Including a building inspection condition in the property sale contract is a wise move but be sure to get it done by a qualified inspector. Remember, an inspector who misses out on major deal breakers can put you in a pickle and you may not be able to pull out of a bad investment in time if you discover those oversights too late.
While building and pest inspections are expected to point out the majority of a property’s issues, reports that completely overlook major concerns are certainly not unheard of. If it happens that the inspection report you’ve received isn’t shaping up the way you’d like it to be, what do you do?
Basic Premise of a Building and Pest Inspection
At its basic, this property assessment identifies necessary repairs as well as collate details on the real condition of the property you’re setting your sights on. In most cases, the issues highlighted in this report ranges from major structural damage to cosmetic issues. For the most part, it will help home buyers uncover things like design flaws, termite damage, and structural vulnerabilities.
Although you expect to receive a report that tells you everything that could possibly be wrong in the house you’re planning to purchase, take note that that is the ideal scenario. You’ll never get a perfect score card for every building and pest inspection report you receive. Set your standards too high and you’ll be too scared to invest in anything at all!
In reality, most home buyers aren’t too bothered to see major defects in the property as long as they’re given a gauge of how urgent or expensive it’d be to get them fixed. This will equip them with the knowledge to make an informed decision regarding the acquisition of a real estate asset.
When Do You Commission a Building and Pest Inspection?
In this regard, most property buyers understand the need to have the inspection done before the sale contract gets signed by both vendor and investor. Indeed, this pre-purchase assessment has to be conducted early into the home buying process so you’ll have ample time to fully gauge the state the place is really in.
Ideally, the building inspection has to be performed by a licensed and independent surveyor, builder, or architect. And if the estate is located in an area with reported cases of termite infestation, you may want to get additional pest inspection done ASAP for your peace of mind.
Distinguishing a Good Building and Pest Inspection Report from the Bad
Get older properties and you can expect it to have a handful of minor issues but you need to take note of what flaws you deem as major deal breakers. For instance, water penetration, structural damage, and unhealthy mould levels are serious problems that should be flagged immediately. They can cause harm to those living within a property and be a constant health threat in severe cases, after all. If this problem isn’t mentioned anywhere in the building inspection report for a property that clearly exhibits water damage, you’ve got a bad report in your hands.
It isn’t just oversights that make building and pest inspection reports bad. In some cases, the report is difficult to comprehend because it isn’t detailed enough, unclear, and incomprehensible. One can blame it on a sloppy handwriting but the real reason a report is difficult to understand is because it has been done with the aim of speed. A speedy submission of a report may be great on paper but if you get one that is absolutely illegible, it’s not going to be any better than one that took too long to finish. All in all, a bad report says as little as possible but implies as much as one can guess and it is nothing but a nuisance (and a waste of money) to serious home buyers.
What makes a home inspection report good, you ask? A good building and pest inspection report is one with photographs and detailed descriptions of defects that leave little (if any) room for misunderstanding. With that in mind, you’ll observe that it has detailed, pertinent information particular to the home being inspected. It’ll report any significant concerns about the property and summarise them into a list or addendum. Its wording is clear and can be easily understood by clients, even using layman terms for technical issues. And, of course, it has to include safety improvement recommendations, which is critical when an older house needs to meet new safety codes.
Comprehensive Building and Pest Inspections from Experienced Inspectors
When you receive a property assessment that doesn’t meet your standards, it may be best to call an independent and experienced building inspector to remedy the situation first before abandoning the purchase. Keep in mind that most property defects, reported or otherwise, can be fixed. What matters is that the facts and expenses involved are clarified in the final report.
To get a building and pest inspection report that is comprehensive and clear in its assessment of each property defect—whether they’re minor, major, or needs monitoring—turn to experienced inspectors. Call us to get an inspection report that conforms with the relevant Australian Standards. Plus, our work is insured for your peace of mind!