What are building defects?

Defects in building construction can be varied and can include sub standard building practices, not using standard good building practices that are accepted in the building industry, lack of full understanding of the requirements of the relevant Australian Standard or the Building Code of Australia, not complying with approved building plans, conditions of Council approval for the building works and lack of adequate building supervision.

Where there is a lack of building expertise onsite, it can result in the use of non compliant materials or materials not suitable for its application or purpose. Building defects can fall within the category of major defects or minor defects. There are limited warranties that a builder will provide and will be dependant on what classification of defect is evident.

What building defects does an expert witness uncover?

There are a range of areas in construction where building defects can occur. These can be due to;

• Sub-standard building practices
• Not complying with approved building plans
• Not meeting requirements of relevant Building Codes
• Use of unsuitable or non-compliant building materials
• Lack of Council approval or supervision during construction
• Unlicenced builders or contractors 

All of these and more can result in minor or major building defects creating serious problems. Add to this the complexity of possibly having to go through NCAT or Tribunal, and you want to make sure you’re prepared and protected.