Building Inspections – Know What You are Buying
If you are seriously considering buying a property it is essential that you get a qualified building inspection before you make that big investment. We can get caught up in the excitement and perhaps emotion of our new purchase and overlook an inspection and end up buying a whole lot of trouble, not to mention the expense of costly repairs that may be way over your budget.
If it’s an old property you are thinking of buying, there are bound to be some problems or defects. But hopefully if the building has been well maintained throughout its life anything that needs repairing or replacing is not too serious. A Qualified Building Inspector will identify any such problems and advise on how serious it is, what work needs to be done and an approximate cost to have the work carried out. If it is a brand new property it is advisable to have an inspection carried out to ensure the building work meets Australian standards and that corners haven’t been cut during construction. Even units or apartments need to be inspected to ensure they meet standards and that they are not compromised by potential water leaks from adjoining units or from above.
A Building Inspector will thoroughly examine both inside & outside the building. If it’s a house he will climb on to the roof, checking the condition of both roofing material, guttering and downpipes. He will climb under the floor where possible to check that footings and foundations are solid and look for evidence of termites. He will flush the toilets, turn on the taps and check for damp. Electrical wiring will be inspected as well to ensure it is safe. Doors, windows and out buildings should be checked. Stairs and balustrading should also be checked both inside and out as well as decking. Chimneys should also be inspected.
It is advisable to have a Pest Inspection included and depending on the age of the property an Asbestos inspection where necessary. Usually a written report will be completed within 24 hours. From there you decide whether or not you purchase the property. Or you may negotiate with the Vendor that either the necessary works are carried out before you purchase or negotiate a better price to cover the costs of the work to be done once you own it.
If it’s an old property you are thinking of buying, there are bound to be some problems or defects. But hopefully if the building has been well maintained throughout its life anything that needs repairing or replacing is not too serious. A Qualified Building Inspector will identify any such problems and advise on how serious it is, what work needs to be done and an approximate cost to have the work carried out. If it is a brand new property it is advisable to have an inspection carried out to ensure the building work meets Australian standards and that corners haven’t been cut during construction. Even units or apartments need to be inspected to ensure they meet standards and that they are not compromised by potential water leaks from adjoining units or from above.
A Building Inspector will thoroughly examine both inside & outside the building. If it’s a house he will climb on to the roof, checking the condition of both roofing material, guttering and downpipes. He will climb under the floor where possible to check that footings and foundations are solid and look for evidence of termites. He will flush the toilets, turn on the taps and check for damp. Electrical wiring will be inspected as well to ensure it is safe. Doors, windows and out buildings should be checked. Stairs and balustrading should also be checked both inside and out as well as decking. Chimneys should also be inspected.
It is advisable to have a Pest Inspection included and depending on the age of the property an Asbestos inspection where necessary. Usually a written report will be completed within 24 hours. From there you decide whether or not you purchase the property. Or you may negotiate with the Vendor that either the necessary works are carried out before you purchase or negotiate a better price to cover the costs of the work to be done once you own it.
We advise you enlist the services of a Qualified Building Inspector who should have a Diploma of Building Surveying. A Professional inspection will be carried out not only with standard equipment such as a torch, timber tapper and magnifying glass but these days with more sophisticated tools such as a Termatrac T3i which has three in one termite detection radar, a thermal sensor with laser and a moisture sensor. Remember a building inspector is working for you and you want your investment to be a sound one.
Use the Homeimprovement2day directory to find a Building Inspector near you, and when it comes time to renovate your new purchase, use it to find all the home improvement specialists needed.
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