Valuation experts

Look for a Certified Practising Valuer (CPV) with API membership and appropriate registration; specialised assets may need a specialist valuer.

Usually the date set by the cause of action or statute, for example the date of resumption or separation. Defining the correct date is critical.

No, real property, plant and equipment, and business going-concern valuations are distinct specialisations.

Fees vary with the asset and the stage of the dispute. Senior certified practising valuers commonly charge in the range of $350 to $700 per hour, or a fixed fee for the report itself. A single residential property report prepared to litigation standard typically falls somewhere between $3,000 and $8,000, while complex assignments (going-concern businesses, multiple commercial properties, plant and equipment schedules, or retrospective valuations for a resumption claim) commonly run from $10,000 to $30,000 or more. Court attendance and joint conferences are usually billed separately, often at a daily or half-daily rate. The main cost drivers are the number and type of assets, the valuation date (retrospective work needs historical evidence), the quality of the records provided, and whether concurrent evidence or a joint report is ordered. Ask for a written fee estimate broken down by stage before you engage.

Rule 428 of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) requires the report to state the expert's qualifications, all material facts and assumptions relied on, the reasons for each opinion, any literature or investigations used, and a confirmation that the expert understands their duty to the court and has complied with it. The valuer must also confirm they have read and agree to be bound by the expert witness code of conduct in Schedule 1C. For valuations, that means the report should identify the valuation methodology, the comparable evidence relied on, and any instructions or assumptions supplied by the solicitor.

Identify the proceeding, the parties, and the precise interest to be valued (for example, the freehold of a named property, specific plant items, or a business as a going concern). State the valuation date or dates, list every document you enclose, and set out any assumptions the valuer should adopt, flagging contested facts as assumptions rather than agreed matters. Frame your questions neutrally; the letter is usually annexed to the report, so the court and the other side will read it. Enclose the expert witness code of conduct under the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) and ask the valuer to confirm they will comply with it.

As early as possible, ideally before the claim for compensation is served on the constructing authority. Under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 (Qld), compensation is assessed at the date of resumption, so the valuer will be working retrospectively; early engagement lets them inspect the land close to that date, capture comparable sales evidence, and help you frame the heads of compensation (land value, severance, injurious affection, disturbance) before positions harden. If the claim proceeds to the Land Court of Queensland, the same valuer will usually prepare the court report and participate in any joint expert conference. Experts Edge can help you identify a suitably experienced valuer at the outset.