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02/12/2019
If you’ve purchased a property off-the-plan which is due to settle soon, you will usually receive a phone call to book in your final inspection as a matter of course. This call can often bring up a lot of questions, like how will you prepare? What you will bring? Who you will bring? What you will need to do at the inspection? Or even, what happens after the inspection?
With so many things to consider, we find many of our clients benefit from engaging the services of a qualified building inspector to help them through the process. But before we get into the benefits of using a building inspector, let’s cover off what a final inspection is and what it entails.
Typically conducted 7-14 days prior to the settlement, a final inspection is often the first and last opportunity you’ll have to view a property before it settles and will usually be arranged by your sales agent to occur during business hours between Monday and Friday. Sometimes these inspections will occur while parts of a project are still under construction, so the builders may set rules such as wearing flat closed shoes or safety gear when entering the building site.
These inspections are designed so you can check the property meets your expectations according to the plan and information you were provided at purchase. If there are any defects or discrepancies, you can report these to the builder to have them rectified prior to settlement.
As the purchaser, it is your right to opt to have a proxy conduct the inspection on your behalf or bring anyone along to these inspections who may assist you through the process (within reason). Engaging the services of a qualified building inspector can assist in ensuring this process goes smoothly.
A building inspector is a qualified professional who conducts inspections. A good building inspector will have experience working within the building and construction industry. They are familiar with the BCA (Building Codes of Australia) and can quickly identify any safety hazards or non-compliant building works.
Building inspectors will generally inspect the inside of the property (including any roof spaces, that are accessible) and the exterior. By getting into the areas you might not necessarily think to look at (or may not be qualified to inspect), you can get a more comprehensive picture of your property. A building inspector can usually conduct termite and pest inspections as well.
All inspections conducted by a building inspector will come with a detailed report including pictures and descriptions, which are usually well-received by builders, so you can rest assured defects detected will be addressed and attended to appropriately.
If you have purchased a house and land package, you can arrange a building inspector to attend multiple inspections across the various construction stages to ensure construction is always compliant with the BCA.
For an aged property that may require work, a building inspector can also determine what works will be required and even investigate and provide fix price quoting and coordinating trades and services.
If any defects are detected at your initial inspection, a building inspectors may attend a follow up inspection (if needed), to ensure the original defects noted have been rectified and confirm there are no new defects in the process of having the old ones rectified.
While The Hopkins Group does not offer building inspection services in house, we have cultivated relationships with many building inspectors across decades guiding our clients through their off-the-plan property purchases. If you’d like to find out more about the building inspection services we recommend to our clients, or to talk to us about a future property purchase, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
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