David Skrinnikoff, Building Inspector with Independent Property Inspectors - IPI Central West

How long have you been a building inspector here in Orange?

I bought into the licence model with Independent Property Inspectors (IPI) in April. I have the whole licence for the Central West area, so from Lithgow and Bathurst to Orange, Wellington, Cowra and Canowindra.

Do you have a background in building?

I have a broad set of experiences. Before I was married I worked for builders doing various things; plasterboard walls and ceilings, tiling, painting, landscaping gardening and fencing. I've also worked in real estate as a sales manager in Sydney.

Why is it important for people to pay for a building inspection prior to purchasing a property?

It’s for peace of mind. People think it's a lot of money, but it’s so you don't get your mortgage and then find expensive plumbing problems or the whole roof has to be replaced.

When you go buy a car, you want to get a friendly mechanic to check the engine and make sure it is not a lemon and this is the same thing. When you are going to spend half a million dollars to get a good, quality home you want to make sure there is not termite infestation and the house is not about to collapse on you.

What sort of problems do you look for when you conduct a building inspection?

You have to make sure everything is structurally sound, that there is no leaking pipes, holes in the roof and things like that which — to the untrained eye — might look fine. I go step by step through the exterior and interior and compose all the information, add photos of each room and photos of any problems. I'll identify the problems, but also give solutions of what should be done. I can also offer clients, if there is some problem, I can give them contacts for a few contractors for repairs.

How do people go about organising for you to inspect a property?

People contact me and if they like my quote, I go ahead and contact the real estate agent, organise to pick up the keys, go out and do the house inspection. After I finish I give the client a quick call, just a general summary and then prepare their report. There are different types of inspections I do, from a basic structural report to a Premium package which is a full written report and photo protection package and honestly 95 percent of people go for the full package.

So what should people look out for when looking through a house they are thinking of buying?

You want to check the plumbing, switch on the taps in the kitchen and the bathrooms, let it run for a minute, check underneath to see if it’s wet. Open up the manhole and have a look if you can see light coming through the roof there's obviously a hole, open up the little door underneath the house and have a quick look, things like that.

Can you help with pest inspections too?

I've teamed up with about six different local pest inspectors based in Dubbo, Wellington, Orange and Bathurst. So, if you go ahead with an inspection with me, we have a special deal and I can organise everything for a cheaper price.