Association of Building Consultants

About the ABC

The ABC was formed in Adelaide, South Australia, in March 1991. Its members include a wide range of specialists and consultants from various sectors of the building industry. Members provide inspection and advisory services to the public and the building industry for any building-related matter or problem, no matter how small or large.

Services include independent technical advice and reports by way of pre-purchase inspections, construction reports, expert reports for building disputes and court cases, as well as termite inspections and engineering advice on structural matters and designs for new and existing buildings.

The Association of Building Consultants is the only professional body for South Australian independent building consultants, with members providing pre-purchase inspections and other building inspection and related advisory services.

The ABC has a Constitution and a Code of Practice which members are expected to follow.

Quality

One of the main objects of the Association of Building Consultants Inc. (ABC) is to foster and continually improve the quality of service provided by members to the public and industry in the various areas of building consultancy.

This is achieved in a range of ways:

the ABC Committee assessing applications for membership
regular monthly meetings of the ABC incorporating a rolling program of guest speakers for continuing professional development of members
links with other building industry associations
members sharing technical information
members sharing their experience and expertise to gain mutual benefit from diverse backgrounds

ABC Executive Committee 2016/2017

Office Bearers

President
Scott Fletcher 0408 224 580

Secretary
Andrew Butler 0476 943 768

Treasurer
Travis Summerton 0438 416 461

Executive Committee members

David Murray 0409 806 499

Chris Short 0419 556 655

Andrew Skinner 0407 186 380

Danny Simunsen 0409 092 942

Alexis Buhagiar 0403 295 319

Roger Richter 0417 970 164

Nick Begg 0418 821 982

Disclaimer: The Association of Building Consultants Inc. will not be liable for the accuracy of any information provided on this website by individual members, or the quality or extent of the services they might provide.

Association of Building Consultants Incorporated (South Australia)

This Code of Practice is to be observed and practised by all members. It is a code of ethics for the protection of Building Consultants and their clients, which maintains the prestige of the Association. The confidentiality and responsible nature of a Building Consultant’s duties requires the upholding of this Code of Practice and the enhancement of the profession.

In all business dealings, a member shall act honestly at all times. Members are encouraged to obtain a National Police Certificate.

All dealings by members with clients, the public generally, the Building Industry, other Building Consultants and the legal profession, shall be treated as confidential and privileged.

No member shall conduct himself or herself in such a manner or practise under any name or title as is, in the opinion of the Association, prejudicial to his or her professional status, or to the reputation of the Association.

A member shall generally specialise in Building Consultancy and should generally not be engaged in building contracting, unless that member is a Builder Member.

A member shall perform his or her duties in a diligent and conscientious manner, and with proper regard to his or her duties to his or her client.

A member shall at all times make full disclosure to his or her client of any financial or other interest that the member has in any transaction in relation to which he or she is acting for the client.

It shall be the duty of a member to ensure that neither he or she personally, nor a partner or employee of a business of which he or she is a member knowingly acts for two or more parties with conflicting interests, without first disclosing the relevant facts to each of the parties.

A member shall not advise upon matters in which he or she is not trained or qualified.

A member shall not unfairly criticise any other Building Consultant, nor perform his or her duties in a manner likely to cause a needless disagreement or controversy, or bring the profession of Building Consultancy into disrepute.

A member shall not solicit business from a known client of another member. It shall be improper to charge a reduced fee in order to attract business away from another member.

A member shall at all times charge a fair and reasonable fee for his or her services performed.

Members shall strive to be informed at all times in regard to the law, including proposed legislation, other essential facts and public policies relating to Building Consultancy.

Members should attempt at all times to disseminate information of common interest, particularly matters of unusual import to other members, but not in a manner so as to detract from a Building Consultant’s obligation to treat his or her client’s business as confidential.

Members are urged to carry public liability insurance.

A member shall at all times be responsible for the actions of his or her employees in their business conduct, in accordance with this Code of Practice.

