1. Engagement
My engagement is confined to that of a Building Consultant and not that of a Building Surveyor or Inspector as defined in the Building Act of 1993. I do not hold qualifications as an Engineers, Land Surveyors or Pest & Timber Infestation Inspector and therefore have not check and make no comment on:- 1/. The structural integrity of the building; 2/. The capacity and/or consistency of the sites foundation material; 3/. The correctness of the buildings footing system; 4/. The site and roof drainage systems; 5/. The title boundaries and the location of any easements and/or their assets; 6/. The buildings boundary set backs; 7/. Compliance with any requirement of Part 4, Siting, of the Building Regulations; 8/. Glazing for compliance with their codes and standards; 9/. The presents of termites & borers or at the completeness of any termite risk management procedures and barriers; 10/. Any other requirements that are the responsibility of the above mentioned professions.
2. Assumed Finishes
My inspection is carried out on the quality of the fixtures, fittings and materials as installed and presented at the time of my inspection and I rely on as fact that they have been installed in accordance with their manufacturer’s installation instructions and/or designer’s specification, including all associated and substrate works.
3. Documentation
Documentation made available to me during my inspections and for use in the preparation of my correspondence and reports is only viewed on an informal basis and I make no certification that the building has been constructed in accordance with it.
4. Non-Destructive Inspection
My inspection is carried out on a non-destructive basis and excludes anything that would require the removal of any fixture, fitting, cladding, insulation, sisalation, membrane, roof covering, lining material or the excavation of any soil.
5. Measurements/Levels
Measurements taken during my inspections are with a standard 4 fold carpenters ruler or 8 metre steel tape; and levels with either a 900 or 2000mm long spirit level, unless otherwise stated within this report.
6. Access
My inspections are limited to areas that can only be safely accessed with the standard equipment that I carry, being an 1800mm high set of aluminium steps and a 3300mm long extension ladder, and that can be readily accessed without causing me to breach any of WorkSafe Victoria’s current Code of Practices or any part of the current Occupational Health and Safety Act.
7. Services, Appliances, Plant and Equipment
I do not test or check for appropriateness, capacity, correct installation & connection, certification, or completion of any service, appliances, plant and/or equipment, i.e. heaters, hot water units, air conditioners, evaporative coolers, ovens, hotplates, dishwashers, rangehoods, spa pump, smoke detectors, electrical & data wiring, duct work, gas lines, electricity supply, water supply, sewer drains, stormwater drains, agricultural drains, water tanks, solar panels, ect.
8. Copyright
This report, including its layout, format, contents and presentation is the copyright of Kevin McDonald. Any person, party or entity, other than the party named as the client/s on the front page hereof, that uses or relies upon this report without my expressed written permission is in breach of this copyright.
9. Client Use
This report has been prepared for the exclusive use of the party named as the client/s on the front page hereof. Any other person, party or entity that uses or relies on this report without my written consent does so at their own risk and I accept no responsibility for such use.
The party named as the client accepts that by using, referring too, forwarding or causing this report to be forwarded onto a third party, either in part or in full, that they are accepting it as the completed report and agree to make full payment when and as invoiced.
10.Report Reproduction
This report cannot be reproduced in part; it must only be done so in full.
11.Reference
References contained within this report to the Building Acts & Regulations, the Building Code of Australia (BCA), any Australian Standards, a Building Commissions document, a manufacturers technical data sheet or installation instruction, or any other document are neither exhaustive, complete or a substitute for the original document & are provided to facilitate the understanding of this report only. I therefore accept no responsibility for any reliance upon the part references contained within this report.
12.Exclusions
a) Defects outside the scope of the client brief;
b) Defects not evident by visual inspection;
c) Defects in inaccessible parts of the building, including but not limited too, the roof space and sub-floor areas;
d) Defects only apparent in different weather or environmental conditions as to those prevailing at the time of my inspection;
e) Defects not consider significant enough to warrant any rectification work at the time of my inspection;
f) Defects that would be rectified as a consequence of any other defect listed within this report;
g) Defects that I consider to be Work in Progress or already clearly marked for rectification by the builder;
h) Check measure of rooms, walls and the overall building, for size, height, parallel and squareness unless specifically noted;
i) Landscaping, retaining walls, or any structures outside the roofline of the main building unless specifically noted;
j) Enquiries of Councils, the relevant Building Surveyor and/or any Statutory Authority;
k) Items that meet accepted industry practices and/or generally comply with the Performance Requirements of the BCA even if they are not strictly meeting the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions of that document.
l) Minor cracking of cornice and architrave joins; minor alignment of cupboard doors and draw fronts; minor alignment of doors and their latches as it is my considered opinion that these items are best addressed at the maintenance stage.
13.VCAT Compliant
In the normal course of quoting my services, I do not allow to present my reports in accordance with Practice Note 2 under Section 158 of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998. Therefore, if this report is to be submitted to VCAT an additional addendum will have to be prepared and attached to it, the cost of which is in addition to the initial quoted and charged fee.
