Commercial Building Inspections

A complete Commercial and Industrial Building Inspection service

Residential Building Inspections

Mid North Coast pre-purchase building inspections and dilapidation reports

Residential Building Inspections

Mid North Coast pre-purchase building inspections and dilapidation reports

Building Inspections

Why obtain a building and pest inspection report?

Water damage to timber flooring

Buyers agents advise all clients to commission an independent building and pest inspection report, the benefits are obvious:

Pier not supporting floor frame

In one case, the buyers made an offer to purchase a property subject to a building and pest inspection report. The offer was accepted. The building inspector then revealed that there was a defect to the property. We obtained a conservative estimate of approximately $25,000 to fix the problem. The buyers then used this information to successfully negotiate a further $25,000 off the agreed price, anf they were delighted.

In our opinion, the only time that clients should even consider not obtaining a building report is when it is clear that the existing house is going to be knocked down and rebuilt.

Ken Barker Building Services have a comprehensive pre-purchase property inspection service report, aligning with Future Pest Management Termite Inspections to offer clients a complete pre-purchase report.

Choosing a pre-purchase inspector

The NSW Building Pre-Purchase Inspection industry has been deregulated. This basically means any person with very little experience can now check your property investment.

Roof gable linings missing and flashing loose

Tips to ensure the person you're about to engage will identify major defects and safety hazards, structural defect issues to the property:

Dislodged roof tiles to roof valley

Our reports are thorough, unbiased and independent. We take considerable time to inspect the property. Your investment is important to us.

Over 35 years experience in the building construction industry. Qualified and licensed building inspector, builder supervisor and building consultant.

We have carried out many pre-purchase inspections, defect reports, building delapidation and pre-condition reports, building consultation works, Fair Trading building reports in the Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Macleay Valley, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Nambucca Valley, Urunga, Bonville, Coffs Harbour area, Mid North Coast areas in between and adjoining those locations. As a result of our comprehensive and detailed reports over the years we have many clients, Solicitors and Conveyancers who would recommend us to purchasers.

Roof flashings not secured correctly

The Inspection Report: These comprehensive and detailed reports are typed, computer generated and include full colour photos. Photos of the building internally and externally, photos of any identified major issues/defects. Includes a description of the construction type, style of the building and age. We can provide cost estimates for any defective items that may have been identified to further assist your purchase price negotiations. We can follow up with verbal advice and answer any questions in relation to the inspection findings. We also welcome clients who would like to attend the inspection/s to meet with us onsite.

All visible locations of the property to which reasonable and safe access is availableare inspected in accordance with Australian Building Standards Pre-Purchase AS 4349.1-2007 Building Inspection Part 1 Appendix "C".

The 12 to 20 page report will contain information on all aspects of the property, not only commenting on both minor and major defects that may be present, including positive aspects of the building elements as well. Our undertaking is to have our detailed report back to you within 24 to 48 hours. The report will contain photos of the property and comments on everything from the fences, gates, driveways, paths, drainage, and even the clothesline.

Water pooling under the building

Ken Barker Building Services have a comprehensive pre-purchase property inspection service report, aligning with Future Pest Management Termite Inspections to offer clients a complete pre-purchase report.

Buying a home will probably be the biggest financial decision you will ever make so it's important to make a wise choice. Knowing as much as you can about the condition of the property before you buy will help you avoid problems and extra costs down the track. The best way of doing this is to get a pre-purchase property inspection report - otherwise known as a Building Inspection Report. As licensed builders we can even assist you with estimates for repairs to help you further negotiate the final price of the property.

The all in one Building and Pest Inspectors

Be wary of any building/pest inspector that combines the building and pest inspections in the one report. These type of reports do not have any detail as they tend to be a franchise-type building report and only five general overall comments and do not give a full picture of the state of the building.

These franchise-type building reports would suggest to consult and engage a licensed builder, carpenter, plumber, drainer, electrician, roofer, bricklayer, water proofer, termite inspector, structural engineer to seek further advice on any repair costs that may have been identified within their report, causing you additional costs and valuable time within your Cooling Off Period of your purchase.

Pier not supporting the floor frame correctly

They even state that if you need to know if the building is structurally sound, to seek the advice of a structural engineer (in the fine print), whereas our reports are comprehensive, detailed and will state whether the building is or is not structurally sound and what works will be required to rectify the issues.

