GENERAL QUESTIONS

Please book an inspection online or call Saurus Constructions. We will help assign a time for your job and confirm via email and text.

1. Please book an inspection online or call Saurus Constructions.

2. Our receptionist will contact the agent or private sale representative with a request to arrange entry

3. Our receptionist will send you T&C’s to read and return ASAP

4. Each bookings requires confirmation by one of our staff members – Once confirmed you will receive a confirmation email with a payment link, full Payment is required 3 days prior to Inspection.

Please note prices may vary upon location of inspection & inspection size. You will be contacted by one of our staff members to confirm your date, time & inspection price.

 

 

  • Saurus Constructions will have assigned a time for your job, however we do ask for some flexibility. We try to operate as efficiently as possible and may be a little early… except on that occasion… when we might be a little late.
  • We pride ourselves on our great communications and will always stay in touch with everyone involved such as the agent, buyer, seller or tenant.
  • Clinton and Rebecca (also husband and wife) operate as a team, working together onsite. Clinton is your inspector and Rebecca takes photos and notes. They’ll be at the inspection site for approximately one hour.
  • If someone is home Rebecca will meet the homeowner or tenant at the door and is happy to answer any questions. Also, you are welcome to stay (it’s your home!), please feel free to go about as normal.
  • If nobody is at home Rebecca and Clinton are happy to follow any instructions you leave for us and we will leave our business card on your kitchen table, to indicate we have been to your property and the inspection is complete.
  • Saurus Constructions is required to take photos of all the floors, walls and ceilings. Clinton is a qualified inspector and by law, must be able to prove what he’s assessed. Requests could occur days, weeks, even years after the inspection has been completed. Be assured, Rebecca is very aware of the laws relating to taking photos in your home and within the community. Some homeowners and tenants appreciate being aware we do take photos, prior to our inspection
  • Please be aware Clinton is required to look in cupboards (although he will not be assessing your organisational skills!)
  • We understand an inspection can feel like quite an invasive process and we take this opportunity to thank you for your time and patience.

We inspect both inside and outside your home including:

  • Driveways, fences, gates and paths
  • Steps, ramps, awnings, decks, verandas and outdoor entertaining areas
  • Rooves – inside and out (if possible)
  • Sheds and carports
  • Internal floors, walls and ceilings
  • Subfloors (if possible)
  • Bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, laundries, lounge and dining rooms (all rooms)

We are not licenced plumbers or electricians – this is not our scope of practice and it is unethical for us to report on:

  • Airconditioning
  • Septic systems
  • Pools
  • Pumps
  • Lights or fans
  • Ovens, range hoods and hot plates
  • Smoke alarms

For your convenience, we have a trade list of people we recommend

After much discussion and consternation. we have come to the decision that we must conduct our inspections without any clients onsite.

Safety to our clients is our number one priority and often we are not aware of the condition of the house, property, or reason for sale. In recent times this has put us in a position we are not comfortable with and led us to our non-negotiable decision

The bottom line is our insurance doesn’t not cover our clients if they were to have an accident onsite, so this was a definite line in the sand for us.

Furthermore, emotions are at an all-time high and while buyers are understandably excited, homeowners and tenants are not always on the same page, and this can sometimes cause an uneasy environment in which to work.

A building and pest inspection at the best of times is considered invasive and while we conduct ourselves in a professional and kind manner, it is unsurprisingly, an emotional time for most.

As we strive for continuous improvement, we have decided to focus on the job at hand – and that is providing a detailed comprehensive report. Unfortunately, we aren’t qualified counsellors, despite our empathetic and caring natures, and time is a premium.

Our Building and Pest inspections are conducted by Clinton and Rebecca, working together onsite for 40mins – 1 hour. It’s our job to inform our client, usually the buyer, about the property they’re looking to purchase and help them to make confidant and informed decisions. There are no passes or fails.

Working as a team, Clinton writes the report as Rebecca drives to the next location. Rebecca will email the report to their client and text both the agent and client, that the report has been sent, prior to arriving and starting the next inspection. We really do offer a quick turnaround.

Along with the report/s, our valued clients are provided with Clinton’s personal mobile/afterhours number and are encouraged to call anytime. If we haven’t had contact by 5pm Clinton will call each client from that day’s inspection list and go over the reports in detail and answer any questions.

