Building Inspections. Are They Necessary?

It is always strongly advised to have a building inspection professional inspect a property you are considering buying, whether this is a free standing house, villa, townhouse or unit.  The aim of this inspection is for the purchaser to be made fully aware of any structural or major defects identified within the property.

Here in Western Australia, contracts are generally signed subject to a structural building inspection report. The sellers are required as per contractual obligations to rectify any structural defects identified in the pre purchase inspection report. The elements that are considered structural in a property are the floor, internal/external walls and roof frame. 

Unfortunately the building inspection industry in Perth is unregulated which is mind boggling considering the large amounts of money that is involved in purchasing a property. Having an inexperienced or unqualified building inspector view your home is a recipe for disaster. Countless claims are lodged each year with insurance companies due to incompetent building inspectors having missed defects during their inspection.

A building inspector should hold qualifications as either a registered builder, architect or building surveyor. The requirements to hold a builders license vary from state to state however in W.A the building commission requires  a minimum of 7 years building site experience and a diploma in building and construction. It could be debated that even meeting this minimum criteria is still not sufficient to be a building inspector.  

Master Building Inspectors offers two different options with pre purchase building inspections. The first is a structural inspection, compliant with the contractual clause detailing structural issues with the property. The second option is a complete building report. This comprehensive report not only details structural defects but also itemises maintenance issues with the property. This allows the purchaser to be fully aware of any minor defects and the required time to have these problems fixed.

This highly regarded company can be contact via their website: http://www.masterbuildinginspectors.com.au