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ABIS The 1st Choice in Building and Pest Inspections
Building and Pest Inspections Brisbane, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Moreton Bay and Redland Bay
ABIS | Brisbane Building and Pest Inspectors with 620+ 5 Star Reviews
Looking for a building and pest inspection, a new build handover or stage inspection, conducted to the highest standard by Building Inspectors with 10 years experience together as a team combined with the highest professional qualifications in their field?
1 in every 20 Queensland home owners has trusted their building and timber pest inspection to ABIS over the past 30 years, making ABIS the first choice in building and pest inspections.
Our highly recommended home inspectors are all long term trusted employees not sub-contractors. ABIS House Inspectors are supported by a unique computer aided inspection system and the latest inspection equipment such as high sensitivity thermal cameras.
When you book an ABIS pre-purchase building and pest inspection, handover or stage inspection our friendly local team will make the whole process easy for you. Our customer service team can answer all your questions at the time of booking, make all the access arrangements for you and you will be sent an email to confirm the inspection time along with a pre-engagement letter which outlines the scope of the inspection. Good communication and confidence in your choice of Building Inspector are key to you getting the most out of your building and pest inspection report process.
We are always happy to answer all your questions and you are most welcome to be on site when we do the inspection as there are very few opportunities to visit the property prior to settlement. That being said, ABIS reports are conducted with the absent purchaser in mind to provide piece of mind regardless of your buying circumstances. Our good old fashioned service approach and extensive building knowledge, combined with our in house unique systems and processes means you get your full digital photo report the same day as your inspection along with a call from your building and pest inspector to discuss the findings.
Call the ABIS Customer Service Team on 07 3804 1000 to get a competitive quote and our teams first availability and let us handle it from there.
Australian Building Inspection Services | Building and Pest Inspectors 30 years
Australian Building Inspection Services (ABIS) conducts Pre Purchase Building and Pest Inspection services in the Brisbane, Ipswich. Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast areas including Logan, Beenleigh, Caboolture, Redland Bay, Moreton Bay and Redcliffe Peninsula Regions.
We Conduct
Building and Pest Inspections
- These inspections cover building and timber pest inspections of established residential buildings in both pre purchase and pre sale situations. They are also known as building inspections, structural inspections or property inspections. All ABIS’s Building and Pest Inspectors hold dual qualifications as completed residential building inspectors and timber pest (termite) specialists so they are able to undertake both a full building inspection and a full timber pest inspection combining their observations into a single professional report that complies with both AS4349.1 an AS4349.3. Together with the latest technology and inspection best practice, ABIS offers you a high quality structural and pest inspection and report at a very competitive price.
Handover Inspections
- Handover inspections, also referred to as handovers, practical completion inspections or PCIs, are conducted at the end of a new home building process as part of the owners acceptance of the new home from the builder.
- If you are having a new home built, it will reach the stage you have been waiting for and you can finallly take possession of and move into your new home. As your builder reaches the end of the construction, the final payment will be requested and the builder will handover the property to you. A good builder at the end of the construction process will have gone over the home fixing up any little things that have been overlooked and undertaking a final clean of the home. So for your peace of mind what you need to know prior to making the final payment is:
- has the home actually been completed
- are there any “finishing off” issues that the builder should be addressing
- have any significant problems developed during the construction process that the builder must fix
- The Practical Completion Inspections or Handover Inspection answers these questions on your behalf
Building Stage Inspections
- During the construction of a new home the builder is required to organise certification of the work completed by a licenced certifier. The certifier is responsible for signing off that a minimum standard of construction are met in accordance with the building code of Australia and the standards it calls upon. Many owners choose to have their own independent building inspection report conducted which have a different focus. These “Stage Inspections” are usually conducted when the stages in the contract are achieved. Your ABIS inspector will confirm that the stage has actually been achieved and that the work has been completed to a “tradesman-like” standard rather than just the minimum standard.
Warranty Inspection
- When a new house is built there is period (typically 12 months) where the builder provides a warranty for any defects that become discernible during the warranty period. The purpose of the warranty inspection is to inspect the house and identify and defects that may be present. The owner can then use this report to request the builder fixes any issues identified in the report under their warranty obligations.
