(07) 3219 2777
Environpest Preferred Building Inspectors
If you’re in the process of buying your dream home, it is time to consider who you should choose to inspect your home from a building inspection perspective. Our home is for most of us the single biggest investment we'll ever make, so we want to get it right.
We are not fans of the combined building and pest inspections. To us, they're two different disciplines, and it's very difficult for the inspector to remain up to date in both disciplines. It's pretty difficult for a timber pest inspector to keep up to date with what the hand railing height requirements were of a home built 10 years ago, just as it's pretty difficult for a building inspector to keep up to date with the latest advances in termite detection and treatment techniques.
It is also extremely important that your inspectors be independent. The best advice we can possibly give is to engage your building and pest inspectors independently of anyone having an interest in the sale proceeding. Those inspectors who are reliant on referrals from agents for example, may be loath to write a critical report for fear they may not get referred next time. Engage consultants that have your interests as the purchaser at heart.
Independent building inspection costs on typical homes range from $340.00 to $600.00. Combines with an Environpest pre-purchase timber pest inspection at $264.00, you can look towards an inspection cost of $604.00 to $864.00. This is a true reasonable cost of truly independent reports that will provide you with credible information to assist you in the decision making process about your new home, and the maintenance issues you are likely to face in the future.
The alternative is combined building and pest inspections from just $300.00. Unfortunately, these inspectors make up a large percentage of the dispute reporting we do on behalf of our clients, where clients have been found to have bought a home on poor advice, and then have no option but to launch legal actions for recovery of their costs.
Following are some Building Inspectors we have found to be a cut above the rest.
Queensland Master Builders Institute of Building Consultants
The Queensland Master Builders Institute of Building Consultants have a range of members eminently qualified in their respective disciplines. They have on on-line presence at www.qmbaconsultants.com and have a searchable database of members in their Find a Member section.
Mark has been an active member of the Queensland Master Builders Association's Institute of Building Consultants for some time now, and as of 2005, is now also a committee member.
The QMBA Institute of Building Consultants can be contacted on (07) 3404 6444
Eric Pickering
Eric Pickering is from Pickering & Associates. Eric is a past Chairman and current committee member of the Queensland Master Builders Institute of Building Consultants, , and a past chairman of the Master Builders National Consultants Group. Eric is also a registered mediator in the Queensland Building Tribunal. Extremely thorough, and impeccably qualified, Eric can be contacted on (07) 3263 8658 or by e-mail at: pickasoc@bigpond.net.au
Rob McEachran
Rob has Upfront Building Inspections, with a web site at www.upfrontinspections.com. Rob is a lecturer at the Yeronga TAFE Building courses, and as a consequence is well qualified to provide Building Inspections. Rob is also a member of the Queensland Master Builders Institute of Building Consultants.
Rob can be contacted at 1300 559 044, 0419 757 968, or by e-mail at robertmc@squirrel.com.au or rob@upfrontinspections.com.
Roger Karrasch
Roger is an Archicentre architect, and a registered builder and Queensland Master Builders Association member. Heavily involved in the termite issue too, Roger was also at the Government Termite Working Group that produced the Queensland Building Code amendments. Through the Archicentre, Roger does pre-purchase building inspections, and a substantial part of his business is giving evidence on behalf of his clients in the Queensland Building Tribunal on building defects. Very thorough.
Roger can be contacted at (07) 3378 6785, or emailed at karrasch.r.h@bigpond.com
Archicentre
The Archicentre is a division of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects. Part of their business is pre-purchase inspections for people buying a home, and they are extremely professional. The Archicentre can be contacted by phone in Brisbane at (07) 3846 4957. They have a national web site at www.archicentre.com.au
© Mark Porter 2001
Get it right the first time!
