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

Twenty-five years in the building industry. Over 10,000 projects overseen. More than 5,500 inspections completed. I'm Rohan Saunders, The Building Consultant. Whether you're buying, building, or in a dispute, I bring a builder's practical eye, an inspector's rigour, and a consultant's independence to every job.

Build and Buy with Confidence

  • Pre Purchase Inspections

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

  • Building Advocacy

    I use my experience of overseeing 10,000+ building projects to help new home builders avoid contract omissions, costly variations, poor floor plans and workmanship disputes, so your build finishes on quality, on budget, and out of the courtroom.

  • VCAT Expert Witness & DBDRV Help

    I use my experience as a registered builder, expert witness and dispute practitioner to help consumers take control of building disputes, with compliant expert reports and representation that give your claim the strongest possible footing at DBDRV, VCAT or court

  • Leaky Building Syndrome Expert

    Over 80% of building defects are water related. I use my 25 years of hands-on construction and waterproofing experience to help owners find the true cause of leaks in balconies, terraces, roofing, basements, wall cladding and windows, so the problem gets fixed once, properly, with evidence that stands up.

  • 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.

  • 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, so defects are fixed while they're still cheap and easy to fix.

Every project starts as a drawing. Our job is making sure it ends as one, too.

──── The Building Consultant

Three ways we work

  • Multi-unit projects

    Feasibility, staging and delivery oversight for townhouse and unit developments, keeping budgets and builders honest.

  • High-end projects

    Detailed consultancy for architecturally ambitious builds where the drawings deserve to survive contact with the site.

  • Medium density

    Planning and construction advice for infill and medium-density sites, from due diligence through to handover.