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What are the steps of the building inspection process?

A new home is a huge investment and it should not be taken casually. A building inspector plays a vital role in the decision to buy or pass a potential home. Since building inspection is so important, it is equally important to hire a competent building inspector. Only an expert building inspector is capable of detecting all the defects in the property. At the same time, it is important to know the steps of building inspection process so no one make fool out of you and you can protect your life’s biggest investment. Building Inspection Council has compiled the following are 5 steps of the building Inspection Process.

1. Meeting With Inspector:

Not only it will put the face to the name but also helps you understand the demeanor of the inspector. If you are not comfortable, then it is easy to drop the inspector at this stage. You can verify the license and insurance also.

In the meeting, you can discuss the scope of the building inspection. A good building inspection will explain to you the process of the inspection and what are the things that they specifically look for in the house.

A good building inspector will have substantial knowledge of the Building Acts,  the Building Regulation Building Code of Australia, and the current building practices. They know where builders cut the corner or in the case of the existing home, what are common building defects in the area. This experience is value able in identifying the problems in the property.

Last but not least, this is the opportunity to finalize the time of inspection with the inspector, real estate agent, and vendor.

Read (3 DON’T WHEN CHOOSING BUILDING INSPECTOR, HOW TO SPOT A DODGY BUILDING INSPECTOR? and HOW TO CHOOSE A BUILDING INSPECTOR? ) to learn choosing a building inspector)

2. Physical Inspecting The House:

This is the core of the steps of building inspection process. Be present at the time of inspection and ask your questions or doubts first hand instead of depending on the lengthy explanations.

A professional building inspector will look through the following:

  • Building Site: This is the part of the house which is no attached to the main building such as fence, driveways, garage, sheds, retaining walls, etc.
  • The exterior of the building: These are the parts of the house that are exterior of the house but attached to the house such as staircase, porch, garage, laundry, etc
  • Interior of the building: This includes the internal of the main building such as rooms, kitchen, washrooms, floors, walls, windows, door, cupboards, etc.
  • Roof exterior: The upper and exposed parts of the roof constitute this section of the house and the inspector looks for broken tile, roof sheeting, valleys, gutters, etc.
  • Roof Interior: The part of the roof that is visible from the roof cavity. Building inspectors scan roof tiles, roof sheeting, roof framing, ceiling framing, ceiling lining, insulation, etc. for any issues.
  • Footing: If the subfloor is accessible then the building inspector will look for any damage to the footing such as water damage, movement, termite infestation, etc.

Read (what-is-covered-in-the-building-inspection) for more information.

3. Getting Debrief

After going through the property, a good building inspector will be happy to answer all of your queries and concerns. The inspectors will explain to you in the layman’s language their opinion about the property and major problematic areas of concern. This initial analysis gives you a general idea of whether you are doing in the right direction or not.

Do not hesitate to ask any questions to the inspector regarding the problem areas of concern, how long would it take to fix it, and how much it cost (rough idea). This information will guide your expectations from the building inspection report.

4. Detailed Report

Once the building inspection is complete, ensure you get a written, detailed inspection report that complies with Australian standards (AS 4349.1 -2007). The report should have a clear and easy-to-understand explanation of all the defects with pictures. A building inspection report contains the following information:

  • Table of content
  • Client and Property Information
  • Description of Inspection and defects
  • Conclusion and summary
  • Terms and Condition
  • General house maintenance tips

 For detailed content of the building inspection report, please read (WHAT IS IN THE BUILDING INSPECTION REPORT?)

5. Ongoing Follow Ups

A professional building inspection won’t just email you the report and disappear. There may be issues mentioned in the report which may boggle your mind and need some assistance. A good building inspector will help you with your inquiries so that you can make a confident decision about the property. Some building inspectors may charge you extra for follow-up sessions and such inspectors should be avoided.

A competent building inspector would stand with his report in any conflict raised by the real estate agent or vendor. The building inspector would be able to argue his finding in court if needed.

When it comes to the biggest financial decision of your life, there is no such thing as being too informed. You should do as much research as possible and thorough knowledge of the steps of building inspection can help get the best of the inspector and save your future regrets. Building Inspection Council is a not-for-profit organization and helps Australian property buyers with free quotes from the expert building inspector in your area. The best thing about being a not-for-profit organization is that we do not have compromised for profit. You get genuine and honest advice for the biggest investment of your life. Click here for free Quotes.  

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