that the sellers had no idea about as well”. Z Wicham (18/10/16)
6. Is it true that building and pest inspectors don’t check behind things like furniture, appliances, under rugs, behind pictures, etc?
As much as we’d love to have x-ray vision at Action Property Inspections, it is just not possible for us to see behind things like furniture or walls. In fact, we are legally unable to move furniture or conduct an invasive inspection that can damage the property.
To put your mind at ease though, an experienced property inspector will often be able to detect potential defects that are hidden behind clutter or awkward building features.
We know the tell-tale signs of common property faults and have specialised equipment – such as moisture meters – to help us gain extra information. We cannot always guarantee that our inspectors or our equipment will pick up faults behind furniture or walls, but our report to you will clearly explain if and when visibility or access has been a problem for us.
7. I’ve heard of some dodgy inspectors out there. What kind of licence does a building and pest inspector need and how do I find out if they have one?
All building inspectors must have a licence with the Building Services Authority. We encourage you to ask the inspector to show you his or her licence and ensure it is valid before engaging their services.
Not only are Action Property Inspections a Licensed Building Inspector, we are also a professionally accredited and insured QBSA Master Builder and member of the Institute of Building Consultants. This gives our inspectors the highest level of available expertise – and gives our clients total peace of mind.
8. The building inspector didn’t check inside the roof. Why?
Often building inspection companies don’t access any roof area that exceeds 3.6 metres due to the risks involved. At Action Property Inspections, we conduct risk assessment evaluations at every inspection, including consideration of safe roof access. We will physically inspect the roof of a single or double storey dwelling only when it is safe in terms of accessibility and weather conditions.
“With Action Property Inspections you are able to purchase with confidence. We debated using a cheaper option, at the end of the day we were very happy that we choose Action Property Inspections as you really get what you pay for. A detailed report, detailed talk through the issues with the property and most importantly Andrew gets onto the roof and into the nooks and crannies that other inspectors are not willing to do.” F McClymont (06/06/16)
When it comes to engaging a building and pest inspector for your home it certainly pays to do your research. The fact that you’re here reading this article means you’re on your way to making the best choice! Take the time to compare Brisbane building and pest inspector reviews before you commit to an inspection. Always work with an inspector you’re happy to trust with your investment!
