Defect report or expert witness report? Choosing in Werribee
Which report you need depends on where the dispute is heading.
In short: Both reports describe defects, but they are written for different readers and different purposes.
The defect investigation report
Written for you and your builder. It identifies the defect, its cause and the standard it fails, so the repair can be agreed.
The expert witness report
Written for VCAT, to its expert evidence practice note. The author's duty is to the tribunal, and the report is structured as evidence.
The usual order
Start with the defect report and raise it with the builder in writing. If that fails, the BPC dispute resolution service (formerly DBDRV) is next, and VCAT after that.
Upgrading later
If the matter heads to VCAT, the investigation work can inform an expert witness report, but the defect report itself is not tribunal evidence.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Werribee. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
