What to expect from a Building and Pest Inspection

Uncategorized

A building and pest inspection is a necessity for buyers 

A building and pest inspection is a great way to find out more about the condition of the property you are buying, and most importantly, if there are any serious, costly issues with the property.  In the majority of cases there will always be some items that need attention, whether that is now or in the future is hard to determine until we have a full comprehensive building and pest report from the inspector. 

As you can imagine, often things seem worse on paper than they really are, as the inspector’s job is to find faults with the property so that as a client you are fully informed of any work that needs to be done to the property either now or in the future.  His job is not to tell you how fabulous the property is or whether you should buy the property or not as that is not his expertise, that is ours.

When a building and pest inspection is carried out, each room is assessed on what isn’t right and what may need attention. All things in every room where access is possible will be assessed and reported on.

Some things will need immediate attention and other things can be left for a few months or even a few years.

Whether you are going to be living in the home or renting it out, it is important to know what repairs may be needed in the future and whether the home and its features are safe or are a potential hazard that need further investigation.

If we feel that the property does not meet our strict and stringent standards of a quality home or investment property then we will certainly advise you not to go ahead with the property.

While we have discounted properties before after a building and pest inspection. We are mindful of not recommending a full inspection for every property we inspect on your behalf, or even recommend to you, as we never want you to spend money unnecessarily or have an inspection done where we don’t think the home is up to standard. 

Should we highly recommend a property to you then it will also be our recommendation that you have a building and pest inspection done.

then from there the choice is up to you to decide if you are happy to proceed with one or not.

As the owner is often still living there, the inspector has to be mindful of respecting their home and their space, so sometimes things may be obstructed and if an inspector is unable to fully access something it will be mentioned in the report.

Minor defects and major defects will be reported on so that you have peace of mind and have a clear picture of what needs to be done and what can be left alone for now.

After the building and pest inspection is done we always speak to the inspector first to determine what is of immediate concern and what is not, however you are also welcome to call the inspector and ask him about any major concerns that you have.

So you have a good understanding and a clear idea of what to expect from the building and pest inspection we have outlined below what is covered and what is not.  

We have also included this link here with a video to watch so you can make a more informed decision.

Please do not book in the building and pest inspection yourself as we get a better rate than what you will if you go direct.

 

 What Does the Building and Pest Inspection Cover?

  • Interior of the home
  • Internal roof space.
  • Exterior of the home and any buildings on the property
  • The sub-floor space where access is possible
  • Exterior of the roof, including gutters
  • Fencing that is up to 30 meters from the building and within the boundaries of the site. 
  • Hot water service and if it is fully connected and functioning
  • Wet areas, such as bathrooms, laundries and kitchens to determine if any leaks and if things are properly sealed
  • Condition of floors and if there are any defects or issues to be aware of
  • Type of materials used in construction, ie. timber or brick
  • If on stumps, whether they are timber or concrete
  • Condition of the home overall and any out buildings, such as shed and garages
  • Whether the home is insulated and what type of insulation is there
  • Cracking in house, pathways, driveways and outbuildings and whether this appears to be more like settlement cracks or something that needs to be addressed immediately
  • Ventilation of property
  • Condition of door, windows and all locks and if they are adequate or if they potentially need replacing

What Doesn’t the Building and Pest Inspection Cover

 

  • Structures – whether they are illegally build and if it has council approval or not
  • Whether the home has been fully rewired and all electricity outlets work
  • If the gas and the plumbing are fully functioning as he is not a fully qualified gas fitter or plumber
  • Breaking apart, dismantling, removing or moving objects including, but not limited to, foliage, mouldings, roof insulation/ sisalation, floor or wall coverings, sidings, ceilings, floors, furnishings, appliances or personal possessions in order to access and inspect parts of the property
  • Access and comment on what is happening inside walls, between floors, inside skillion roofing, behind stored goods in cupboards and other areas that are concealed or obstructed. 
  • No invasive procedures or techniques are performed and things like timber skirtings cannot be hit or damaged to determine if any termite damage or anything else exists behind the walls or skirtings
  • The exact time frame something will last and exactly when it will need to be fixed or replaced
  • The cost to have things attended to or repaired
  • Things like paintings or heavy furniture are not moved to determine every little crack or defect in the property

Once you have received the building and pest inspection we advise reading over it and contacting us or the inspector by phone with any concerns. 

Part of our process is that we ask you to put in an email bullet points that are of concern for you so that we are all on the same page.

This ensures there is complete transparency between us all. That way we can immediately address any issues of concern before proceeding with the purchase of the property.

What we find with many of the building and pest inspections a lot of the things on the report do not need attention immediately and sometimes won’t need attention for at least a couple of years. 

If we have a list of items in an email in bullet point (as mentioned above) then we can come back to you on each point and let you know which items do need to be addressed right now and which ones possibly do not.

At your final inspection prior to settlement we will check over all of these items and advise if we believe they need to be rectified prior to you or your tenant moving in or if they can be left alone for some time.

BUILDING AND PEST INSPECTION EXAMPLE

After a Building and Pest Inspection on a property we received a report that mentioned that all the gutters need replacing. However, upon inspecting the property again at the pre-settlement inspection, we discovered that there was only approx 1 metre that needed replacing. Also, it was not urgent to do so.

The guttering could either be done now or it could be left for approximately 2 years when all the gutters would need to be replaced.

On our more accurate assessment, the client decided to leave the gutters and have them all replaced at the same time in 2 years.

By us re-inspecting these items at your final pre-settlement inspection it allows us to more accurately advise you on the work that is needed to be done now and it also allows you to better manage your cash flow for your property. 

If some of these items can be left but you are going to worry about them and would prefer to get them done then obviously our recommendation would be for you to do them so that you can put your mind at ease. We can only advise you on our opinion and what we would do in that circumstance because ultimately the decision is yours and whether you chose to do the repairs or not is up to you. 

What we want to make sure of however is that you are fully informed and that there are no unnecessary surprises that should have been picked up or addressed before deciding to proceed with the purchase of the property.

With 15 years dedicated to Buyer Advocacy, Lisa Parker is a genuine master at the craft, and would be delighted to assist you with your purchase. If you would like to get in contact with us to book a complimentary phone consultation.