Booking a pre-purchase building inspection is a no-brainer and anyone would say that they want to choose a professional that they can trust. That said, you’re likely to encounter varying rates between providers after a quick Google search and a few phone calls, and it can be hard to know what the difference is between them all. While there can be a number of variables between inspectors, it can all be broken into four major concepts.

Quality of the report

Typically, cheaper building inspections include much less information so that the provider can reduce their overheads. These reports are often evasive, non-committal and potentially useless if they overlook key issues, which is why you should seek a provider that can produce a detailed report at a competitive price.

Time taken

A quality building inspector should offer a fast turnaround time on their report and even allow you to come along during the inspection. Spending less on an inspection often extends the time it will take to finalise the report after the property has been examined.

Negotiating power

An added advantage of a building inspection report is that it can allow you to negotiate the purchase price based on the estimated cost of any repairs that may be required. The more detail in the report, the more authority you’ll have during negotiations.

Long term costs

If you choose to sacrifice quality and go for the lowest bidder on a building inspection, there’s a chance the report may overlook current or potential problems with the structure. As a result, you could go through with a purchase on the impression that no work is required only to be faced with costly repairs down the track. Quality reports often pay for themselves by picking up any issues early on and giving you the information you need to look the other way or negotiate a new price.

Consider price matching

It’s still easy to be tempted by a lower price, especially when the level of service appears to be similar. The good news is that some providers — including Building Masters Inspections — will be able to beat the price offered by qualified competitor. If you are given a cheaper quote for an inspection that offers a similar level of service to our own, send it through along with a sample of their report and they will not hesitate to beat it.

If you take the time to do your research instead of jumping the gun and booking the lowest bidder, you’ll improve your chances of receiving a high quality report at a price that you can fit within your budget.