Every house needs maintenance and inspection; when you want to buy a new home or a new one, you should also have an inspection. The reason behind it is that it will help you to avoid any hidden problems.
You may have conducted multiple property inspections and have your heart set on buying it. Still, despite appearances, it may have many issues that are not visible to the untrained eye, including significant structural issues that may be expensive to fix.
In light of this, it is essential to get a clear picture of a property’s condition before deciding to purchase it by organizing a professional inspection of the building and the pests that live there. When you place your final offer or bid at an auction with this knowledge, you will be confident that you are making an investment worthwhile.
The following is a helpful guide to pest & building inspections, as well as an explanation of why they are important.
Table of Contents
What exactly are Pest & Building Inspections?
During a building and pest inspection, a suitably qualified professional physically inspects the property to evaluate the state of the building and the structural components, all while looking for the presence of any pests and then providing their findings in the form of a written report.
Why you should get Pest & building inspections as soon as possible
Investing in a building and pest inspection will allow you to discover any major building problems or pest issues before your purchase and gain insight into how these issues may affect the property in the long run.
An inspection of the building and any pests present can give you more leverage when it comes time to negotiate the property’s purchase price, depending on the problems found and the potential costs of repairing them.
Deciding on a qualified examiner
When conducting a building inspection, you must always use a qualified professional, such as a licensed builder, surveyor, or architect. A trained professional will look past any cosmetic improvements that might otherwise obscure issues that could be missed by an untrained eye while also ensuring that the report complies with the relevant Australian Standard. This is done while ensuring that the report is accurate.
Whomever you choose should have sufficient insurance coverage, particularly for professional indemnity, but this goes without saying.
It would be beneficial to ask the following questions of a potential inspector before hiring them:
- Do they create their building inspection reports under the Australian Standard?
- Where exactly will they look for problems?
- What exactly does the report consist of? Request to see the reports they’ve submitted in the past.
- What are their experience levels, and what qualifications do they have?
- How long will it take to conduct the inspection, and when can you expect to receive the report?
Participating in the inspection to gain a deeper personal understanding of the condition of the property is another smart move you can make.
How to time your inspection properly
Before entering into a contract, the property in question should be subjected to a building and pest inspection. If the sale falls through, you will be in your initial payment. Similarly, an inspection ought to be carried out before placing a bid at an auction on a property. If your offer is the highest one, you will immediately become the property owner, and there will be no retraction period.
It is recommended that your solicitor include a clause in the contract that states the sale is contingent on the completion of a satisfactory building and pest inspection in situations where an inspection is not possible, such as when a seller is looking for a quick sale. This clause should state that the sale is subject to the completion of a building and pest inspection.
Which parts of the property are going to be looked at more closely?
When searching for flaws in a property, inspectors will look at several different areas, including the following:
- Interior of the building, including the ceilings, walls, and floors, as well as the windows, doors, and frames, as well as the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room.
- Exterior of the building, including the walls, timber and steel frames and structures, chimneys, stairs, balconies, verandas, patios, decks, and railings.
- The land is within thirty meters of the subject property, which includes parking spaces, garden sheds, retaining walls, pathways, driveways, steps, fencing, and surface water drainage systems.
- space below the floor
- Roof, both interior and exterior space
What kind of information can be found in the inspection report?
An Australian Standard specifies what should be included in a report; however, individual inspectors may produce reports that deviate from the Standard.
At a bare minimum, any defects that have been spotted should be included on the list, especially urgent or serious safety hazards like unsafe balustrades. The inspector may also provide an overview of minor defects, which are defined as anything that is not major, such as exterior paint that is significantly deteriorating.
Now that I’ve got my report, what should I do next?
At first glance, a report may appear intimidating; however, your inspector ought to be able to walk you through it and help you understand it. Even though they can assist with interpreting the report, inspectors cannot guide whether or not you should purchase the property. Instead, have a conversation with your conveyancer, a trusted family member or friend, or someone familiar with inspection reports.
It is important to remember that almost all homes will have one or more minor flaws, which you can ignore or fix in due time, depending on your preferences. Suppose a home is plagued with issues or has a significant problem. In that case, you should carefully consider whether the cost and the time it will take to resolve these issues are worth it before purchasing the home.
Conclusion
Having pest and building inspections is very important for maintaining the safety and security of your property. But if this is your first time doing this, you should start now.