What to look for in a Building and Pest Inspector
An established building and pest inspection company who have been operating for at least 10 years
Has inspectors who are individually qualified full time employees of the business not sub-contractors
Holds current professional indemnity insurance with a reputable insurer
Encourages you to attend the inspection
Offers comprehensive report with high resolution photographs on the day of the inspection
Has helpful and informative office staff who are local and will make all the arrangements for you
Why Choose ABIS?
We have being providing building and pest inspections for over 27 years and we believe we have got very good at it. Also getting ABIS to conduct your building and pest inspection will ensure that there is no bias in the report (we work for you and are not influenced by anyone else), giving you confidence on the decision you make regarding your home.
Our clients are very happy with the service and much of our business comes from them having no hesitation in recommending ABIS to their friends and relations. We also have many clients who have used us in the past and they tell us they like the way we take the time to ensure important issues are communicated and understood.
Before you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life it’s a good idea to get as much information as you can to help you make the right decision. ABIS will provide you with that peace of mind with good old fashioned customer service, an extensive knowledge base and quality reports with house inspections undertaken by fully qualified, highly trained and experienced inspectors all of whom are long term employees and part of a close knit team.
Sceptical about what you are seeing on-line? That is a good thing.
Please be assured ABIS is not just a marketing and booking company who passes work on to subcontractors of varying quality, nor are we connected with any conveyancing lawyers, real estate agents or termite barrier companies. We have been in business 30 years and would like to be in business for at least another 30 years. The only way we know of doing that is by looking after the interests of you our customer.
ABIS's Unique Approach to Pest and Building Inspections
Over the past 27 years ABIS has developed a unique computer-aided approach to building inspections that other inspectors cannot match. Using technology taken from commercial aviation, our inspectors follow a best practice check list that greatly reduces the risk of human error. Our inspectors are able to focus on the building inspection process with accurate recording of building defects and issues. Their findings are kept in a database so that they can be subject to independent checks to ensure inspection quality is maintained. Like pilots, our inspectors are also subject to regular checks to insure they don’t develop “blind spots” or bad habits. The ABIS system also learns as it is used so the process continually improves over time.
Our competitors often use report writing software where they build a report on a mobile device as they conduct their inspection. The report they produce either during the inspection or shortly after the inspection is usually a pdf document containing text and photographs. In order to keep the pdf to a manageable size the photographs resolution must be kept low or the number of photographs limited.
ABIS’s unique approach allows the pre purchase building inspector to produce a report from the data recorded on site and store it securely in the cloud where it can be view by the client via a link. This approach enables the photographs to be viewed at high resolution and ensures the report is available for many years in a secure environment.
When should I Have an Inspection Done?
Watch Out for False and Misleading Claims by Building Inspectors
Building Inspections In Queensland
In Queensland, to legally conduct building inspections and inspector must either hold a Completed Residential Building Inspectors licence issued by the QBCC or work for a company that has a QBCC company licence to conduct completed residential building inspections. To obtain this licence it is necessary to have been a registered builder for a number of years or to have a qualification as a building surveyor. In addition, the licence holder must be fit and proper person and meet the prerequisites of the licence in the areas of financial liquidity and insurance. The issue for the public is to avoid the following licence related issues when picking a building & pest inspector.
- The inspector is not licenced. This is not legal however, there is little policing of building inspectors unless they are brought to the attention of the QBCC via a complaint by a consumer.
- The inspector does have a valid and current individual Builders Licence but does not hold a licence in the class Completed Residential Building Inspection and or has little experience in inspection of completed buildings. Experience and training in building inspection is very important. For example having built a number of modern homes does not equip a person with the knowledge to identify problems in homes built with the materials and techniques of 50 years ago.
- The inspector does not have an individual licence but works for a company that does have a licence. This may or may not be a problem. There is clearly a need to allow new inspectors to gain the necessary training and experience on the job whilst being supervised by the nominated supervisor of that company. The issue for the consumer is to ensure that they are getting a high quality inspection conducted by a competent person. There have been incidences where a company holds a licence but inexperienced and unqualified people are employed to perform the inspections without the adequate supervision.
