what is a dilapidation inspection
  • October 4, 2024
  • Effective Building
  • 0
A dilapidation inspection is a visual assessment of a property’s condition, with a focus on identifying any damages or signs of dilapidation. The local council governing the area in which the property is located will typically request a dilapidation inspection from the construction, renovation, or demolition company. This company will then hire a building inspection company for one of their qualified engineers to perform the dilapidation inspection and submit to them the corresponding dilapidation report.

Who Can Perform a Dilapidation Inspection?

The building inspection company must be a neutral third party without any affiliation or bias to any other stakeholder involved in the project. They should be known to perform independent and objective inspections that accurately reflect the state of the property. Only a qualified engineer from the building inspection company can perform the dilapidation inspection and prepare the dilapidation report.

Who Can Hire a Building Inspection Company for Dilapidation Inspections?

The construction, renovation, or demolition company usually hires the building inspection company to perform the dilapidation inspection and pays for the dilapidation report. Typically, the person in charge of the development will be the one responsible for seeking out a building inspection company to perform the inspection. However, the owner of the property being developed can also pay the building inspection company for the dilapidation inspection and its accompanying report.

What is the Purpose of a Dilapidation Inspection?

Aside from being a requirement of the local council, a dilapidation inspection is used to prove that the construction, renovation, or demolition work was not the cause of any damage to the property and its immediate surroundings. A dilapidation inspection also ensures that all involved in the project are aware of the property’s existing damage and the specific areas which have a potential for damage. 

There are two types of dilapidation inspections. A pre-dilapidation inspection is performed before construction, renovation, or demolition. A post-dilapidation inspection is performed after construction, renovation, or demolition.

The goal of the pre-dilapidation inspection is to be as comprehensive as possible to ensure even the smallest existing damage is captured and documented. The reason for this focus on comprehensiveness is that missing any already existing damage can make the construction, renovation, or demolition company vulnerable to claims that their work was what caused it.

The goal of the post-dilapidation inspection is to note differences in the property’s condition with regards to the pre-dilapidation inspection. These differences, especially ones that highlight damages not previously identified in the pre-dilapidation inspection, are crucial since they can be attributed to the work of the construction, renovation, or demolition company.

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About Elie Farah

elie

Elie Farah is a Building Consultant with over 25 years of experience in the property industry. Elie has specialised knowledge in development acquisitions, blue-chip properties and inspections, as well as flood-affected and waterfront properties, heritage buildings, bushfire management and existing use rights.

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