Pre Purchase Building Inspection
Pre Purchase Building Inspections - Buy with Confidence
A pre purchase building inspection is the point in a property purchase where you stop relying on assurances and start working from facts. Nobody in the sale - not the vendor and not the agent - is obliged to tell you what is wrong with the building. The inspection is how you find out before you are committed.
Alert Building Inspections attends the property before your condition expires. A trade-qualified inspector examines every accessible area - the roof, the subfloor, the cladding, the interior, the services and the site - and delivers a written report within 24 to 48 hours, so the findings reach you and your solicitor while you can still act on them. We work for the buyer, and the report is bank approved and covered by full indemnity insurance.
A written report is from $499 + GST, and a verbal inspection is from $299 + GST when you need an answer the same day - useful when an auction has been brought forward or your condition is about to lapse. Methamphetamine screening can be added to the same visit from $279 + GST. We confirm your quote when you book, so the figure is settled before anyone attends.
MORGAN KIRCHER - OWNER/DIRECTOR
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
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6 Reasons Why You Need a Pre Purchase Building Inspection
What's Included in Our Pre Purchase Building Inspection?
Alert assesses every pre-purchase inspection against NZS 4306:2005, the New Zealand Standard for residential property inspections. One inspector walks the property from start to finish, and the report is signed off by the person who did the work. Everything listed below is looked at on every visit.
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Roof covering, guttering, and drainage systems
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Exterior cladding, weatherboards, and joinery
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Subfloor, foundations, and floor levels (spot checked)
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Interior condition including walls, ceilings, floors, and built-in joinery
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Roof cavity and attic space (where accessible)
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Plumbing and drainage (visual assessment)
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Electrical systems (visual assessment)
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Insulation presence (where visible)
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Non-invasive moisture testing
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Signs of structural movement or settlement
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Decks, balconies, and outdoor structures
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Site drainage and retaining walls
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Fencing, driveways, and paths
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Garages and outbuildings
Your report records what was found in each part of the property, opens with a numbered Executive Summary that lists the significant findings in priority order, and includes photographs with each defect marked so you know exactly what is being described. Areas are described in plain language by their condition rather than scored. Where something could not be reached, or a view was blocked, the report says so instead of leaving it out.
Important: this is a visual inspection of the parts of the building we can access. We do not remove fixtures, lift floor coverings, cut into linings or open walls. Where the evidence we can see warrants it, we will set out what further testing is needed and who should carry it out - and that recommendation reaches you before your condition expires.
When to Book Your Pre Purchase Building Inspection
Book as soon as your offer is accepted - the day it is accepted, rather than the day before your condition expires. Most agreements allow 10 to 15 working days, but that window has to cover everything: the inspection, the report, your solicitor reviewing it, and any specialist follow-up the report recommends.
Reports are delivered within 24 to 48 hours of the inspection. If we find something that needs a second opinion - a structural engineer, a roofer, an electrician - we tell you immediately so those inspections can be arranged while you still have time to act on them.
For an auction or an unconditional offer there is no condition to protect you, so the inspection must happen before you bid or sign. We make time for pre-auction inspections at short notice, and we will say plainly if the timetable is too tight for the property to be properly looked at.
If the report identifies problems you have four practical options: ask for the work to be done before settlement, negotiate the price to cover it, ask the vendor for written warranties on the specific items, or withdraw under your condition. Which of those is available to you depends on your agreement, so take the report to your solicitor before you decide.
Pre Purchase Building Inspections Across New Zealand
Alert Building Inspections works for buyers across New Zealand, including Auckland, North Shore, West Auckland, East Auckland (Howick and Pakuranga), Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin, Whangarei, Rotorua, Hawkes Bay and Palmerston North. Every area we cover is listed on our locations page. Wherever you are buying, a trade-qualified inspector attends in person and your report arrives within 24 to 48 hours.
Builders Report
Purchasing a property is one of life's biggest investments – getting a professional builder's report is essential for making the right decision. Alert Building Inspections is New Zealand's trusted building inspection network, with decades of experience in pre-purchase inspections.
Building Report
Our trade-qualified building inspectors conduct thorough inspections covering structural integrity, weathertightness, and potential maintenance issues. We deliver reports within 24-48 hours, including photographs, detailed findings, and specific recommendations.
House Inspection
When investing in real estate, likely your biggest ever commitment, a house inspection is essential. We deliver comprehensive reports from inspectors with extensive local knowledge throughout New Zealand. Select your location to get started!
Building Inspector
Need a Building Inspector? Our trade-qualified team delivers comprehensive reports within 24-48 hours. We specialise in rapid building inspections without compromising quality across all our New Zealand locations.
