subject: Why Should We Have Building Inspection? [print this page] Some content in this article is derived from sources such as Wikipedia along with our added expertise and input, we would like to credit the other authors who contributed to this article explaining the task of a building inspector.
A building inspection is an extremely important part in the process of purchasing any type of property which has any structure on it. Lets face it, you dont want to purchase a property and then find out later that the building is unsafe and has to have expensive renovation work to bring it up to safety standards, or worse still has to be completely demolished!
The building inspection is normally performed by a person who is employed by a city, township or county and is usually certified in one or more disciplines or trades that cover the different aspects of buildings like Plumbing, Electrical, and Structure etc.
There are also many private firms who provide building inspection services, and these can be quite expensive.
An alternative is to DIY (do it yourself) with the appropriate knowledge and tools you can perform the important tasks and save a bundle of cash.
There is an excellent report available from inspectionbuilding.com which is a comprehensive guide to doing building inspections yourself. Even if you prefer to still hire a professional building inspector, reading this guide will equip you with a solid foundation and knowledge to know exactly what to expect and what to follow up on when you hire an inspector. This in itself can save you thousands of dollars by not being ripped off or taken for an expensive ride, remember, knowledge is power!
But what is the actual role of a building inspector?
Building inspectors specialize in either residential or commercial building projects or restorations, and may only cover their particular field of expertise such as plumbing, electrical or mechanical inspections or inspect structures at different stages of completion.
Most building inspectors employed by governments are certified by the State or the International Code Council (ICC). These inspections are done to assure compliance with whatever building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical or specialty codes, such as swimming pool codes, that are being enforced by the jurisdiction in which they work. There are many categories and levels of ICC certified inspectors.
The term building inspector is sometimes used for persons who inspect houses to assure compliance with council or county compliance and development plans and to check workmanship as well as code compliance, or a home inspector consulted in conjunction with a house sale. These building inspectors are private contractors and are not connected with any governmental department or agency.
Consulting engineers often carry out structural building inspections for strata properties where there are structural elements of the building found to be unsafe. Whether it is the balconies, balustrades or cracking due to settlement in the walls, consulting engineers provide building inspections of the property and make the appropriate assessment and provide dilapidation reports followed by proposals for remedial action.
Building inspectors are often contacted by strata managers or body corporate with stormwater design issues, structural design proposals or civil design modifications. In addition, individuals are often required by councils to carry out dilapidation reports and building inspections of adjoining properties and associated council properties before and after construction, to establish that no damage has occurred due to the work carried out.
As we can clearly see, there are so many situations that can happen and go wrong when purchasing a property, that knowledge of what building inspectors do and a solid understanding of the process can save you thousands of dollars. Make sure to check out the guide at inspectionbuilding.com
