Building Inspector

From: Owen .


Can anyone help me with finding a good building inspector? Do I just use a builder? Are there inspection people like there are valuation people?

I'm looking for someone in inner Sydney so I you can help with a name and an approximate expected price I would be very grateful. It's for an apartment inspection by the way so that may need different skills.

Thanks.
 
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Reply: 1
From: Adam Randall


Hello
Whatever you do don't make the mistake I made and use the building inspector the real estate agent recommends (I don't think there is anyone at this forum who would be that dumb).
Regards Adam
 
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Reply: 1.1
From: Robert Forward


It's alright Adam. We all pay for our education somehow.

I just hope it was a cheap educational experience. Remember others have been done by a lot more ie: 2 tier marketiers etc etc.

Cheers
Robert
 
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Reply: 1.2
From: Owen .


I was already aware of that one Adam and I never even asked the agent. I hope it worked out for you in the end.

However, I'm still in the dark as to how to find a good one or who is recommended to use.

Anyone...
 
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Reply: 1.2.1
From: F. F.


A few suggestions that may be worth pursuing. Other real estate agents may have some recommends, yellow pages may have a listing, there may be a state body of building inspectors in your home state, builders' association in your home state may be able to provide you with a list of suitable people, a local architect may be able to direct you to someone. Just a few thoughts to get you started.

Derek
 
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Reply: 1.2.1.1
From: Paul Zagoridis


FAI Homecare (not related to FAI insurance nor HIH)

http://www.faihomecare.com.au

While I haven't used these guys I like Brad Cooper who started the company (made his name when he started FAI security).

The advantage is that if they have done an inspection recently (for someone else) you can download it straight away.

Costs $395 plus GST (intro pricing). All inspections I've gotten have in the past cost $390 in NSW, Vic and Qld but I guess prices are rising or FAI HomeCare are charging premium for their service.

You can also subscribe to a free newsletter "Insite - tips & trends for the Sydney real estate market"

What was your problem with an inspector recommended by an agent? I am buying the inspector's insurance policy. $400 and if anything goes wrong I have a claim against his insurer. Maybe I'm missing an obvious point.

Paul Zag
Dreamspinner
 
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Reply: 1.2.1.1.1
From: Owen .


Excellent. Thanks Paul. I'll check them out.
 
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Reply: 1.2.1.1.1.1
From: Asy .


Hey Adam,

Not fair!

I recommend a really good, independent building inspector (in Melb) and he has done lots for my clients. He is not biased, nor would he ever (and I do mean Ever) give a report other than exactly what he has found.

I resent the implication that all agents are crooked (yeah, there are lots, but not all).

And for your information, yes, his reports have had people back out of purchases, but then it is my job to find other buyers. And I have.

Larysa.
 
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Reply: 1.2.1.1.1.1.1
From: Adam Randall


Hello
I never implied all real estate agents are crooks (only the ones Ive met!!! Joking). The real estate agents have a major interest in the sale of the property. If the building inspectors are recommended by the real estate agents then there is a fair chance kickbacks are involved. Im sorry if I hurt your feelings (ive got the number of a good chaplain) but the more I think about it, the more I realise I had rocks in my head when I made that decision.
Asyral you mean to tell me if you were selling a house for a client (your client who is paying you good money), you would recommend a building inspector who may well tell prospective buyers that the house needs to be bulldozed, I think you must be living in an alternate dimension. If you are like most real estate agents ,if you are selling a dodgy house at best you hope the word inspector does not come up, at worst you hand them the number to Rocco Dodgy's 3rd cousin (owner of AAAAArdvark building co).

It was not until 3 months after I had my written inspection done that I realised how ripped off I had been. I paid $230, the inspector was at the house for approx 45mins he banged a couple of walls, noted that a window winder was not working, and that was it (house is about 300sqm).
My mate came into work about 3 months later with a building inspection (cost him $150)done on a property he was going to buy, quite frankly I thought it was the latest edition of the encyclopedia Britannica, it was about 18 pages long, and listed everything (mine was 1 1/2 pages double spaced).
I will list things I found out about my house after it was bought:
Hot water system blew up (over 10 Y/old)
Septic tank setup illegally
pool waste setup illegally
wood rot in several places (hidden)
1 roof rafter was rotten (completely gone).
about 1 hundred other little things that for 230 dollars should have been picked up.
Would I have bought the house if I had known these things? In this case yes however I would have had much more ammunition to get a better price.
Getting back to dodgy realestate agents, the one who sold me this place actually asked me if I could give him 3K in cash seeing as he had got me such a good price, and this was going to reduce his commission on it substantially, I almost laughed out loud, maybe if honest realestate agents like you want your industry to have a good name, then maybe you should try and weed out the very high percentage of sharks that are out there.
After doing a bit of work setting up computers in the realestate industry I have no problem treating realestate agents with the disdain I currently do, in the short time I worked around these people, my view of them went from nuetral to highly negative, to the point of wanting to take a shower after being in their company to long. I have no doubt there are excellent realestate agents out there trying to make an honest living, problem is they look the same as the dodgy ones.
Regards Adam
 
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