If you’re asking this question, then you’re no doubt in the process of arranging a 137B Owner Builder Defects Report in preparation to sell your home. The Building Act 1993 Section 137B stipulates that if an owner builder is selling a property where construction works took place within the last six years and six months, they must first obtain a 137B Owner Builder Defects Report.

These inspections (and the accompanying report) can only be carried out by registered building inspectors or surveyors, builders, architects, structural engineers and drafts persons engaged in the building industry.

Whether your entire home is less than 6.5 years old or you’ve simply built a carport, decking area, garage or some form of home extension in that time, the 137B inspection and report is a legal requirement before sale. Property owners tend to ask how much it costs, followed by how long it takes.

What’s the cost of a 137B Owner Builders Defects Inspection & Report?

We’ll cut to the chase – at Solid Start Property Inspections, our 137B inspections start at $390. However, the total cost ultimately depends on the amount of owner builder works that have been completed. 

Rest assured, we’ll provide you with an upfront quote for free, without commitment – this ensures you know exactly where you stand before we proceed with the inspection and report.

Solid Start Property Inspections is able to provide 137B Owner Builder Defects reports anywhere in Melbourne with a 24-hour turnaround – this is remarkably fast in comparison to other property inspection services. The other advantage of choosing us for your inspection is that our reports comply with your insurance and conveyancing requirements, and you’ll be able to obtain owner builder warranty insurance.

Ready for your free, no-obligation quote?

To arrange a no-fuss 137B inspection from an experienced professional, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Here are a few suggestions of some things you can do,

As I said street appeal, clean the house sounds silly but a fresh clean home looks good!

It looks like the family that lives there is proud of the home so the prospective buyers will look at it more positively. Clean the gutters inside and out, simple, clean gutters look good. Clean the windows, looks good and you’ll be amazed how much more light comes in. Make sure the entry/ front door look good. Again clean the area or if you’re touching up paint, perhaps paint the front door. Make sure the garden is well kept and tidy. If there is any rubbish, mess around outside, tidy it up get rid of it. Prune back overgrown trees and shrubs, again just looks tidy, loved. Feed the garden beds if needed a month before the sale, The plants will lift in a couple of weeks, A month before you intend to put your home on the market gives the lawn a weed and feed. 2 weeks later the grass will bounce back and look great! If needed throw some new tanbark in the garden beds. If you have paved areas and they are dirty or have mould etc clean the paved areas. A few nice looking well-placed pot plants and ornaments look good too. I hope these few tips help, I’ll  put up a few ideas for inside your home soon,

Good luck selling

Ian

Hi again,

In this article I’m going to discuss the difference between fully qualified, well trained and experienced inspectors, part time sub-contractors carrying out inspections and also “Franchisees”.

A lot of people don’t realize this but only a building inspector fully accredited and Licensed with the VBA (Victorian Building Authority) are legally allowed to call themselves a “building Inspector”.

These are the ones you should engage to do your 137B owner builders report or pre purchase inspection and report.

Make sure you choose an actual ‘Building Inspector’.

Watch out for some “building inspection” companies using the term “building consultant“ and or inspections are carried out by “registered builders”.

Some of these registered builders I’m sure have been in the industry for years with tons of building experience under their belts’ and are well qualified to inspect homes.

Others however may have the VBA qualification DB-L which stands for “Domestic Builder, Limited”.  This qualification means they are limited in the type of building they can carry out, such as kitchen renovations, decks, carports and pergolas.  So with this limited qualification they may not have had the relevant training to assess the structural integrity of a whole dwelling.

Then you get another level all together,

As the private building inspection industry is not regulated anyone can call themselves a “building consultant”.

Yea really!,

You can literally leave your chosen field as say a baker one day and start a business as a consultant doing building inspections.

SO their reports are considered their “Opinion” and that “Opinion” is based on what qualification?

A little example for you,

When I was working as a building Inspector doing mandatory inspections of which I’ve done approx 2500 (the inspections that have to be done when a new home is being built) for a national building surveying company I was doing a 2 storey frame inspection in Cranbourne and the owners had their own private inspector there also doing a frame inspection.

On the day my computer was playing up and I couldn’t load up the engineering plans to check the structural beams / lintels etc for their correct size and support so I asked the private inspector if I could have a look at his engineering plans for the home please?

He said “Oh we don’t get them.”

So what does he check at frame stage?

I was shocked.

The frame of a house is its skeleton, its structure, everything else is held up or supported by it!.

So the most important part of a frame inspection is to check the frame is constructed exactly as the checked, approved and stamped engineering plans and specifications say.

Once again guys,

It is very important when ordering a building inspection you really need to use a fully qualified, well trained and experienced inspector to do your 137 B owner builders report or pre purchase inspection and report.

The cost of an inspection from an experienced and qualified inspector and a let’s say a “less qualified” consultant  will be basically the same.

So I suggest do a little homework when you’re looking for a building inspector check their qualifications, experience and are they fully insured?

And if that building inspector happens to be me you’d like to hire great!

But if not please find yourself one of the good experienced ones out there.

Good Luck with your buying or selling ????