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Expert Reports • Tribunal Reports • Litigation Reports
Roofing • Waterproofing • Fire Safety
Quality • Compliance • Dilapidation
Sydney • Brisbane • Gold Coast • Regional

 

"In 25 years of doing this, your reports are the best I've seen in the industry."
F, Building & Construction Lawyer, Sydney, Nov 2021

Learn more about us

If you think you could benefit from our services, please feel free to contact us today for an obligation free discussion around how we can help.

Get in touch

If you think you could benefit from our services, please feel free to contact us today for an obligation free discussion around how we can help.

Get in touch

Welcome To GM Building Consultants

We specialise in expert building inspections and reports. Our focus is on the identification and  documentation of building quality issues to assist with the prevention and / or resolution of building disputes. 

 

Please feel free to contact us today for a no obligation discussion around how we can help.

Which Report Best Suits My Needs?

GM Building Consultants can provide value through expert reports at all stages of the life cycle of buildings. For more information about which report best suits your needs, click on the link that reflects the age of your building.

Pre-Construction / Demolition

 

If you are about to embark on a building project, or if your neighbours are, it is imperative to first obtain a dilapidation report on the pre-construction condition of all buildings in proximity to the works and / or the condition of council assets (such as footpaths, kerb and gutter, roadway, trees, etc).

A dilapidation report details the condition of the relevant items prior to the commencement of construction, and again at the completion of the works if required, providing documentary evidence to assist with the resolution of any claims of damage caused by the works.

 

For more about dilapidation reports, click here

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 Under Construction

 

Whether you are an investor, live some distance from the construction site, or simply don't have the appropriate construction knowledge to perform your own checks, it is crucial to know that appropriate progress is being made on your project.

Progress payment claims are usually in the tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars and unfortunately unscrupulous builders have been known to make claims in excess of the work completed on site to improve their own cash flows.

 

Often this is a sign of a builder who is under financial strain, and the money may not be used to fund  your project. Regular progress reports, particularly at progress claim stages under the contract, can provide peace of mind that your builder is delivering exactly what you have paid for.

 

For more about progress reports, click here

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 At or Near Practical Completion

 

A practical completion or handover report provides an independent assessment of the quality of the work prior to final payment and possession of the building.

 

 

Many builders assure building owners that they have engaged their own independent handover consultant to inspect the building prior to handover day. Whilst the vast majority of these companies are more than reputable, the fact remains that it is difficult to be truly independent if they are being paid and most likely receiving repeat business from the builder.

 

The practical completion report ensures that all items requiring attention by the builder are duly noted, and if necessary attended to prior to handover, thus ensuring that the building is ready for occupation, as well as protecting your rights in relation to statutory warranties.

 

For more about practical completion reports, click here

MODULE | faq / accordian - read moreInstructions: Please add text or images inside table. Add the title caption text above the read more text, then add the hidden text in the cell below. You can also add a module inside another module but only up to 1 layer deep. Images will be full width of frame. On smaller screens 2 columns will become 1 with the right cell on each row stacking below the left. Add as many rows as necessary.

 

MODULE | 3 columnInstructions: Please add text or images inside table. It is best not to add another module inside this module. Images will be full width of frame. On medium screens the first 2 cells will be 50% width and the third will be 100% width stacked below. On smaller screens 3 columns will become 1 with the right cells on each row stacking below the left. Add as many rows as necessary.

 

 Under Warranty (up to 6yrs)

 

In NSW. the builder is responsible for minor defects for a period of two (2) years after practical completion of the dwelling, and for six (6) years for major defects.

 

If a problem with any part or parts of the building arises within the statutory warranty periods, and your builder is not initially willing to attend to the issue, an independent defect inspection and report is a good way of properly identifying the issue and establishing if it is in fact a defect in accordance with the National Construction Code, the relevant Australian Standards, the manufacturers installation recommendations and / or the relevant accepted building industry tolerances.

 

Understandably, your negotiating powers will be far greater with an expert report in hand.

 

In addition to the identification of specific issues, overall building defects inspections and reports provide details on any issues identified during a complete internal and external inspection of the building. 

 

Usually builders request that any minor or 'settling in' defects which arise within the first months after practical completion are listed and provided to the builder at  the six month mark after practical completion. An overall defects identification inspection and report at this stage ensures that all issues and often potential issues are submitted to the builder for his attention.

 

Similarly at the two year and six year marks, identification of any issues that are considered the responsibility of the builder is key.

 

Alternatively, if you are an owner / builder and require an expert to report on any building issues that require attention as you near the end of the project, a comprehensive defect report combined with a scope of work for any rectification necessary is an important step towards achieving timely completion and / or home warranty insurance coverage for the works.

 

For more about defect reports, click here

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Older Buildings

 

Even at the expiry of the statutory warranty periods, building issues can and will develop which require an expert investigation and determination on the most appropriate way forward to a satisfactory resolution.

Often we find that when problems arise, everyone seems to be keen to provide an opinion to the building owner on both the cause of the problem and what should be done to fix it. This can lead to confusion and sometimes even costly rectification that does not actually resolve the issue.

 

Unfortunately some tradesmen and builders may give misleading or incorrect advice either due to lack of expertise or even in some cases to secure themselves a project.

 

Engaging a consultant provides an independent expert way forward including scopes of work and professional cost estimating to give clarity to the process.

 

For more about the addition of a scope of works and / or cost estimate to a defects report, click here

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MODULE | 2 columnInstructions: Please add text or images inside table. You can also add a module inside another module but only up to 1 layer deep. Images will be full width of frame. On smaller screens 2 columns will become 1 with the right cell on each row stacking below the left. Add as many rows as necessary.