Pre-purchase property assessments
Before you go unconditional, our engineers assess the property’s ground, structure and available records to identify risks, unresolved questions and what they may mean for your purchase.
Working to an unconditional deadline? Tell us the date and we’ll confirm whether we can meet it.
10,000+
RESIDENTIAL ASSESSMENTS ACROSS NZ
50 +
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
5
IN-HOUSE DISCIPLINES
WHAT WE DO
How we help you make an informed decision
No two properties need the same level of assessment. Depending on the location, known hazards, site history, identified concerns and your future plans, our input could range from a focused review of records to a site appraisal or targeted investigation.
Property records and hazard review
We review available information such as the LIM, council property file, hazard maps, national datasets, previous geotechnical reports, and relevant claim or repair records. We identify what the information establishes, what remains uncertain and what would be worth investigating further.
Development feasibility assessment
Planning to subdivide, extend or redevelop? We assess whether ground conditions, natural hazards, existing structures or engineering constraints could affect the feasibility, layout or likely cost of your plans.
Site walkover and engineering appraisal
An engineer visually assesses the property for signs of ground or building movement, including cracking, settlement, leaning retaining walls, slope instability, drainage issues and other visible concerns.
Targeted concern assessment
Where a specific issue has been identified, such as cracking, flooding, slope movement, retaining-wall distress, or missing construction records, we review the available evidence and explain what it means. Where justified, we can recommend or undertake targeted investigation to resolve the key uncertainty.
WHAT YOU GET
What we’ll deliver
You’ll receive a plain-English report or letter setting out:
what we reviewed and found
any material ground, structural or property-record concerns
what those findings may mean for the purchase and your future plans
what remains uncertain or requires further attention
the next steps we recommend, where needed
Focused property-record reviews are typically completed within a few working days. Assessments involving a site inspection or targeted investigation depend on access, the issues identified and the complexity of the property.
Indicative fee
Fees vary with the scope and the amount of information available. As an indication, focused pre-purchase reviews typically start from:
$500 + GST
Site inspections and more detailed assessments are priced according to the work required.
Before we begin, we’ll confirm the scope, fee and timeframe, including whether we can meet your unconditional deadline.
WHY DO THIS
When is it worth doing?
When the property raises unanswered questions
This includes a hillside or coastal site, a property with visible cracking, a leaning retaining wall, mapped flood or instability hazards, TC2 or TC3 land, or a history of landslides, flooding or insurance claims.
When you have future plans for the property
If you intend to extend, subdivide, add another dwelling or substantially redevelop the site, the ground and existing structures can affect what is feasible and what it could cost.
When the records are unclear or incomplete
A geotechnical report could be difficult to interpret, may relate to an earlier proposal, or may not show whether its recommendations were followed during construction.
When you're not sure what you need
A flat site with a recent build, clear records and no obvious hazards may only require a focused document review, or no engineering input at all.
Send us the property details and available records, and we will give you an initial view of whether the file appears straightforward or whether something deserves closer attention.
WHERE THIS FITS IN
How does this differ from a building inspection?
Building inspection
The building’s condition
A pre-purchase building inspection is an important part of understanding a property. It typically focuses on the building’s visible condition, construction, maintenance needs and signs of defects or non-compliance.
Our assessment
The ground and engineering risk
Considers the ground, slopes, retaining structures, natural hazards, and relevant property records, including what any existing geotechnical or engineering reports mean for the property and your plans.
The two work best together: a building inspection helps you understand the condition of the house, while our assessment helps explain the land and engineering issues that could affect future performance, development options and cost.
WORKING WITH AGENTS
Working with the person managing your transaction
Clear answers within the due-diligence window
When a listing raises questions about the ground, structure or property records, we provide a clear engineering view in plain language, for the buyer, the seller or both. Focused document reviews can typically be completed within a few working days.
Independent advice when technical questions arise
Your agent isn’t expected to interpret geotechnical reports. They can refer a technical question to us directly, and an engineer will assess the available evidence and explain whether anything further is needed.
Helping the transaction move forward
An issue identified early, before a buyer goes unconditional or before a property is listed, can be investigated, priced, addressed through a condition or factored into the decision, rather than derailing the deal later.
A local engineering contact when you need one
We work with property professionals through our Whangārei, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch offices. Agents can send us the address, the question raised and the relevant deadline on behalf of either party.
IN PRACTICE
Examples of how early engineering input can help a property transaction
Engineering questions can arise before a property is listed or during a buyer’s due diligence. The earlier they are understood, the more options everyone has. For sellers, that can mean clarifying an issue before it surprises a buyer. For purchasers, it can mean getting an answer before going unconditional. For agents, it means fewer unresolved technical questions appearing late in the transaction.
BEFORE LISTING
Give buyers fewer unanswered questions
A property had previous earthquake claims, repair records and engineering reports that were difficult to interpret.
We reviewed the available information before marketing began and clarified what the records established, what remained uncertain and whether anything further was needed.
Outcome: the seller and agent were better prepared to answer technical questions when they arose.
DURING DUE DILIGENCE
Resolve a concern while there is still time
A buyer raised concerns about signs of previous ground movement during the conditional period. We reviewed the available records and property information, then advised what the evidence showed and whether further investigation was warranted.
Outcome: the parties had a clearer engineering basis for deciding how to proceed before the due-diligence deadline.
DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
Understand what future plans may involve
A property was being considered for extension or redevelopment, but the likely ground and hazard constraints had not been established. We reviewed the available information and identified the engineering issues likely to affect foundations, earthworks and future development.
Outcome: the property could be considered with a more realistic understanding of its development constraints and likely costs.
GET IN TOUCH
Get an engineering view before you commit
Tell us the property address, your due-diligence or unconditional deadline, and any concerns you’d like us to review. You can also upload the LIM, property records, reports or photos, but these aren’t required for the initial enquiry.
Send your enquiry before 1 pm and one of our engineers will confirm the same working day:
the assessment we recommend
whether we can meet your deadline
the expected timeframe and fee
Enquiries received after 1 pm are confirmed the next working day. There’s no commitment. If the available information appears straightforward or we don’t think an assessment is necessary, we’ll tell you that too.
Whangārei • 09 438 9529
Wellington • 04 472 7282
Auckland • 09 373 5357
Christchurch • 03 365 5960