Unless you are buying a newly built house where the paint is still drying, it’s almost impossible for any house to have a completely flawless building inspection report. In fact, even newly built houses have some areas that could be improved upon when faced with a professional and highly experienced building inspection.
You will never receive a building inspection report where it is marked as a pass or fail because, ultimately, the report is to allow you to make a clear and educated decision. When experienced professionals do building inspections, they understand that their job is to provide you with a report that clearly defines all the flaws so that you can weigh up your options.
What happens at a building and pest inspection?
Andrew, who has carried out over 20,000 building inspections in Brisbane, encourages all his clients to attend and is always happy to explain what he is doing. However, it is not necessary to attend as Action Property Inspections provides a detailed report including photos and summaries of all flaws and areas of interest that may need further inspection by specialists, such as suspect plumbing or curious electrical red flags. If you cannot be onsite, Andrew will call you that evening to run through the report in detail verbally and to provide you with a chance to ask questions.
On the day of the inspection, our qualified building inspector will go over all accessible interior and exterior areas of the home with a fine-tooth comb. While it varies from home to home, the most common flaws that Andrew finds are:
- Roof issues (incorrectly constructed or deteriorating roofing components)
- Internal roofing issues (damp, damaged insulation, or cracks.)
- Poor allotment drainage causing an array of problems
- Foundation issues e.g. subsidence or deteriorating stumps
- Moisture or apparent internal plumbing issues (leaking showers etc.)
- House movement causing uneven flooring or cracks internally.
What happens after a building inspection?
You will receive a detailed building inspection report on the same evening that we carried out the building inspection. Our reports are “Full Defect Building Reports” that don’t just meet the Australian Standard – they exceed it. Our reports accurately outline all faults found on the property in a format that can be easily read and understood by you, the prospective homebuyer.
Download our sample inspection report here
Andrew aims to provide a thorough home inspection that identifies deficiencies in a home you’re considering investing in. The aim is always to give you enough information to decide what you want to do once you weigh up all the options available.
What options do you have after building inspection results?
You may be looking at an obvious renovator’s delight and be expecting some extensive repairs, or you may be looking at a freshly renovated Queenslander and have your dreams shattered by the excellent cover-up job done by a professional budget house flipper.
Either way, you have options. It is essential to have a building inspection clause built into all contracts when placing an offer on a home. You will then have the ability to either negotiate the price if a significant issue is discovered that will require an expensive fix, back out of the offer, or decide that the minor issues that the building inspection uncovers do not alter the price you’ve agreed on.
A thorough and detailed building inspection done well will empower you to know what you are walking into and allow you to make a decision based on your needs and budget.
