Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Mar 06, 2023 10:23 pm Hello, I'm a bit confused with the difference between the work a building surveyor and a building inspector carries out. Do we need a building surveyor or a building inspector to inspect the stages of the construction? We are getting ready to build with a volume builder in Victoria and want to organise our own inspections at all the critical stages of the build. The builder has advised us that they are engaging their own building surveyor who will get us the building permit. Do we then get our own Building Inspector to inspect the build or need our own surveyor? Thanks. Re: Building surveyor or Building Inspector 2Mar 07, 2023 8:32 am It depends on who does the construction/engineering documentation? If the builder does them because he owns the design, you might end up with the bare min or worse non compliance which is not so good when disputes arise onsite. Get your own surveyor/expert to review Building docs, plans, details, etc before you sign up or better still before you engage 3 builders to quote Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Building surveyor or Building Inspector 3Mar 07, 2023 11:19 am this doesn't even answer the OPs question. Nothing about your advice guarantees anything above bare minimum or compliance. All it guarantees is more out of pocket costs. The outcome is still reliant on the surveyors experince and competency adn that the builder chosen isnt rubbish. As you can see, variables that arent guaranteed by going down this road. The risk remains. @ OP, The building surveyor is engaged to inspect specific elements of the build to ensure compliance. A building inspector may do the same, however a builder is not beholden to the inspector to rectify anything. Compliant or not. That fight remains with you, armed with the necessary documentation/references. A building inspector will also inspect elements not related to the surveyor sign off, so your coverage is wider. But again the value of that coverage is reliant on you being assertive and verifying the remedial work. A building surveyor can refuse to pass an inspection due to non compliance and the builder does have to rectify. Neither guarantees compliance or quality of work. There have been cases of surveyors signing off stuff without getting out of their car. The builder typically has a relationship with a surveyor so they tend to get some wiggle room and the surveyor has a vested interest in keeping work coming in. You have an option to appoint your own, but some builders these days are refusing to take on contracts where that's the case. While this is not legal to do, the way those contracts are declined are in way where you would not be able to prove the reason is you chose your own surveyor - E.g. "Oh look, were actually too busy to take your job on. Thanks and all the best." If a builder is trying to pass off the surveyor stage inspections as adequate, there is enough evidence and sample reports floating around showing that that is simply not the case as there's lots of defects that a surveyor doesn't need to check for to pass various compliance stages. A building inspector will table you a report with anything they've identified as non compliant, provide you a reference to the code it breaches (often with a screenshot of teh section) and a picture of the offending defect to compare against. This is generally enough proof for you to have the issue rectified by builder. The problem remains however that some builders smile and nod and cover up the defects or claim a fix when it was never fixed. You need to manage this and ensure that you obtain proof of the fixes claimed. Neither an inspector or surveyor will do that on your behalf. The general consensus among users here and most professionals in various fields is that it is 100% worthwhile getting a private inspector for all stages. Its a small price to pay in the scheme of things. But just remember, you have to playa part in the process too, which sadly not everyone has the balls to do. I would send it to the certifier who is technically your representative and working on your behalf not the builder's 1 2897 Adam Baines Grad Cert Bldg Surv / Grad Dip Bldg Surv / MSAAPA Accredited Building Professional APB20210035 Builders Lic 183023 Pest Control Lic 84868 Ph 0412202336 PO… 3 48095 I have posted this before: We hired Darbecca to do every stage inspection, and I strongly recommend them to anyone that asks me. They were amazing. Thorough reports… 2 5515 |