When you buy a second-hand car for $10,000 you get it checked by a Mechanic first – right?

When some people buy a second-hand house for $500,000 they don’t see the need to get it checked by a Building Inspector – really?

It might seem obvious to most of us, but some people just don’t get it.

So for those of you who do get it, let’s discuss Building Inspectors . . .

Here are two very common questions:

Q: Aren’t all Building Inspectors the same?

Q: Don’t Building Inspection Reports all contain much the same information?

The answer to both questions is absolutely not.

Apart from holding a licence, a useful Building Inspector must have the following six basic credentials:

  • A deep understanding of building construction and deterioration;
  • Good general knowledge of all the building trades;
  • A grasp of current trade rates and building material costs;
  • Understand how the real estate industry works – the pitfalls and tricks;
  • Ability to guide a property buyer with both their decision making and negotiating approach;
  • Be an effective communicator.

To achieve all these skills takes time – a lifetime.

So it follows that not all Building Inspectors are the same.

It also follows that if a younger person does a course in building inspection they might qualify for one or two of the basic six skills above. But to achieve all six there is only one way – spend a lifetime in the building industry.

So the makeup of a good Building Inspector can really only be one person – a senior builder.

Things to remember when you are cruising the internet trying to choose a Building Inspector:

  • Not all Building Inspectors are the same
  • Price is forgotten long after quality is remembered
  • If you needed brain surgery, would you be looking for a cut-price brain surgeon or someone who knows what they are doing?

Speak soon,

-Mike Heathcote