Before you pay, build or fight. Know what I know.

25+ years in the property & building industry. Over 10,000 projects overseen. More than 5,500 inspections completed. I'm Rohan Saunders from Melbourne, (AKA) The Building Consultant. I help my clients that are buying, building, or in a dispute make smart decisions simply by knowing what I know.

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New Apartment Handover Inspections

Simply do not take the risk of signing off without a private independent inspection.

You can have a Compliant Building with an Occupancy Certificate, but still have 100 defects at handover.

Know what I know before you sign.

Building Advocacy

This is my flagship service, and it's completely unique in the building construction industry. People engage a property advocate to help them buy a home, but who independently checks, critiques, inspects, and oversees your entire building project? That's the role I created this service to fill.

I use my experience of overseeing more than 10,000 building projects to help you take control of your entire build, from drawings and contract through to final handover, so your dream home is delivered on quality, and you stay well clear of the dispute system.

My Building Advocacy service charges a flat fee of 1.5% of the build cost and takes attention to detail to the next level.

Walk and Talk Service

Have a current building or new construction problem and unsure what to do next? Consider my on-site 'walk and talk' option.

Give me a call to discuss your matter, and I'll arrange a time to attend site equipped with quality measuring tools. We'll walk through your building concerns together and I'll answer them verbally on the spot, drawing on everything I've learned from 25 years of builds, inspections and disputes.

I can also perform destructive inspections if requested in advance. You'll leave with peace of mind and a clear map of what any potential dispute process would look like.

90 minutes on site starts from $600 plus GST.

Leaky Building Syndrome Expert

Over 80% of building defects are related to water. It has been the one constant across every stage of my career, which is why I've made it my specialty. I'm an expert Leaky Building Syndrome consultant and a Member of the Australian Institute of Waterproofing.

I specialize in:

➤ Identifying the proximate cause of building leaks

➤ Scoping and quantifying resultant damage from water

➤ Class 2 low-rise multi-unit developments, including nuisance claims

➤ Balcony, terrace, roofing, basement, wall cladding and window weatherproofing failure

➤ Lightweight and suspended concrete structures

➤ Providing credible evidence from the NCC, AS4654.2, and manufacturer installation guides

➤ Access to trades that can both fix the problem and repair the damage

Pre-Purchase Inspections

Buyer Beware. If you pay peanuts for this service, you will get monkeys. I use my experience of more than 5,500 building inspections to help buyers and sellers uncover the defects that others miss, so you can make an informed property decision and never pay for someone else's problems. Every report comes with unlimited phone advice at no extra cost.

Timber & Pest (Termite) Inspections

You can add a timber and pest inspection to your pre purchase building inspection for an additional fee. I've completed the nationally recognised training and am fully qualified to inspect for and report on timber pests, including termites, so one visit covers both.

Industrial & Commercial Building Inspections

I use my registration as a Commercial Building Practitioner (CB-L 31084) to help investors and tenants avoid structural failure, roof plumbing non-compliance, and end-of-lease make-good disputes, protecting one of the biggest financial commitments you'll ever make.

And don't assume a brand-new commercial or tilt-slab building is safe: based on what I've found on new builds, that's even more reason to get an independent expert involved.

Construction Stage Inspections

Don't rely on your building supervisor or surveyor. They work for the builder. I use my experience of supervising thousands of builds to help you catch construction and workmanship mistakes at every stage and payment gate, so defects are fixed while they're still cheap and easy to fix, not once you have moved in.

Choose the full five-stage package (Base / Frame / Lock-Up / Fix / Final PCI Defects) or whichever stages meet your requirements.

Special Purpose Reports

I use my dual registration as a domestic and commercial building practitioner to help owners and builders get to the bottom of cracking, leaks and defects, delivering a clear cause, a practical remedy, and fast dilapidation reports that satisfy building permit obligations.

Dispute Advice that’s far better& cheaper than a lawyer

Practical advice using my experience of hundreds of building disputes to help consumers navigate this stressful time before they go ‘all in’ on a legal battle.

VCAT Expert Witness & DBDRV Help

I use my 10+ years of expert witness work so you can resolve your dispute faster, with less stress, and from a position of strength. I:

➤ Prepare VCAT-compliant building reports to VCAT Practice Note PNVCAT2

➤ Prepare compliant building reports to Form 44A requirements for court hearings

➤ Represent clients in person at VCAT and in court

My reports are built on credible, documented evidence from the NCC, Australian Standards, and manufacturer installation guides, because that's what stands up under scrutiny.

What Clients Say?

  • "We've trusted Rohan with all of our property and construction QA and QC for nearly a decade. He's simply the best you can get."

    — Tina, Verdant Homes, Glen Iris
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • "Rohan is reliable, punctual, and turns inspections into reports fast. His knowledge of buildings is second to none a true consulting expert with an unwavering eye for detail."

    — A. Conway, Malvern
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • "Rohan offers practical, logical advice on building disputes. His reports identify each defect, back it up with credible evidence, and present it all in a format that's easy to read."

    — David, Fairweather Legal, Melbourne CBD
    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

3 ways to get help

  • Building

    Know your build is right.

    Advocacy consultancy, on-site walk-and-talks, and stage inspections before you release big payments or sign big contracts.

  • Buying

    Know before you buy.

    Pre-purchase inspections for homes, commercial and industrial, plus off-the-plan handover inspections for multi-unit developments.

  • Fighting

    Know where you stand.

    Building dispute advice, expert witness reports, and attendance in court.

"Want to see the clearest, most readable reports in the industry? Email me for a sample."

──── The Building Consultant