Do you need a pre-purchase inspection or building report? Choosing a professional building inspector is important. When choosing any tradie or service provider, you must be careful to get a qualified expert who will do a thorough job. When you’re getting a property inspection, it’s even more important because of the amount of money at stake.

You may not be aware that while there are standards for building inspections in New Zealand, compliance is not currently compulsory. While there are several organisations to which building inspectors can belong, membership is not required, so not every building inspector may choose to join. Anyone can set themselves up as a professional property inspector, so it pays to research and choose your company wisely.

When you are choosing a property inspector:

• Get quotes from two or three companies and compare what they offer, not just what they charge.
• Ask about the level of experience of your professional property inspector. Have they spent time in the construction industry? Do they have a trade or tertiary qualifications in building? How long have they been inspecting properties?
• Check if the building inspector is a Licensed Building Practitioner.
• Check if they are a registered property inspector. Registered inspectors are more likely to be experienced and uphold the correct standards.
• Check if they belong to national bodies for professional property inspectors, like the New Zealand Institute for Building Inspectors.
• Ask friends or family for recommendations. Your local real estate agent may also know of a reputable company.
• Ask for testimonials from previous customers.
• Ask the company how they will inspect your property and what they will cover. Will they look just at the house or at the surrounding exterior area as well?
• Ask what will appear in the report. Will it include images, when you will get it, and in what format?

If you are unhappy with how your inspection is carried out, don’t be afraid to question the inspector. Do query anything in the report that you are not sure about.

At Innohome, our inspector has over 30 years of industry experience. Kevin is a Licensed Building Practitioner and a New Zealand Institute of Building Inspectors (NZIBI) member. He has also completed the Accredited Building Surveyor Programme Level One.

Contact today if you’d like a thorough and accurate building report from an experienced professional property inspector.