Building Inspections During COVID-19

All the services we provide are subject to our standard Terms & Conditions. As part of our inspection services, we offer a reasonable level of support to assist you. If for whatever reason a greater level of support is required, this may incur additional charges.

We email you a copy of your tax invoice on the same day as we take the booking, and our standard terms require that payment is made prior to the inspection to confirm the booking. If for any reason you are unable to pay on time, we will not release the report until the overdue account has been settled.

The inspection price lists above are based on a single storey 3-bedroom home of up to (300m2), or a double storey 4-bedroom home of up to (450m2). Homes larger than this will need to be quoted individually. We reserve the right to change (increase or decrease) our pricing as we deem necessary, however current customers and quotations will remain valid until all inspections are completed.

The legislation is very different in Victoria, there is no such definition, the courts and tribunal define an expert as someone who by virtue of experience or qualifications has specialised knowledge in the area. There is no requirement to be registered or accredited if giving an expert report. 

All of our building and pest inspectors are qualified builders, building surveyors, licensed carpenters who have been operating in the industry for over 20  years.

Our inspectors also have timber pest certifications and their own professional indemnity and public liability insurances.

We welcome owners and buyers to be present at the time of inspection, although we ask that you leave the inspector to carry out their inspection and wait to ask your questions at the end. This allows the inspector to concentrate solely on assessing the property to deliver a non-bias report. We also follow a specific routine which ensures no area of the property is missed.

(THE CONDITIONS SURROUNDING ATTENDING INSPECTIONS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS)

A typical combined building and pest inspection will take between one to two hours. Usually 1 hour of inspection and another hour to complete the report depending on how many defects were found and the general condition of the property.

Please note that if you give the builder more than two working days’ notice of your requirement to enter the home, the builder MUST open the dwelling under the “Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995”, part 2 section 19 (Victoria). You can lodge a complaint with the DBDRV if they refuse. In other words, if the builder has been notified, then he or she must open the dwelling.

Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 Act No. 91/1995 Part 2—Provisions that Apply to all Domestic Building Contracts Access to building site (1) A builder must permit the building owner (or a person authorised by the building owner) to have reasonable access to the building site and to view any part of the building works. Penalty: 20 penalty units.

You will receive your report within 4 hours from the completion of your inspection. Please note that payment must be received prior to the inspection, as we cannot complete the report before payment is received.

Your Inspector will carry a ladder, torch, Tramex ME5 moisture meter, FLIR C5 Thermal Imaging Camera and Termatrac T3i Scanner to your inspection.

Please be aware that the moisture meter is only used when visual evidence of moisture is identified by your inspector. The same protocol is followed for the use of the thermal sensor, which is also only required when visual evidence of pest activity is identified. Only images and readings of defects will generally be included in the report.

Please note that if you give the builder more than two working days’ notice of your requirement to enter the home, the builder MUST open the dwelling under the “Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995”, part 2 section 19 (Victoria). You can lodge a complaint with the DBDRV if they refuse. In other words, if the builder has been notified, then he or she must open the dwelling.

Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 Act No. 91/1995 Part 2—Provisions that Apply to all Domestic Building Contracts Access to building site (1) A builder must permit the building owner (or a person authorised by the building owner) to have reasonable access to the building site and to view any part of the building works. Penalty: 20 penalty units.

We encourage you to speak with the building inspector who conducted your inspection. That way you’re dealing with the person who has first-hand knowledge of the property you’re buying. They will talk you through any sections of the report you are unsure about.

Once you have read the report in its entirety, please contact the office on 1300 000 442 and request for a call back from your inspector. We will always endeavour to return your call as soon as possible, however the inspector might be halfway through an inspection and will call you as soon as practical.

Provided that you hold a Domestic Building Contract with your builder, the builder cannot deny you access to your property to have an independent inspection conducted.

Please note that if you give the builder more than two working days’ notice of your requirement to enter the home, the builder MUST open the dwelling under the “Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995”, part 2 section 19 (Victoria). You can lodge a complaint with the DBDRV if they refuse. In other words, if the builder has been notified, then he or she must open the dwelling.

Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 Act No. 91/1995 Part 2—Provisions that Apply to all Domestic Building Contracts Access to building site (1) A builder must permit the building owner (or a person authorised by the building owner) to have reasonable access to the building site and to view any part of the building works. Penalty: 20 penalty units.