By Hank Ozzy
A thorough and competent inspection identifies potential structural issues, code violations, and safety hazards that could end up costing you dearly in the long run if left undetected. The consequences of skimping on your building inspection are simply too severe. Major defects that go unnoticed lead to expensive repairs down the road, dangerous living conditions for occupants and even legal liabilities if you’re the owner or developer of the property.
Service, ethics, and value
Beyond just technical competency, you also want a building inspector who provides exceptional customer service, operates with integrity, and delivers overall value, such as:
- Responsive communication– Reliable inspectors communicate clearly and respond promptly to calls/emails before, during, and after the inspection process.
- Ethics and impartiality– Top inspectors will recuse themselves from jobs if they have conflicts of interest. Their reports should be unbiased and fact-based regardless of who hired them.
- Continuing support– Quality inspectors offer clients continued advice and support even after delivering the final report. They welcome follow-up questions.
- Service guarantees- See if the inspector offers satisfaction guarantees, warranties on their work, or other consumer protection policies signaling confidence in their service.
- Pricing and value– While pricing shouldn’t be the only factor, top inspectors deliver a combination of expertise, service, and overall value that justifies their fees. Get quotes from a few candidates to gauge reasonable rates for your area/job Click to read more about building inspections in Sydney.
The inspection process is complicated and stressful, so having an inspector who treats you with professionalism, respect, and accountability provide priceless peace of mind.
Consequences of cutting corners
To truly emphasize the importance of hiring a skilled, reputable building inspector, it’s worth examining the potential consequences of skimping on this critical service.
Legal liabilities
Depending on your role as a property buyer, owner, developer, or contractor, you could also open yourself to significant legal liabilities if you fail to exercise due diligence through professional inspection services. For example:
- Homebuyers– Most purchase contracts require inspections, so skipping this step could open you to lawsuits if major defects are discovered after closing. The seller may claim you proceeded without doing your due diligence.
- Homeowners– If you fail to identify and address safety hazards that end up harming occupants, you may face premises liability claims and punishing settlements or judgments. Ditto for landlords who endanger tenants through negligence.
- Developers/Contractors– Mistakes, missed issues, and corner-cutting during construction can trigger litigation from buyers, occupants, neighboring properties affected by your work, and more. Lawsuits get expensive quickly and can devastate a business.
One overlooked code violation or unseen structural problem can potentially snowball into a legal quagmire you’ll spend years and tens of thousands untangling if a qualified inspector isn’t brought in early.
Property value impacts
Undiscovered issues don’t just eat into repair funds – they can outright devastate a property’s market value and re-sale potential until the problems are addressed (at an even greater cost). Buyers in today’s market are extremely wary of properties with “good bones” but a host of known issues. Your property assessment could get slashed if you attempt to sell while disclosing a laundry list of defects missed by past inspectors. You may struggle to find buyers or be forced to accept heavily discounted offers until the issues are resolved. That could quickly wipe out any penny-pinching on inspection services!
