After more than 30 years in the residential and commercial construction industries in New Zealand and overseas, becoming a building surveyor was the natural next step for Scott Dunnett.
The director of Hawke’s Bay building consultancy firm QSpec Consultants was in his 40s and recovering from heart surgery when he downed his carpentry tools to provide building consultancy services, investigate building defects, write technical reports, and study the Building Act and regulations.
“I aspired to develop myself professionally. I decided to undertake the core module training through the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS) and obtain a Diploma in Building Surveying.”
In 2015 he set up QSpec Consultants Limited.
The business offers a range of services including weathertightness investigations, remediation management, construction monitoring, building condition assessments, Code Compliance assessments, insurance assessments and acting as an expert witness in construction disputes.
A large portion of the firm’s work is producing weathertightness reports for homes built under the 1991 Building Act regime – which contributed to the leaky homes crisis.
“Homeowners who don’t have a Code Compliance Certificate for their homes have lately been advised by the Building Consent Authorities that they need a weathertightness report as part of the process of obtaining Code Compliance. We investigate, identify any defects and consequential damage, provide a defects report, and work with homeowners, designers, and the local Building Consent Authority to find a remedial solution.”
QSpec also provides the same service for the Ministry of Education – investigating the weathertightness of school buildings.
In a best-case scenario QSpec will recommend a simple maintenance or repair job following an assessment, but more often than not, a complex fix is required, Scott says.
“We provide pragmatic remediation solutions to homeowners who have weathertightness issues with their homes.”
Scott, now part of the NZIBS executive committee, says his integrity and extensive knowledge of the industry have been crucial to his success.
“People don’t always like what they read in our technical reports but our job is to provide independent and expert advice that will stand up to scrutiny. If we were to overlook an issue and as a consequence a homeowner is unable to obtain insurance in the future, that’s a problem for them – and us.”
Scott’s services are in high demand, and although the business has capacity to take on another surveyor, finding a candidate with the right skills and experience is difficult, he says.
He credits QSpec project co-ordinator Kathy McDowell, and personal assistant Tina Welch with keeping the wheels of the business ticking over, and accountants Moore Markhams Hawkes Bay with providing the expert insight and advice to ensure it is performing to its best.
“I have a really good relationship with [Moore Markhams director] Hamish Pringle. We check in regularly for an overview of the business, and Hamish is always accessible for any business guidance as and when required.”
Scott relishes the variety of his work. “No two days are the same. Each job is different. I enjoy the investigation process and get a great deal of satisfaction finding resolutions for homeowners.”
He is particularly proud of his recent work as the lead consultant for the remediation of Napier’s T&G Mutual Building, an iconic, category one heritage building on Marine Parade.
The job – with its mix of hands-on site assessments and researching and report writing – delivers the best of both worlds. “I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a builder, but now, especially on a wintry day, I’m pretty happy being in the office.”
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