Be wary of Real Estate Agents recommending a particular person to carry out these types of inspections, as they would not normally highlight any issues that may be detrimental to the proposed sale, but rather recommend you seek further advice from said qualified people. The agent then applies undue pressure on the buyers to decide in the Cooling Off Period when clearly there is not enough time for you to carry out these further consultations to obtain advice and seek costings, due to these trade referrals.

Inspections done during the cooling-off period

When you buy a property in NSW, there is a 5 business day cooling off period after you have exchanged contracts. During this period, you may get out of the sale as long as you give written notice. The cooling-off period starts as soon as you exchange and ends at 5pm on the fifth business day.

A cooling-off period does not apply if you buy property at auction or exchange contracts on the same day as the auction after it is passed in. Always check with your solicitor or licensed conveyancer that you have a cooling-off perios, and have the process explained to you.

To get a building inspection done during the cooling-off period, give the consultant as much notice as possible. They will have to do the inspection, prepare the report and still give you time to decide and potentially withdraw from the contract (requiring a letter to the vendor or their agent saying so). If you withdraw, you forfeit 0.25% of the purchase price.

Pre Purchase Building Inspection Report

Our 12 to 20 page Building Inspection Report with colour photos will contain information and comments on any minor defects, details and comments on any major defects, details and comments on any safety hazards and cracks to building elements.

We highlight any major items requiring attention - and, as licensed builders, we can even assist you with estimates for repairs to help you further negotiate the final price of the property.

The Building Inspection Report will also provide a brief report on the plumbing and electrical items. We also use a thermal camera to detect moisture or water issues that may exist within building elements.

External linings and flashings missing

Why have separate building and pest inspectors?

Firstly, the obvious fact is that two pairs of eyes inspecting the one house are more likely to ensure that all faults are detected.

Secondly, the building and pest inspection processes are very different. A "jack of all trades" approach is inadequate. The Australian Standard stipulates that the pest report is classified as a "special purpose report" and a specialised report separate to that of the building report must be produced. Therefore, it is our opinion that two separate inspectors should always be used.

The consultant should inspect all accessible parts of the property. These include the following areas:

You may like to ask that a particular part of the property also be inspected. The following items would normally be included in a building inspection report:

The consultant normally wouldn't check things such as:

Dry stacked brick piers only
Timber floor frame deflected
Crack and deflection to brick support wall

Commercial Building Inspections

V-Wall Tavern, Nambucca Heads

Specialising in all aspects of commercial building inspections. Our Inspectors have inspected and assessed many commercial properties and provided detailed building reports for prospective purchasers and owners.

These properties are from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour and all areas in between, and include shops, office buildings, arcades, industrial buildings, hotels, motels, child minding centres — even caravan parks including all site buildings.

Arrawarra Aboriginal Centre

All our building and pest inspectors are licensed consultants with the Department of Fair Trading and have professional indemnity insurance. Copies of the inspector's insurance policy and licence can be provided upon request.

The Building Inspection Reports comply with Australian Standard AS 4349.1 - 2007 Inspection of Buildings Part 1 and AS 4349.0 - 2007 Part O General Requirements.

Asbestos Testing

We have a facility available to test products for asbestos content through a registered Quality Management System that is independently accredited to AS/NZS ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems - Requirements, and the Laboratory Management System is NATA accredited to AS ISO/IEC 17025:2005 General Requirements for Competence of Testing and Certification Laboratories.

Asbestos

Asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring silicate minerals, existing in fibrous structure of differing length. Due to its flexibility, tensile strength, as well its heat and electrical resistant properties, asbestos was widely used in the building industry between the 1940s and the late 1980s.

In Australia, one in three houses built during this period has asbestos containing materials. As time progressed, scientists have discovered many serious heath related issues associated with the use asbestos. With the toxic nature of asbestos becoming more apparent, and with growing concern for its safety, the use of asbestos in Australia was phased out in 1989 and subsequently banned in December 2003.

Asbestos Health Risks

Asbestos has been identified by the World Health Organisation as a class A carcinogen (cancer causing agent). When it is inhaled, the inert chemical properties of asbestos prevent our immune system from removing it. The asbestos fibres remains inside lungs, and over time, can cause a multitude of respiratory diseases, including asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancer.

Symptoms of asbestos exposure do not occur until after the onset of asbestos related diseases. The tiny asbestos residues remain inside the lungs and have been indicated as the cause of lung cancer, decades after initial exposure.