Building and pest inspection services provided by members

This page lists inspection and advisory services offered by ABC members in Adelaide and South Australia.

Pre-purchase inspections of established homes
 
Construction and handover inspections for new homes
 
Technical reports (structural, damp)
 
Disputes about building work
 
Design advice and plans
 
Pest inspections
 
Project and construction management
 
Asbestos / hazardous materials inspection
 
Energy star rating

Disclaimer: The Association of Building Consultants Inc. will not be liable for the accuracy of any information provided on this website by individual members, or the quality or extent of the services they might provide.

Pre-purchase building inspection enquiry

Before submitting an online enquiry for a building inspection, please ensure you have:

Selected a member who can provide a pre-purchase building inspection
You have access to a working email address
You are have read and understood the terms and conditions in the ABC Pre-purchase Inspection Agreement. You will be asked to agree to these terms, plus any Special Conditions from the selected ABC member.

News & Events

News

ABC welcomes new Executive Committee members
The Association of Building Consultants has welcomed Scott Fletcher as its new President and Travis Summerton as its newly-appointed Treasurer following its recent AGM, with Andrew Butler continuing as the Association’s Secretary.

Home Building Protection Review submission
Home Building Protection Review government submission

Home Building Protection media release
Home Building Protection Review media release

Leave Asbestos to the Experts – Media Release
The ABC has used today’s launch of Asbestos Awareness Week to issue a warning to DIY and home handymen to protect their health by leaving any inspection and removal of asbestos to the experts.

Swimming pool safety submission to government
Submission to the SA government (31.5.13) regarding upgrading pool safety legislation

Overflow relief gullies
Preventing raw sewerage from entering a building (source: David Murray)

Termites: Media release
TERMITES: HOMEOWNERS MAINTAIN VIGILANCE

Problems with solar installations – Media release
What are the benefits for consumers of having their solar panels installed by an installer with a builders license?

Deposit limits changed
Deposit limits for domestic building work contracts have changed for the first time since 1995. This article was recently published by HIA for its members. (source: HIA)

False advertising
Trader pays infringement notice over alleged false building association membership claims (source: ACCC SBIN)

Bushfire Bunkers
Not out of the woods yet (source: Chris Short)

Use of Foil Insulation in Homes
Risk in roof space (source: HIA)

Be aware of asbestos
Asbestos danger in roof

Building Inspection Articles

Consumer Affairs says “Dob in a tradie”
Press release by Consumer and Business Affairs in Adelaide

Mould and underfloor ventilation – solutions
Ashley Carter, Terminix Pest and Weed Control

Tips for buying a home
Buying a home is the biggest purchase that most of us will ever make – before you buy, read our top tips for home buyers.

Preparing a home for winter sale
Many of South Australians could be facing costly repair bills caused by water damage this Winter. Read our top tips to ensure a property is kept in tip-top condition throughout the autumn and winter sales period.

10 tips when buying to renovate or redevelop
What should an investor consider when looking for the right property? Chris Short from the Association of Building Consultants shares his top tips.

Home inspection mistakes
What are some of the biggest mistakes buyers make when it comes to a home inspection? Chris Short from the Association of Building Consultants helps sort fact from fiction.

Looking for a property with a pool?
What should a prospective buyer keep in mind when looking at a property with a pool?

Considerations when buying a property with trees
While a tree can form a critical part of a home’s mini-eco system, those thinking about a tree-change need to consider a range of pros and cons.

11 tips for building an eco-home
Chris Short shares his top tips when it comes to building and designing an eco-home.

Tips before purchasing a character home
In a character home, there’s plenty to consider before signing on the dotted line.

10 things you should know before buying a house
Here’s a handy checklist of the 10 most common problems to inspect before buying a house

Roof framing defect
An example of a roof defect that was picked up in a pre-purchase inspection

Problems with termite poisons
The banning of organochlorines in 1995 led to the introduction of other groups of chemicals, known as organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids, which are now the only termiticides able to be used in South Australia. However, the new chemicals are not as termite repellant as the old ones.