diff --git a/scripts/build_env.py b/scripts/build_env.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4b475e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/build_env.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import os
+
+def buildEnvExists():
+    try:
+        result = os.lstat("work")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        result = "-1"
+    except e:
+        result = "-2"
+    if result == "-2":
+        print(f"Encountered an unexpected error {e}")
+        print("exiting...")
+        return
+    if result == "-1":
+        print("Work doesn't exist, initializing build environment")
+        return
+    print("Work exists, no filesystem things to do")
+    if os.access("work", os.W_OK):
+        print("write access checked inside work, nothing to do")
+    else:
+        print("work is not writable, change permissions of dir")
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    buildEnvExists()