An accredited building inspection qualification will help protect South African property buyers and will also foster job creation in the nascent local building inspection industry, says local home inspection training institution the South African Home Inspection Training Academy principal John Graham.
Local industry has largely relied on US-based systems, particularly the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors programme because there is no formal building inspection training in South Africa.
A building-inspection qualification will help provide better protection for buyers and improve overall construction standards in South Africa.
Graham points out that many people buying houses in South Africa are unaware of the condition of the house. Further, a significant number of houses in suburban areas were constructed in the 1960s, which could mean that the roofs, for example, have reached their effective life span.
While the National Home Builder Registration Council (NHBRC) has a legislative mandate to inspect new houses, Graham points out that the mandate does not extend to properties that have been extended or altered, leaving property owners and developers vulnerable to poor workmanship.
“South Africa’s biggest asset is its fixed property and yet there is no central mechanism on how to carry out regular condition assessments on those properties,” Graham states.
