When navigating the property market in Auckland or Waikato, a building inspection report is your first line of defense against unforeseen issues like structural weaknesses or hidden leaks. However, not all reports deliver the accuracy and reliability you expect for your hard-earned money. We’ve reviewed thousands of competitor reports over the years at Weather Tight Solutions NZ, and unfortunately far to many fall short—missing subtle and even obvious signs of moisture intrusion, miss reporting of HIGH moisture readings as LOW or of “no concern”, poor cladding condition or high risk design and construction as acceptable or even failing to recommend further testing when there are obvious defects, which can lead to repair and remediation costs exceeding $10s or even many $100s of thousands in leaky home cases.   

This post dives deeper into why verifying your report is crucial and how our complimentary peer review can uncover gaps, inaccuracy and incompetence, ensuring you have the correct information to make informed decisions.

Reports vary widely in quality and competency. As do the inspectors. Did you know builders (even licensed builders or LBPs) are not trained nor competent to carry out building inspections. And unfortunately we have seen time and time again builders are carrying out building inspections using their builders insurance not specific building inspection insurance. So their insurance will not cover their failures or “mistakes”. Leaving you with ALL of the costs. Some rely solely on visual inspections, ignoring advanced tools like thermal imaging, which can detect up to 90% more anomalies than the naked eye. Common issues include incomplete coverage of the building inspection standard NZS4306:2005, and we regularly see vague descriptions (e.g., “possible moisture” or “cladding appears sound” without quantification or documentation), or overlooking cladding risks common in NZ’s humid and often wet climate. For example, a report might note “no visible leaks” but miss internal plumbing issues that cause year-round dampness, leading to mould growth affecting indoor air quality and structural framing decay. These oversights can cost significant amounts to repair, invalidate bank approvals or insurance claims, prevent you from negotiating a fair price for purchase or giving you the information to stop the purchase, turning a dream home into a financial nightmare.

As winners of the 2025 NZ Most Trusted Business Award for Building Inspections (Auckland) and featured in the TOP 100 among New Zealand’s trusted Construction, Trade, and Engineering Firms, we provide an unbiased, independent, expert peer review at no cost.    

Our team, with decades in the building inspection and surveying field and diplomas in Building Surveying and Forensic Building Surveying from the NZ Institute of Building Surveyors, evaluates the report’s methodology, accuracy, and completeness. We’ll provide a detailed analysis, including feedback on testing techniques, reliability scores, and potential red flags—like unaddressed thermal anomalies, inaccurate descriptions of LOW or HIGH moisture readings or inaccurate use of moisture meters that could indicate failures of cladding or waterproofing. 

If discrepancies in the supplied reports are found we will go over these with you, such as elevated moisture readings warranting further or invasive investigation, we’ll outline a customised plan and offer a free quote for non invasive or invasive testing as required. This process includes endoscope examinations, core sampling, or invasive or destructive analysis, followed up by a full report with remediation strategies, council consent guidance. Our end-to-end service ensures compliance and peace of mind, backed by full building pre purchase inspection and moisture investigation indemnity insurance.

If you’re doubting your current report, or just want additional peace of mind submit it today for our free peer review. Call 0800 532 578 (Auckland) or 021 163 6232 (Waikato), email info@weathertightsolutions.co.nz, or use our online form. Servicing Auckland, Hamilton, Waikato, and Cambridge—get expert feedback within 24 hours and safeguard your investment before it’s too late!