Before any new premises are opened for occupancy, a building survey is conducted to ensure the building is safe and complies with Australia's codes and standards. The surveys are led by a building surveyor who is registered with the Building Commission. Once a building surveyor is satisfied with a structure's integrity and plan, they issue a certificate of compliance. It is crucial to understand that building surveyors can work either privately or for the municipal government. While both typically offer the necessary services, this article highlights the reasons why a commercial facility owner should hire a private building surveyor.

Round-the-Clock Service

The construction of any commercial facility is time-consuming, and developers often do all they can to complete such projects within the schedule for the owners to start recouping their investment. Notably, property owners always set a date for the commissioning of a facility. When working with a local government building surveyor, you need a backup plan for the official opening of your premises. The reason is that government-employed building surveyors rarely work outside official hours. Therefore, you are unlikely to get their services past business hours or on weekends. On the other hand, private building surveyors can offer their services well beyond official working hours. It means they can inspect your building through the weekend and process a certificate of compliance in good time.

Focused Survey

There is only so much work that local government building surveyors can handle at any given time. This is especially the case if you consider the thousands of new and existing buildings in need of building survey services. It can be challenging to get an appointment with a government-employed surveyor as and when you need them. Moreover, government building surveyors must inspect a certain number of buildings as part of their performance contract, which can affect service delivery. However, you do not have to worry about this problem if you work with a private building surveyor. The main objective is to provide the best possible services to their personal clients. The focused service delivery goes a long way in ensuring all aspects of your building are surveyed.

Up-to-Date Advice on Building Codes

Building codes are constantly changing, and property developers must be kept in the loop. When the government employs surveyors to inspect a building, it does so against current building codes. However, what happens when a building code changes a few weeks after the issuance of a compliance certificate? Often you must adjust your building to accommodate the new codes, which costs money and time. Private building surveyors keep track of code changes and advise clients on what to expect soon and whether to make immediate changes to property designs.

Contact a building surveyor to learn more.