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ONLINE BOOKING SYSTEM UPDATE – 1st July 2022

The new system guides agents and clients to book a date, the system only showing you how many available appointments are left to book on that day

The time frame will be confirmed with the agent only.

The big difference is the magic happens with Casey back of house once the day is filled with appointments. Casey then sets the run for the day in travel order (fantastic move for us) rather than the previous booking system, where a very specific time slot was offered causing chaos, confusion

Still with the same colour chart for quick reverence

Green – time slots available

Red – fully booked

White – unavailable

 

Some of the benefits are outlined below:

  • Because of the regional nature of where we live, this booking method gives us the opportunity to set a run for the day.
  • We then contact the agent with a time frame, reducing chops and changes to schedules we have experienced in the past
  • This new booking system will likely help us keep to realistic schedule and not keep agents, homeowners or tenants waiting – ETA on the day can be arranged
  • Clients no longer meet with us onsite – reducing our onsite time quicker turn around on reports ( Can you please insert the link from the question Why Clients no longer attend inspections)
  • This new system lets us be more flexible each day to add or cancel appointments without disappointment

$250 + travel 

A re-inspection is at the discretion and responsibility of the buyer. This a service Saurus Constructions offers and is not compulsory. Saurus Constructions cannot be held liable for an incomplete inspection due to access issues.

Unfortunately, this is happening too often where we are not given access to the whole property, and this leaves out report incomplete. 

It is the agent’s responsibility to gain us full access to the property &ensure all keys are in working order with all doors, windows, and access to roof voids & subfloors can be opened 

Saurus constructions can NOT and will NOT use force to obtained entry – even under instruction 

If keys cannot be drop off to us at the inspection location at time of inspection, we will complete the report as much as we can with the option to re-inspect later date & time

If you receive your report and you still require or wish to have the property re-inspected 

THIS IS NOW OUR POLICY 

  • This can only be requested by our client 
  • The invoice is issued to our client and in our client’s name – regardless of who pays this invoice 
  • This invoice is to be paid in full before re-inspection is conducted 
  • The re-inspection fee is $250 + travel regardless of the space to be inspected 
  • Regardless on who pays this re-inspection invoice, the report is the name & property of our client 
  • We will not determine who is at fault if we can’t gain access – if our client wishers to forward this invoice to a 3rd party (the agent or the seller) this has nothing to do with our company and will not engage in this matter 

We understand this is frustrating situation and we appreciate your understanding and value our time to bring you all the information you require to make an informed decision.

FOR THE SELLER

The Saurus Constructions team are a pet loving family. We understand it is not always possible to relocate family pets while we are there, however we do ask if the following pet safety measures be completed prior to our arrival:

  • All exotic animals (snakes, birds, rats, and other reptiles) should be locked in their enclosures
  • House cats are to be secured in a room with a note on the door to let us know. That way we can inspect that room last…and let the cat out of the room (should you wish)
  • Please ensure any dogs are secured in the backyard if possible, and notify the agent of any behaviour issues that might effect our entry.
  • Please also let us know details regarding your pets when we confirm our visit.
  • Storing packing boxes in the centre of the room – inspectors like to tap all the architraves and inspect the walls. If there are rooms where we can’t access the walls, the inspection reports may be incomplete, due to clutter.
  • Unlocking the doors – If you are going to be home at time of your inspection, it’s a great idea to have all the doors unlocked, especially to sheds. This saves time as we need to come and find you, you need to find keys, and this will take time. If you aren’t home, we will aim to leave everything the way we found it and lock up behind us.
  • Accessing the subfloor– The subfloor contains a lot if useful information we require for a report and access can be tricky at the best of times. It helps to know your entry points and whether they are screwed closed, as we cannot tamper with them. It’s a great idea to have them unscrewed and ready for entry.
  • Accessing the ceiling (manhole) – on the day of inspection and if possible, please have the area directly under the ceiling entry point, free of clutter for our ladder
  • Cleaning the gutters – this is a hot little tip for a better report. Most of our reports identify “Debris in gutters that can lead to water ingress.” This is an easy fix and looks great if this doesn’t appear in your report.
  • Maintaining the lawn– this gives us a great visual inspection whether there is water ponding
  • Keeping gardens away from house – this gives us a great visual barrier inspection– this information also looks better in your report
  • Keeping subfloor free from stored timbers – this is a great practice for future reference
  • Checking for leaks or water damage – before our inspection check for plumbing leaks or downpipe damage – termites love damp areas

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.

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