What is Included in a real estate inspection or Building Inspection
All of our Pre Purchase Building and Pest Inspections come with Free Thermal Imaging and are carried out by professional and qualified Brisbane Building Inspectors. Within 24 hours (usually by 5pm on the day of the inspection), we will provide a detailed building report covering all parts of the property that are accessible and loaded with photographs, supporting evidence and recommendations to supplement your decision making in regards to the property. Armed with this information you can then make an informed decision regarding you home purchase.
*ABIS Building and Pest Inspections include reporting on termite activity, borers and fungal decay – in accordance with Australian Standard AS4349.3
The to-do list before putting your home on the market or looking to buy a property can be exhausting. Although it may be an extra expense, getting a building inspection will arm you with knowledge on the property to help you make confident decisions. When buying a home or buying a new property, an inspection will form part of the sales contract. If selling a property, the inspection will help you know what to fix so you can boost the listing price of your home if you choose so. If buying a property, a building and pest inspection will address any potential costs you may not have seen when looking for a home.
The inspection will include fences, yard, building interior and exterior, sub floor, roof exterior and roof voids. Because building and pest inspection organisations are guided by the Workplace Health and Safety laws, they will not always get into your roof and inspect it if it is not safe to do so. If this is the case, they will inspect the roof from a ladder if possible, but they will not neglect to put it in the report. One does not have to worry if the inspection will be graded because that is not what it’s about. Because an inspection is just to check the condition of your home, inspectors will report on the physical conditions of the home and what may need to be replaced or repaired. To ensure that the inspectors conduct a thorough inspection of your home, remove any distractions and obstacles, where possible remove posters and pictures from the wall, move your furniture away from the wall and open the garage door, secure the family pets.
*ABIS Australian Building and Pest Inspections include reporting on structural building defects – in accordance with Australian Standards AS4349.1.
How long after the inspection do I get my report.
How much does a Building and Pest Inspection cost?
It depends on the type of home, but a Brisbane Building and Pest Inspection Price is typically between $300 and $700 for a combined building and timber pest (termite) inspection. A typical price for an average home would be around $500. It is very important to also look at what you are getting for the price you are quoted. Not all inspections, inspectors or inspection reports are the same.
We would love to help you so please ring for a chat about an inspection or any questions or concerns you may have in relation to your home purchase or build.
Insurance
This is one of the most important things to consider when picking a company to conduct your inspection.
Building Inspectors should carry two types of insurance. Professional Indemnity and Public Liability. It is very important that you check that your building inspector is covered by Professional Indemnity insurance. This is the insurance that protects you should something go very wrong in the process.
Always check that there is a Certificate Of Currency for Professional Indemnity Insurance that is current and is for the Individual or company you are dealing with. Make sure it is the same company or individual you were invoiced by and the same company or individual that is on the pre-engagement agreement and report.
In Queensland the QBCC will allow inspectors to conduct inspections without PI insurance providing they clearly tell their clients that they are not covered.
You are always welcome to attend the inspection.
However, experience has taught us that the best way to communicate with our clients is after they have read their written report. This makes sure that all the relevant information is communicated to you fully before you make any decisions in relation to the property. Please do not make any decisions based solely on what the inspector says to you during, or at the end of the inspection.
It is important that your inspector is not distracted from concentrating during the inspection process so please do not obstruct or interrupt him during the inspection. Also for safety reasons you should keep children and pets away from the inspector while he is working.
Your inspector has been instructed to encourage you to read the report and then to contact the ABIS office if you have any questions rather than to have a verbal report by the inspector at the end of the inspection.
Specifically, we want to ensure that we communicate important issues to in a way that you fully understand. We want to avoid the situation where you make a poor decision because you think a minor defect is worse than it is or vice versa. As there is a lot of information contained in the report that it is not practical for the inspector to cover verbally on site, we ask that you be patient and save your questions until after you have read the report. However, if you are on site and a major and serious defect is identified, the inspector will certainly talk to you about it on site.
We will endeavour to “go the extra mile” to explain any aspects of your report with you should you require it. Your full understanding of your report is important to us.
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