Terms & Conditions

“Agreement” Refers to the engagement of Arcadia Building Reports by the Client and applies to each individual job or piece of work undertaken for the Client.

“Building Consultant” A person, business or company who is qualified and experienced to undertake the inspection.

“Building and Site” The nominated property in line with the scope and inclusions pertaining to the type of inspection being conducted.

“Client” The person, business or company for whom the Inspection Report was carried out and/or their Principal (i.e. the person or persons for whom the report is being obtained).

“Conditions Conducive to Structural Damage” Noticeable building deficiencies or environmental factors that may contribute to the occurrence of Structural Damage.

“Conditions Conducive to Timber Pest Attack” Noticeable building deficiencies or environmental factors that may contribute to the presence of Timber Pests.

“Finishing Elements” The fixtures, fittings and finishes applied or affixed to Primary Elements and Secondary Elements such as baths, water closets, vanity basins, kitchen cupboards, door furniture, window hardware, render, floor and wall tiles, trim or paint. The term ‘Finishing Elements’ does not include furniture or soft floor coverings such as carpet and lino.

“Instrument Testing” Where appropriate the carrying out of Tests using the following techniques and instruments:

1. electronic moisture detecting meter - an instrument used for assessing the moisture content of building elements;
2. stethoscope - an instrument used to hear sounds made by termites within building elements;
3. probing - a technique where timber and other materials/areas are penetrated with a sharp instrument (e.g. bradawl or pocket knife), but does not include probing of decorative timbers or finishes, or the drilling of timber and trees; and
4. sounding - a technique where timber is tapped with a solid object.

“Major Defect” A defect of significant magnitude where rectification has to be carried out in order to avoid unsafe conditions, loss of utility or further deterioration of the property.

“Major Safety Hazard” Any item that may constitute an immediate or imminent risk to life, health or property resulting directly from Timber Pest Attack. Occupational, health and safety or any other consequence of these hazards has not been assessed.

“Minor Defect” A defect other than a Major Defect.

“Primary Elements” Those parts of the building providing the basic loadbearing capacity to the Structure, such as foundations, footings, floor framing, loadbearing walls, beams or columns. The term ‘Primary Elements’ also includes other structural building elements including: those that provide a level of personal protection such as handrails; floor-to-floor access such as stairways; and the structural flooring of the building such as floorboards.

“Principal” The person/s, business, company or body corporate for who the Client has requested the inspection on behalf of.

“Readily Accessible Areas” Areas which can be easily and safely inspected without injury to person or property, are up to 3.6 metres above ground or floor levels or accessible from a 3.6 metre ladder, in roof spaces where the minimum area of accessibility is not less than 600 mm high by 600 mm wide and subfloor spaces where the minimum area of accessibility is not less than 400 mm high by 600 mm wide, providing the spaces or areas permit entry. Or where these clearances are not available, areas within the consultant’s unobstructed line of sight and within arm’s length. The term ‘readily accessible’ also includes:

1. accessible subfloor areas on a sloping site where the minimum clearance is not less than 150 mm high, provided that the area is not more than 2 metres from a point with conforming clearance (i.e. 400 mm high by 600 mm wide); and
2. areas at the eaves of accessible roof spaces that are within the consultant’s unobstructed line of sight and within arm’s length from a point with conforming clearance (i.e. 600 mm high by 600 mm wide).

“Secondary Elements” Those parts of the building not providing loadbearing capacity to the Structure, or those non-essential elements which, in the main, perform a completion role around openings in Primary Elements and the building in general such as non-loadbearing walls, partitions, wall linings, ceilings, chimneys, flashings, windows, glazing or doors.

“Serious Safety Hazard” Any item that may constitute an immediate or imminent risk to life, health or property. Occupational, health and safety or any other consequence of these hazards has not been assessed.

“Structure” The loadbearing part of the building, comprising the Primary Elements.

