Frequently asked questions

Two things, both before you commit. I inspect a property before you buy it, and tell you what condition it is really in. And I read the contract, drawings and specifications your builder has put forward before you sign, and tell you what they actually mean for your build. Both come back to you as a written report in plain English.

If you are buying a property, you want a building inspection. If you are about to sign with a builder for a renovation or a new build, you want a document review. If you are doing both, or you are not sure, get in touch and describe your situation. Shane will tell you which one fits, and will say so if the answer is neither.

No. That is the point of asking someone who does. Reports are written so they make sense to you rather than to another builder, and no question is treated as a stupid one.

Price depends on the property or the size of the document pack, so it is confirmed with you directly and in writing before anything is booked. No figure is published here because a number on a page cannot know what your job involves.

Get in touch through the contact page, by email or by phone. Shane will come back to you, confirm what is involved and what it costs in writing, and only then is anything booked. There is no obligation at the enquiry stage.

NSW only, for now. Both the building inspection and document review services are limited to New South Wales.

Shane started in construction as a teenager, over 30 years ago, as a carpenter. Since then he has run his own business, worked sites in London, run machinery on civil projects, and spent the last decade as a site manager on some of Sydney's more demanding homes. Build Advisory Co exists because he has seen from the inside exactly where high stakes builds and property purchases go wrong, and it is almost never obvious from the outside.

No. Both services are practical construction risk advice only, not legal, engineering, architectural, certification, financial or quantity surveying advice. Anything raised should be confirmed with the appropriate qualified professional before you commit. Where you need one of those specialists, Shane will point you to the right kind.

Your quote, drawings, specifications and consultant pack are checked across ten categories: contract document trail, builder scope and design alignment, design intent alignment, design and consultant coordination, approval items and scope alignment, inclusions and finish coordination, cost clarity and allowance check, construction planning and buildability, critical client decision pathway, and a next step register. Every finding gets a Green, Amber, Red or Grey rating, so you can see at a glance what matters.

They differ in how much I read, not in what I look for. Every level is checked against all ten categories. Essential covers up to 25 files and 75 pages with a 30 minute call. Premium covers up to 75 files and 250 pages with a 60 minute call. Premium Plus covers up to 150 files and 600 pages with a 90 minute call, and adds planning suggestions.

No. This is a remote, document based review only. Version one of this service has no site visits. If you need someone to physically look at a property, that is the building inspection service.

The service is designed to be used before you sign. If you have already signed, get in touch and describe your situation. Shane will tell you honestly whether a review still adds value, including if the answer is no.

You keep it. The Project Map is your documents sorted into an organised register, plus a proposed scope for the full review. It is yours even if you decide not to continue.

T3, the Pre-Purchase Building Inspection, is a standard pre-purchase inspection: a full visual inspection of the property and a written report. T2, the Building Condition Analysis, adds physical access into roof spaces, subfloor spaces, service areas and plant rooms, which is where problems tend to hide and which basic inspections do not enter. T1, the Property Advisory Report, adds a written summary and advice statement interpreting what the findings mean for your own stated objectives.

Yes. Pest control can be added to any of the three levels for an additional cost. Ask when you enquire and it will be quoted with the rest.

That decision stays yours, and so does the final call on price. What you get is an accurate picture of the building's condition and, on a Property Advisory Report, what those findings mean for what you were trying to achieve. Several clients have used that to negotiate from an informed position.

Yes. Get in touch and Shane will send you a sample report so you can see the format and the level of detail before you commit to anything.