Building inspection - why do you need one?

Building inspection - why do you need one?
What is a 'building inspection'? A building inspection is an examination by qualified professionals which identifies faults and hazards in a property. These can include anything from maintenance and safety issues to serious structural faults or damage.

Often the problems identified are not immediately visible or apparent to the untrained eye. Special equipment may be used to gather more information.

After the inspection, a report is provided which details the issues. This allows home owners and potential buyers to make informed decisions.

A building inspector will look for things like cracking walls, faulty balconies, mould, and foundation issues. They will check the exterior of the house; including window frames, chimneys, and pergolas; the interior of the house, including ceilings, benches, bathtubs, and showers; and even inside the roof and the shed. Building inspections are often utilised by potential buyers to make informed negotiations, but they are also important for home owners monitoring ongoing issues.

Don’t be caught out

Imagine buying your dream home, only to discover serious structural faults or safety hazards which you can’t afford to fix. Unfortunately, situations like this do happen as novice home buyers do not always know what to look for. By investing in a building and pest inspection you can stop your dream home from turning into a nightmare and avoid major financial hardship.

If you have just purchased a home, a building inspection can be conducted within the cooling off period. Many companies offer a report within 24 hours, so that you have time to consider the results. If you are a current home owner, investing in building inspections can help you to identify and manage issues. This allows you to address problems before they escalate, and means that when it comes time to sell your home, you won’t have to worry about potential buyers discovering huge faults.

Negotiate price

When a pre purchase building inspection report exposes faults in a property, it doesn’t always mean you have to walk away. Many properties have manageable flaws which do not seriously compromise their safety or value. A report may even give you some idea of what repairs are needed and a ballpark figure to complete them.

Knowing the property’s faults and having some idea of how much it will cost you to repair or manage them gives you a strong edge in negotiations. The owners may choose to repair the problems themselves, or reduce their asking price to compensate. A good building inspector will recognise cheap repair jobs which seek to mask issues which will compromise the price.

Ensure safety

Your family’s safety is priceless, but buying the wrong house could see it costing you thousands. A building inspection will identify unsafe areas and their severity. A professional knows how to look for asbestos and the hazards it presents, as well as other safety issues such as incorrect materials used on balconies or faults in walls and supporting beams.

If you choose to purchase an unsafe house it is imperative that you get it up to standard. A building inspection can give you an idea of the costs this will involve and whether it will be worth it. Things like wide-spread mould can be seriously hard to deal with, and can cause ongoing health issues for you and your family.

 

Homeimprovement2day has qualified building inspection companies listed Australia wide on our home improvement directory.
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