“Structural Damage” A significant impairment to the integrity of the whole or part of the Structure falling into one or more of the following categories:

1. Structural Cracking and Movement – major (full depth) cracking forming in Primary Elements resulting from differential movement between or within the elements of construction, such as foundations, footings, floors, walls and roofs.
2. Deformation – an abnormal change of shape of Primary Elements resulting from the application of load(s).
3. Dampness – the presence of moisture within the building, which is causing consequential damage to Primary Elements.
4. Structural Timber Pest Damage – structural failure, i.e. an obvious weak spot, deformation or even collapse of timber Primary Elements resulting from attack by one or more of the following wood destroying agents: chemical delignification; fungal decay; wood borers; and termites.

“Subterranean Termite Management Proposal” A written proposal in accordance with Australian Standard AS 3660.2 to treat a known subterranean termite infestation and/or manage the risk of concealed subterranean termite access to buildings and structures.

“Tests” Where appropriate the carrying out of tests using the following procedures:

1. Dampness Tests means additional attention to the visual examination was given to those accessible areas which the consultant’s experience has shown to be particularly susceptible to damp problems.
2. Physical Tests means the following physical actions undertaken by the consultant: opening and shutting of doors, windows and draws; operation of taps; water testing of shower recesses; and the tapping of tiles and wall plaster.
3. Additional attention to the visual examination was given to those accessible areas which the consultant’s experience has shown to be particularly susceptible to attack by Timber Pests.

“Timber Pests” One or more of the following wood destroying agents which attack timber in service and affect its structural properties:

1. Chemical Delignification - the breakdown of timber through chemical action
2. Fungal Decay - the microbiological degradation of timber caused by soft rot fungi and decay fungi, but does not include mould, which is a type of fungus that does not structurally damage wood.
3. Wood Borers - wood destroying insects belonging to the order ‘Coleoptera’ which commonly attack seasoned timber.
4. Termites - wood destroying insects belonging to the order ‘Isoptera’ which commonly attack seasoned timber.

“Timber Pest Activity” Tell-tale signs associated with ‘active’ (live) and/or ‘inactive’ (absence of live) Timber Pests at the time of inspection.

“Timber Pest Attack” Timber Pest Activity and/or Timber Pest Damage.

“Timber Pest Damage” Noticeable impairments to the integrity of timber and other susceptible materials resulting from attack by Timber Pests.

“Timber Pest Detection Consultant” A person who meets the minimum skills requirement set out in the current Australian Standard AS 4349.3 Inspections of Buildings. Part 3: Timber Pest Inspection Reports or state/territory legislation requirements beyond this Standard, where applicable.

This agreement is between the building consultant (“Inspector”) and you (“Client”). You have requested the Inspector to carry out an inspection of the property for the purpose outlined in the scope of the report.

The purpose of the inspection is to provide the Client with an overview of the Inspector’s findings at the time of the inspection and advice as to the nature and extent of their findings.

This Report has been prepared at the direction of and exclusively for the Client. Details contained within this Report are tailored to the Client at the time of the Inspection and no other party can rely on the Report nor is the Report intended for any other party.

This Report is limited to the findings of the Inspector at the time of the inspection and any condition of the property which is not within the scope as detailed in the report or which occurs after the inspection is expressly excluded from this Report.

This Report is limited to the observations and conclusions of the Inspector that were readily observable at the building or site and given the state of property at the time of the Inspection.

This Report does not include the inspection and assessment of items or matters that are beyond the Inspectors direct expertise.

To ensure we provide a product that is of a high standard and practical application to the, we request that the Principal be prepared prior to site attendance.

Where we have been advised of a contact person, we will liaise with that person to arrange access to the property and any specific areas required.

We guarantee that we will be on site as per the time arranged. However, if we are denied access when we arrive on site as arranged an extra visit will be required.

The Inspection is limited to Readily Accessible Areas of the Building & Site based on the Inspector’s visual examination of surface work (excluding furniture and stored items) and the carrying out of Tests.

Where the Inspection is carried out on a strata or company title property, the Inspection is limited to the common property areas.

