Building inspections officer

By LIANE VOISEY

Name: Martin Reid

Age: 45

Job title: Building inspections officer

Working hours: 8am to 5pm, five days a week

Employer(s): Auckland City Council

Pay: $45,000 - $55,000

Qualifications needed: Trade certificate in carpentry or other related trade, or have a Building Certificate. Building inspecting is traditionally a job for ex-builders

Career prospects: Private certifying work and building assessing


Q. Describe what you do

A. We look at different stages through any consented building work. We can process plans, but we look at the various stages of the building to ensure it is built to follow the building code. We then give the building its final inspection, and issue it with a certificate of compliance.

Q. Why did you choose this line of work?

A. From working as a carpenter, I saw it as a means of increasing my knowledge. I've been an inspector for over two years, and building for 28 years before that. I have been trained on the job - I don't have any formal building-inspection qualification.

Q. What skills/qualities do you need?

A. It helps to have computer skills and to be a tactful person. It also helps if you are experienced and quite mature in your outlook.

Q. How would you define success in your job?

A. For me it's following a building through to completion and ensuring that any forseeable problems can be nipped in the bud so that the building gets built without any problems.

It comes from the satisfaction of knowing that you're doing your bit to keep the standards of building high. I'm inspecting not just for the present owner but for the owners down the line.

A building is supposed to last for 50 years minimum so we're trying to insure there's a good standard of building in Auckland.

Q. What's the best part of what you do?

A. The satisfaction of watching a good building being built and the fact that we have to talk to a lot of people and have a good rapport with builders. I like the contact with people and having a good yarn.

Q. What's the most challenging?

A. Trying to be consistent and being firm but fair. It's hard if different inspectors go to the same job and from the customer you get told that what you have said is different to what another inspector has said.

At the moment we are very busy - that's why we need a recuitment drive to get more people.

Q. What advice would you have for somebody wanting to work in your profession?

A. Look at the website of BOINZ (Building Officials Instuitute of New Zealand) for further information and contact details. When you're on the job and have to point out something that is incorrect, don't take it too personally - obviously you're going to have to upset a few people occasionally.

Q. What are your career hopes?

A. To continue to receive more qualifications and learn more about the job. Auckland City Council provide lots of training that you wouldn't get in the private sector.

Building Officials Instuitute of New Zealand