Know someone ‘handy’?

Are you thinking about getting a handy friend to look over your build?

We often hear from people who are starting the building process that they have a friend or family member who is ‘handy’ or works in the construction industry and they are going to have a look over their build.

Building a new home is an expensive time and it makes complete sense to have someone who knows more about construction than you do, check over the build at each stage, however the question must be asked, who is the most suitable person to do this?

Your friend or loved one may be an electrician, concreter or even carpenter – who will probably know a lot about their specific area of expertise – but do they know the relevant standards for the other specific areas of a house? And is it worth jeopardizing your relationship with them if something important was to be ‘missed’?

There are usually three scenarios we see when the person checking over a home is not an expert Building Consultant:

1. The Builder blocks access to the friend due to;
   1. Friend is not listed in the building contract
   2. Friend is not insured
   3. Friend is not a Registered Building Practitioner
2. The Supervisor does not take their suggestions seriously because they are not a professional in the area.
3. The Supervisor is accommodating and happy to fix the few things they pick up because they know that they have missed so much more from not being experienced across all areas of construction.

If allowed on site, acquaintances may not have in-depth knowledge of the National Construction Code, Victorian Building Authority Standards and Tolerances and relevant Australian Standards that is required to conduct a thorough and detailed inspection. In addition, how are there findings delivered to the builder and tracked to ensure they are closed out?

Sometimes builders can be reluctant to rectify issues. While it is not right, it may take the backing of qualifications and reputation for a homeowners’ concerns to be heard. That, along with detailed and well-presented reports referencing the relevant standards, showing marked-up photos and the exact location of the defect/non-compliant item ensure your Supervisor and the relevant trades can easily close it out. View our sample inspection reports.

Having an independent Building Consultant on your side from the very beginning gives you leverage, your concerns some backing and someone to help advocate for you. An independent party should always keep things factual; no one can argue with facts.

Investing in independent inspections for your greatest investment is not the place to cut corners to save a few dollars. Think about how much you are spending on the house. Using a mate could save a little, but is it really worth the risk?

Manse Group treat your building project as if it were our own. Talk to us about independent quality assurance inspections for your build.