It is very tempting to perform your own home inspection in an effort to save money. The theory is that once you are aware of what to look out for you can very easily and efficiently perform a pre-purchase inspection and do away with the need for expert advice. After all, leaking pipes and cracks in the foundations are easy to spot. Right?
Wrong!
There are numerous self-help guides available which give you the basic know-how to allow you to walk through a home before you buy and pick out any noticeable concerns. In fact, most buyers do their own walkthrough anyway, listening out for creaking floorboards and being on the lookout for anything that looks and feels wrong, including the smell of damp or obvious peeling paint. But often the most critical of defects are overlooked or, worse still, not even considered. And then there are areas of a property that a homeowner would not let just anyone inspect such as the roof cavity or under the home.
Hire A Qualified Professional To Do A Home Inspection
This is why you need to employ the services of a professional home inspector. They bring with them years of experience, and can carefully look at the areas of a home that sellers strategically try to cover up.
Most importantly, professional inspectors have knowledge of building construction and tools to allow them to inspect a home in areas you cannot see. Your family member who is pretty good with a set of tools, or a friend who dabbles in the odd building job may have more of an idea of what can go wrong than the average person, however, there is more to an inspection than just what we see.
Inspecting areas of the home not accessible to the average home buyer
A home inspection checklist will certainly include elements of a home that you may not have considered being important to inspect. These can include everything from the electrics to the plumbing, cooling systems and even airflow in and around the foundations of the home. But can you access them? Only a professional will be granted permission from a homeowner to view parts of the property of this nature. Unless you have been trained, or have had previous experience inspecting a property, you could very well overlook the little things; and often it is the little things that are going to cause the biggest headaches.
Inspections can be dangerous
There is no denying that a home inspection can be risky and rather dangerous. As mentioned earlier, checking out the electrical wiring is not a task that a DIY home inspector really can or should do. The same goes for climbing onto the roof to inspect the chimney, tiles, gutters, and spouting. Without the proper safety equipment, you could be presented with any number of unexpected hazards. There really is no reason to risk your health or that of a builder friend who offers to help out, when you can hire a professional building inspector from within the local Brisbane area.
DIY inspections are not unbiased or independent
When looking to buy a home there is always emotion attached to the decision making process. Inspecting a property yourself can be challenging as it is easy for you to overlook a concern or downplay it to convince yourself that it will be okay. And if you have fallen head over heels for a house you really want to buy, you may get swept up in the atmosphere the homeowners create with fresh vases of flowers and strategically placed furniture. All these little touches are designed to ensure you do not see what is really there.
What you need is an unbiased, independent home inspection; one that is performed by a team that has no vested interest in the property other than to reveal the facts.
Don’t take a risk on your investment.
A DIY home inspection is risky. Even if you know what to look for, your own inspection is never going to be as thorough or as complete as a professional. When you partner with Action Property Inspections, you’ll not only have peace of mind that nothing will be left unturned but at the completion of the inspection you will be presented with a detailed report. This document explains exactly what was found, the degree to which it is a concern and even an idea of the cost to make repairs. In addition to photos taken as evidence, this insight into future expenses is priceless. It will help you make a more thorough analysis of the property and determine whether it really is a dream home and one you can spend money on overtime to further improve, or unfortunately a property that is going to cost more than it is worth.
A professional home inspector can process what they see and clearly understand what is presented to them in a more efficient manner because of their depth of experience. There could be recurring problems common for a particular style of home or a particular neighborhood. With local council knowledge, a professional inspector may be aware of homes in flood-prone areas and therefore keep a keen eye out for additional elements.
It is also important to be aware that in addition to a building inspection, a pest inspection should be undertaken. Action Property Inspections can put you in touch with an experienced team who will not only be able to clearly identify the presence of pests, but give you a heads up if there are areas of the property where pests once were or have easy access to. All this is invaluable information.
Don’t take a risk and do your own home inspection. Don’t even rely on a qualified builder friend or someone who knows the ins and outs of a property. Even the most well-meaning person can overlook key defects. Contact an experienced building inspection company and organise for an independent thorough and accurate pre-purchase home inspection today. Avoid any future potential problems and find out now, before you buy, exactly what you are investing your money in.