The Inspector’s findings do not extend to matters where the Inspector was restricted or prevented from assessing the building or site as a result of:

1. possible concealment of defects, including but not limited to, defects concealed by lack of accessibility, obstructions such as furniture, wall linings and floor coverings, or by applied finishes such as render and paint;
2. undetectable or latent defects, including but not limited to, defects that may not be apparent at the time of inspection due to seasonal changes, recent or prevailing weather conditions, and whether or not services have been used some time prior to the inspection being carried out; and
3. areas of the building or site that were obstructed at the time of the inspection or not Readily Accessible Areas of the Building Site. An obstruction may include a condition or physical limitation which inhibits or prevents inspection and may include, but are not limited to, roofing, fixed ceilings, wall linings, floor coverings, fixtures, fittings, furniture, clothes, stored articles/materials, thermal insulation, sarking, pipe/duct work, builder’s debris, vegetation, pavements or earth.

Whilst the inspector will, to the extent of their experience, include any and all relevant matters within the report, this report does not consider or deal with the following:

1. any individual Minor Defect;
2. solving or providing costs for any rectification or repair work;
3. the structural design or adequacy of any element of construction;
4. detection of wood destroying insects such as termites and wood borers;
5. the operation of fireplaces and chimneys;
6. any services including building, engineering (electronic), fire and smoke detection or mechanical;
7. lighting or energy efficiency;
8. any swimming pools and associated pool equipment or spa baths and spa equipment or the like;
9. any appliances or white goods including dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, stoves and ducted vacuum systems;
10. a review of occupational, health or safety issues such as asbestos content, the provision of safety glass or the use of lead based paints;
11. a review of environmental or health or biological risks such as toxic mould;
12. whether the building complies with the provisions of any building Act, code, regulation(s) or by-laws;
13. whether the ground on which the building rests has been filled, is liable to subside, swell or shrink, is subject to landslip or tidal inundation, or if it is flood prone; and

Should the Client seek information from the Inspector related to one of exclusions above, that information is to be provided by way of a Special-Purpose Inspection Report which is adequately specified and must be undertaken by an appropriately qualified inspector. Additional information requested by the Client is not included in this Report.

The Client warrants to the Inspector (including the Inspector’s, agents, employees and other personnel) that the Building Site is, to the Client’s reasonable knowledge, safe and free of hazardous materials and that no party of the Building site constitutes a dangerous environment or work place safety concern.

The Inspector may compare the building being inspected with a similar building, unless specified otherwise in the Special Conditions or Instructions. The similar building which the Inspector may compare the current building to was, to the best of the Inspector’s knowledge, constructed in accordance with ordinary building construction and maintenance practices at the time of construction and as such has not encountered significant loss or of strength or serviceability.

The Inspector assumes in their Report that the existing use of the building or site will continue unless specified otherwise in the Special Conditions or Instructions.

The Client acknowledges that contents of the Report are subject to the Scope of the Report, Inspection Limitations, Exclusions and Acceptance Criteria. This Report does not include recommendations or advice about matters outside the scope of the requested inspection.

Should the Client have any queries or concerns about the purposes, scope or acceptance criteria on which this Report was prepared, all enquiries or concerns are to be discussed with the Inspector within a reasonable time upon receipt of this report.

The Client acknowledges that they are an affiliate of Arcadia Building Reports Pty Ltd.

The Client acknowledges that they will take all reasonable steps to implement any recommendation or advice provided by the Inspector in their Report as a matter of urgency specified otherwise.

Any further discussions the Inspector following the production of this Report addressing concerns will not be reflected in this Report and as such the Report may not contain all advice or information related to the building or site provided by the Inspector.

The Client acknowledges that a visual only inspection restricts the Inspectors capacity to inspect the building or site thoroughly and is not recommended by the Inspector unless an inspection of the Readily Accessible Areas and appropriate tests are also carried out.

The Client acknowledges that this Report does not warrant or give insurance that the building or site from developing issues following the date of inspection.