BUILDING CONSULTANT COUNCIL
A specialised sector group of the Master Builders Association of NSW (MBA), the Building Consultant Council qualifies MBA members who provide a wide range of professional consultancy services, including pre-purchase inspections, expert witness reports, construction progress reports, defects reports, dilapidation reports and insurance reports, just to mention a few.
The MBA, through our Building Consultant Council, only accredits and registers those industry professionals who meet stringent application criteria. Once accredited or registered, our consultants must satisfy annual re-accreditation and registration requirements.
MBA accredited building consultants undertake an accreditation process in the specialised area of pre-purchase inspections, and undergo an annual re-accreditation process to remain qualified.
MBA registered building consultants are consultants who provide professional consultancy services other than pre-purchase inspections, and have satisfied the MBA's registration criteria.
Pre-Purchase Reports for Home Buyers
Would you buy a second-hand car without getting an experienced and qualified person to inspect it? The majority of people would not, but when it comes to purchasing a home, surprisingly many people will undertake the greatest financial transaction in their lifetime without getting an independent pre-purchase inspection and written report.
What will a pre-purchase property inspection do?
An independent pre-purchase property inspection is designed to identify building defects or faults that need to be considered prior to purchasing a residential property. The inspection should not only identify signs of possible structural problems and safety hazards, but also cosmetic items that may simply be a matter of maintenance. The results of the pre-purchase inspection should be provided to the owner in a written report.
MBA requires our accredited pre-purchase consultants to provide written reports to their clients.
Choosing a pre-purchase property inspector.
Legislation in New South Wales requires persons undertaking pre-purchase property reports to be licensed by the Office of Fair Trading.
Since April 2007, the criteria to qualify for a pre-purchase inspection licence have changed and the Office of Fair Trading now requires the passing of four core units in a Statement of Attainment course.
The course is based on a study profile originating from the MBA and is now a course offered to building consultants by TAFE. The MBA is in partnership with the Building Institute of Training and Development and OTEN.
The four units of competence to achieve the Statement of Attainment are:
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Assess the construction of domestic scale buildings
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Assess construction faults in residential buildings
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Assess structural requirements for domestic scale buildings
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Write complex documents
MBA Accredited Building Consultants are not only licensed, but are required to meet additional stringent criteria such as:
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a minimum of 15 years practical experience in the residential building industry;
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undertake annual re-accreditation;
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maintain a Professional Indemnity Insurance Policy;
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abide by a Code of Ethics and Business Practice.
Becoming an MBA Accredited (pre-purchase) Building Consultant
The NSW Building Consultant Council is a dedicated division of the Master Builders Association of NSW established to improve the professional standards of building consultant practitioners, as well as give recognition to those who have completed the rigorous process of accreditation and/or registration.
Master Builders accreditation as a building consultant includes the field of pre-purchase property inspections (Building Class 1 &10).
Applicants seeking pre-purchase accreditation must first satisfy the following pre-conditions prior to making application:
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Do you hold a builders licence and licence for pre-purchase inspections issued by the NSW Office of Fair Trading?
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Are you a member of the MBA or willing to apply for membership?
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Do you have a minimum of 15 years experience in the residential building industry, including your basic training?
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Do you undertake to purchase Professional Indemnity Insurance?
Acceptance of a completed application form then allows the applicant to be interviewed for assessment, and show expertise with the following topics:
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Residential buildings (new & old):
free standing
attached
town houses and villas
residential units up to 3 storeys
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General building practice
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Building Code of Australia (BCA)
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Australian Standards referenced in the BCA
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Commonly used building materials
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Skill in writing reports
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The Timber Code
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Investigation skills
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Fault finding-recognising building faults from photographs.
