Brisbane’s real estate market is booming and in the frenzy to secure a property, you might be tempted to rush important decisions or skip some steps altogether. Don’t! To protect yourself and your investment, you should arrange a pre-purchase property inspection – but first, you’ll want to research building inspectors. Queensland does have the strictest industry regulations in Australia, but not all building inspectors are created equal, and not all building reports are as thorough as they should be.
What are the risks of choosing the wrong Brisbane building inspector?
Queensland is the only state where pre-purchase building inspections need to be undertaken by a licensed residential building inspector. While this is reassuring, the system is not foolproof, and we mean that literally.
It’s not uncommon to hear of buyers who’ve been duped into buying a property with costly issues despite having completed a pre-purchase building inspection. Cheap inspections carried out by inexperienced building inspectors can result in inadequate reports that miss important details. Building inspections commissioned by the agent selling the property come with their own set of risks, as noted by property law expert, Patricia Lane.
“The purchaser should be able to get an independent inspector to look at the property and give an independent opinion, otherwise they’re just stuck with whatever the vendor’s building inspector is prepared to represent.”
And when property defects are missed by building inspectors, Brisbane buyers can face devastating consequences. From costly structural repairs to potential health hazards, a dream home can quickly turn into a nightmare for the new owners.
Recourse may be possible, but the process of lodging complaints or taking legal action can be stressful, time-consuming, and expensive – and buyers are not guaranteed a favourable outcome.
The good news is that knowledge is power. By taking the time to research building inspectors, Brisbane buyers can protect themselves and ensure they have the complete picture of a property before the sale goes unconditional.
What to look for in a building inspector
When researching building inspectors, Queensland buyers should ask the following questions.
Are they independent?
If the real estate agency is paying for the inspector’s services, there’s every chance their loyalty is to the seller – not you. Obligations around seller disclosure vary so if they’re not legally required to let you know about a defect, chances are they won’t. An independent building inspector ensures that you receive a thorough report that protects you from buying a property that’s riddled with expensive problems.
Action Property Inspections understands that purchasing a property is probably the biggest financial decision you will ever make. Our services are designed to shield you against poor investment. We are 100% independent, so you can be confident we work for you and ONLY you.
Are they experienced?
The building inspectors Queensland buyers choose to engage should be able to demonstrate their expertise and experience. Brisbane properties can be affected by weather-related issues that aren’t commonly seen in other parts of the country so local knowledge and experience is imperative.
When you choose Andrew from Action Property Inspections, you’re choosing the building inspector Brisbane buyers trust most. Action offers a highly specialised service honed over 30 years in the business and Andrew has personally inspected more than 20,000 homes in greater Brisbane. Don’t accept anything less.
What’s included in the building inspection report?
In a pre-purchase building inspection, your inspector will assess the property for any obvious defects or areas of concern. However, not all inspectors offer the same inclusions. It may be tempting to save money on a less comprehensive service but when a missed defect can cost you tens of thousands of dollars (and sometimes more), it’s a risk you might want to avoid.
Inspections should include:
- allotment
- garage
- house exterior
- house interior, wet areas
- decking, pergola and verandah
- roof exterior and interior
- termite barrier
- underfloor areas.
We offer Full Defect Building Reports that exceed the Australian Standard. Free thermal image scanning, moisture detection analysis, and digital photographic reporting are all included.
What are their customer reviews like?
You can learn a lot about Brisbane building inspectors by what their customers say about them so always take the time to read the Google reviews.
We receive consistently glowing reviews highlighting our professionalism, thorough building inspections, and highly detailed, easy-to-understand reports. We have a reputation for finding every little problem with a property, empowering buyers to make the best decisions for themselves.
Our building reports are often used to reduce the sale price of a property, much to the frustration of real estate agents and vendors. They probably don’t like us as much as our customers do – but that just means we’re doing our job right!
