Let’s say that you’ve decided to purchase a house and you’re on the market for a building and pest inspector to help you with your lucrative venture. How do you decide which one is best for the job?
Although your biggest priority at the moment may be to cut costs and you may want to take up the cheapest offer from property inspectors, know that this decision runs the risk of you not getting the best value for your money down the line. That’s especially true if it happens that they’re not as competent with the job as you thought they’d be.
Another reason why you might get short-changed by going cheap on the building inspector is that you may be picking someone who doesn’t carry the necessary insurance to protect you from financial loss. After all, any oversight and errors in the building inspection report can lead to you getting a property that is a money pit.
The Unsettling Truth About the Pre Purchase Building Inspection Industry
You may expect building inspectors to be working in a regulated industry, considering the enormity of their impact on client’s investment decisions, but the truth may surprise you. The fact is that pre-purchase building inspectors are neither regulated nor are they required a license by Fair Trading.
What this means is that you could be getting your prospect house checked by someone not fully qualified to do the job. He or she might have basic knowledge on buildings (thanks to their experience as a painter or carpenter) but the report they’ll probably come up with could be vague or basic. For sure, you wouldn’t want to risk working with an amateur this way.
But why are we telling you this, you might ask? That’s because we want you to protect yourself with knowledge as you’re about to put your money on one of the biggest purchases in your lifetime. You wouldn’t want to take on that risk without a safety net and guidance.
Reason to Go for Insured Building and Pest Inspectors
With an unregulated industry, how can you protect yourself from posers, fly-by-night, and unqualified inspectors? The best way to do so is hire someone who is insured and you should do so for a number of reasons.
Credibility
A proper license indicates an inspector is running a legitimate business; but the same can be said for an insurance. Both will tell you that the building and pest inspector is in it for the long haul and that they care about quality above all.
Damage Liability
When the property inspector inspects electrical equipment or lighting fixtures in a property and they short-circuit (and destroy the electrical panel), you may be held liable for it. That or any damage that occurs while they’re assessing the place can be your responsibility. With general liability insurance, you can be protected from such financial emergencies.
Lower Long-Term Costs
Even if insured inspectors may seem to cost more to hire at first, going for these certified professionals will turn out to be cheaper down the track. For one, they’re not prone to committing mistakes like amateurs and unqualified inspectors often do. That’s beside the fact that they’ve got insurance to cover for you in case the property being inspected gets damaged by accident during the actual inspection.
Quality Output
Before a building and pest inspector can apply for a license, he or she will be required to carry the proper insurance and a minimum level of competence for the work. With that said, you can expect them to be as thorough as they can for each report because any complaints of negligence and incompetence can result in having their license revoked and insurance voided.
Value for Money
A competent and insured building inspector can, for sure, help you get the best price for a property—thanks to the comprehensive inspection report he or she sends you. With them guaranteed to spot a good chunk of the potential headaches a prospect house may have, you’ll have little worry about nasty surprises popping up as soon as you move in. And even if there are faults and defects, you can use the report to negotiate for a lower asking price. A win-win for you, if you ask us!
Insurance Your Building and Pest Inspector Should Carry
At the least, the building and pest inspector you hire to check the house you’re about to buy has to carry these two insurances: general liability and professional indemnity. The former helps in cases where bodily injury and property damage occurs during the inspection, making sure clients would be protected from different accidents. On the other hand, the latter helps guarantee that you get an accurate report that lists down every major structural problem. It covers in case a poorly done report results in a financial disaster, after all.
Building and Pest Inspection That Gives You Peace of Mind
It may be tempting to go for the building and pest inspector that offers the cheapest rates but the reality is that many of them don’t carry insurance. The inspectors that do may not be as cheap to hire but you can certainly rest easy in the knowledge that getting them gives you a safety net in case things go terribly wrong with either the inspection or the final report.
If you’ve been looking for one that offers such an assurance and is guaranteed an established name in the industry as well, look no further. Call us and we’ll do our best to deliver you a building and pest inspection service that is both comprehensive, professional, and insured. But don’t just take our word for it and read up on the Google reviews we’ve received so far!