LIM report vs builder's report: which do I need?

A LIM answers: what does the council know about this property? It covers consents, code compliance certificates, rates, drainage and hazard information held on the council's file. A builder's report answers: what condition is this building in today? An inspector walks the property and reports on the roof, cladding, structure, interior and services as they physically exist.

Order them in whatever sequence suits the deal. Some buyers book the inspection first because it is faster, then let the LIM confirm the paperwork. Others read the LIM first to decide whether the place is worth the cost of inspecting at all.

The LIM only reflects what the council has on file. Work done without consent that the council never learned about will not appear. Nor will current condition: a property can have a flawless consent history and a roof at the end of its life, and the council has no reason to know. It is also a snapshot of the file at the date of issue, so anything lodged with the council after that will not be in it.

The inspection is visual and says nothing about legality. An inspector can admire a well-built sleepout without knowing it was never consented. They will not generally see inside walls or under fixed coverings, and they do not look at hazards, zoning or anything else beyond the building and site in front of them.

Both, as separate conditions in your offer. They cost little relative to the purchase and they fail in different directions, so each catches what the other misses. If the LIM and the report disagree, say a consent on file for work the inspector thinks looks wrong, that mismatch is precisely the thing to resolve before going unconditional. On a brand new build with a code compliance certificate just issued, some buyers lean harder on the paperwork and lighter on inspection. That is a judgement call, and an inspection still catches finishing issues a CCC was never designed to police.

For a recent build, it is also worth knowing who built it. You can check a builder at checkmybuilder.co.nz before you put weight on their workmanship.