In accordance with the Home Building Act;

It is a term of every contract that the builder is liable to make good at the cost of the builder defects in the home building work notified in writing to the builder within the period of 120 days commencing on the day of practical completion.

If the regulation or requirement pertaining to a particular defect is referenced within the Building Code of Australia then it is considered that a breach of the building code has occured. Compliance with The Building Code of Australia is mandatory and enforcable by law and at the Building Commission. Generally components of a structural nature (brick work, roof framing, waterproofing etc..) are referenced within the Building Code of Australia.

Although some standards are not referenced within the Building Code of Australia they may be used to establish whether your builder has undertaken the work in a proper and tradesman like manner and the report may still be used to identify defective work or used at the Building Commission as an expert witness report. Generally items which are secondary to structural components (kitchen cabinetry, plastering, skirting boards etc.) are not referenced within the building Code of Australia.

Building defect example

Right to inspect buildings

Practical Completion or PCI is the stage when works have been completed in accordance with the contract and all relevant statutory requirements (with the exception of minor defects or minor omissions) and the works are reasonably suitable for habitation ready for you to begin preparations for moving in.

A new home is a big investment and SHS building report will save you money and time by identifying incomplete or defective work before your builder hands the property (and any problems - including time delays or non-acceptance for defect liability rectification) over to you.

1. Has the builder performed the home building work in a proper and workmanlike manner, in accordance with the contract? 
2. Is there any incomplete building work?
3. Have all building codes been met- in particular structural requirements such as weatherproofing, waterproofing and storm water drainage?
4. Are there any structural defects including those which may cause loss of health or amenity?
5. Are all building components installed in a proper and tradesman like manner and are the building components within acceptable tolerances for square, plum and straightness?
6. Has the builder supplied and installed materials that are of merchantable quality and reasonably fit for the purpose including windows, cabinetry, benchtops, appliances etc?
7. Does the owner have concerns with the contract including variations and the like?
8. Do the building plans match what has been constructed?
9. Will any part of the building cause a loss of amenity?

The Pre Purchase Inspection is undertaken in accordance with Australian Standard the Inspection of Buildings.

ALL Structural defects, ALL maintenance concerns and ALL safety concerns will be addressed so that you fully understand the condition of your potential new home. Your inspector is a registered builder with over 17 years inspecting homes in Western Australia.

Why should you get a Pre-Purchase report?

Opting out of a pre purchase building inspection may seem tempting on the surface when you think you can save a few hundred dollars, but making sure the building you are purchasing is safe and requires no extensive repairs is absolutely essential. Please read all of the questions below to see if you can afford not to have a structural pre purchase inspection.

An SHS Structural Pre-Purchase Building Inspection Report will identify:

Major Defects – Defects of sufficient magnitude where immediate rectification has to be carried out in order to avoid unsafe conditions, loss of utility or further deterioration of the property. All observable major defects will be listed within the report.

Safety Hazards Defects will require immediate rectification to prevent physical harm to people or property. All observable safety hazards will be listed in the report.

Minor Defects Are common to most properties and may include minor blemishes, corrosion, cracking, weathering, general deterioration, unevenness, and physical damage to materials which are not structural in nature. It is expected that defects of this type would be rectified as part of normal ongoing property maintenance and all observable maintenance issues will be listed within the report.

Checking for structural issues

A structurally sound building is a must when you’re making a new home purchase because of immediate safety concerns and cost issues down the track.

Structural weaknesses can cause collapses that may injure a person, but there’s also the possibility that the structural issue will be nearly impossible to repair without major construction and it isd important you know of any potential struictural issues.

Getting a pre-purchase building inspection can help avoid purchasing a building with major structural issues.

Budgeting for repairs

You may or may not know that the building needs some repairs but you may not know the extent of the repairs required. Going into the sale without an inspection could mean big costs for hidden or unknown repair issues.

If you opt for a pre-purchase building inspection, you know exactly what needs to be done to bring the building up to where you’d like it to be. You will have an expert opinion regarding what needs to be done and this can be a valuable bargaining tool in your negotiations.

RCD's and Smoke Alarms

The design and installation of hard wired smoke alarms in buildings is undertaken by appropriately qualified specialists. All new homes, homes that are to be rented, sold or leased require hard wired smoke alarms to be fitted according to number and location of bedrooms, hallways, purpose of the building and size of the residence, Hard wired smoke alarms are a legislative requirement and we will advise if they have been installed.. 

The design and installation of Residual Current Devices is undertaken by appropriately qualified specialists. All new homes, homes that are to be rented, sold or leased require RCD’s to be fitted. The installation of RCD’s is a legislative requirement. We will advise if RCD’s are installed.

Identifying unsafe areas of a home

If you’re buying a home for your family, you want to be sure the home is safe and ready for you to live in and a pre-purchase building inspection will reveal any areas of the home that may be deemed unsafe.

New Home construction, identification of defective Building work

Under the provisions of the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 Your Builder MUST:

Perform the home building work in a proper and workmanlike manner, in accordance with the contract, supply materials that are of merchantable quality and reasonably fit for the purpose for which the owner requires.

Our report will identify if any of these things have not been done so that you can get the work rectified by your builder or seek legal advice based on the findings.

If the building inspection uncovers any breaches of the Building Code of Australia (National Construction Code), Australian Standards or acceptable work practices then you rest assured that the Building Commission will recognise these breaches when considering your case. The report is written in the format preferred by the Building Commission, comes with a photographic supplement and is presented in easy to understand format.

the Building Commissioner is empowered by legislation to use his legislated power to:

• dismiss the complaint;
• order the parties attend conciliation if it appears to the commissioner worthwhile to do so;
• make a building remedy order or home building work contract order (up to a limit of $100,000 for rectification work or $500,000 of payments); or
• if the matter is too complex or outside of the monetary limits above, refer a dispute to the State Administrative Tribunal.

The Building Commission is a division of the Department of Commerce and they regulate the building industry for the benefit of the industry and consumers. The commission was established in 2009 and includes the following areas of operation; The Builders Registration Board, The Painters Registration Board, The Plumbers Registration Board and the Building Industry Development. All matters to do with building and construction may be referred to the building commission for consideration. The building Commission provides a 'one-stop-shop' service for builders and consumers alike who may be seeking information or wishing to lodge complaints regarding building work.