The Four Most Common Building Defects in Brisbane
As a leading building inspector, it’s fair to say we’ve seen a lot of building defects in Brisbane over the years. In this article, we’ll take you through some of the most common building defects we’ve encountered and what you should do about them if found on your property.
Roof Deterioration
The two most common forms of roof cladding in Australia are roof tiles and metal roof sheeting. Roof tiles are predominantly concrete – however, particularly on older homes, they were often terracotta. With the progression of time, degradation occurs to the tiled roof that contributes to water leaks in potential storm damage.
The most common faults we see are cracked roof tiles, deteriorating roof pointing and mortar bed around the capping tiles, as well as various other issues.
Metal roofs range from good old-fashioned corrugated iron through to ZINCALUME® and COLORBOND® and come in a range of different profiles. With a corrugated iron roof, usually due to their age, the most significant fault is corrosion and rust holes that allow water leaks. With more modern roof sheeting, leaks occur due to failure of washers around roof sheet screws, and believe it or not, incorrect installation.
Incorrect installation of your roof covering can allow enough internal water penetration that could lead to decay issues and a potentially collapsed ceiling as well as significant structural storm damage.
Pest Inspection
We often hear clients saying, “I don’t think I need a pest inspection.” They have looked all around the house and can’t see any evidence of termites. Well, if it was that easy to find termites, we would all be pest inspectors.
You could have an architrave around the door frame that appears to be in perfect condition, however, upon touch would be completely hollow. Termites do not make themselves visible and can do extensive structural damage that is completely concealed.
Another common misconception is that if you have a brick veneer house, you don’t require a pest inspection. The brickwork to the exterior of your house is essentially only a cosmetic waterproofing skin. It is the internal timber frame that holds up the roof and surrounding structure. So just because your house appears to be brick doesn’t mean it isn’t vulnerable to termite attack. Never skip on having a pest inspection. A pest infestation – including borers or termites – can lead to major structural issues which can be very expensive if not rectified quickly.
Subsidence and Movement
Various factors contribute to subsidence and movement of a house or unit complex. If caught early and rectification is professionally undertaken, further deterioration can be halted. If not addressed early, structural damage can occur to your property to the point where it may require demolition.
Alternatively, if your home still shows signs of subsidence and movement even though it has been structurally stabilised, you are likely to have a very limited market when you decide to sell as people do not want to take on a property that shows signs of subsidence.
So as a general rule, if your house starts to suffer subsidence, undertake repairs as soon as possible. If you’re buying a house that shows signs of subsidence or movement, either run for the hills and don’t look back or have the subsidence issues thoroughly investigated prior to purchase. The cost of underpinning and various other rectification methods to prevent further subsidence is extremely costly.
Allotment Drainage
One of the most common faults that can cause significant deterioration is inadequate allotment drainage. Having water flow directed towards your house foundations or retained moisture around your house can contribute to house subsidence and subsequent wall cracking and movement. Retained moisture can also attract termite activity. Excessive moisture can contribute to deterioration of supporting structures such as corrosion to steel posts, concrete cancer (spalling damage) to concrete stumps as well as concrete slab edge moisture penetration just to name a few. So, before you undertake extensive cosmetic landscaping, factor in sufficient allotment drainage.
Of course, these are just some of the building defects you may encounter when doing an open house inspection, particularly of one that’s older. A pre-purchase building inspection can highlight the issues and work out how best to address them – giving you peace of mind BEFORE you finalise the sale.
