Townhouse Inspections - Don't Sign Until You Read This 

Don’t forget to do your homework before you buy a Townhouse

Townhouses are a popular choice for first-time property buyers wanting to get an easy-to-maintain first home, and empty nesters looking to downsize. Purchasing a townhouse can be a wise investment with fewer worries than a large, detached home.

When buying a townhouse in today’s market, the secret is to do your homework. This includes enlisting the services of a building inspection professional to do the deep digging to ensure the property comes with no hidden surprises.

So before you sign the dotted line on that ideal townhouse that has you starry-eyed, read this and ensure you get the complete picture. What are the general risks and hidden traps the first-time townhouse hunter could get surprised by?

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Get to know the area and your neighbours

Townhouses can be fully or partially detached. In either situation, you will have at least one neighbour share a wall. Most likely you are going to have lots of close neighbours. Knowing the area and the surrounding neighbourhood is essential. Here are some important observations to make.

What’s the general feel and what are the residents like? Are they an older demographic, a younger professional demographic, or young families? If you are older and retiring, do you want to live among twenty-somethings or families?
Is your bedroom window facing straight into another person’s bedroom over a fence or courtyard?
Position of the balconies, patios, and porches. Are they close enough that a neighbour could climb across and potentially enter your house?
Will you have privacy? Do neighbours’ windows look straight down into your backyard or bathroom?
Are the townhouses owner occupied or tenanted? Owner-occupied townhouses tend to be better maintained and have more considerate and friendly neighbours.
Can you have pets or visitors stay overnight? What are the restrictions, and what is the depute resolution system?

Townhouse Body Corporate Fees and what they cover

If you buy a townhouse in a Strata or Body Corporate situation in Queensland, you will be subject to certain fees, some annual and some irregular once-off special fees. The annual fees generally may cover:

Building insurance and common areas
Public Liability insurance
Maintenance of common areas
Structural damage to common areas from natural or man-made events
There may be shared utilities
An emergency fund for unforeseen events.

Special fees can be for a large maintenance issue such as a new electric gate, new parking, or an unexpected large maintenance event. Ensure you find out the last few years of fees and observe if they have gone up and generally by how much annually.

You should take the time to look over the insurance provided by the Strata or Body Corporate to ensure it covers all events that can happen including floods, earthquakes, or hailstorms. Insurance for personal contents is not covered.

Townhouse Inspections – do you need an inspection for a townhouse?

Townhouse building inspections are a non-negotiable for anyone considering buying this kind of property. In some ways, townhouse inspections are even more important than for a stand-alone suburban house.

Here are some things you should look for at your open inspection.

Outside – rising damp and water issues. Window and door seals. Cracks in walls and concrete. Fencing, roof and gutter issues. Is the townhouse rendered brick or cheap rendered cladding?
Inside – damp smell and water damage in wet areas. Cracks in walls. Window and door seals, and doors and windows not closing well due to shifting. Signs of water damage in walls and ceilings. Consider if the house has been maintained. For new builds, are the taps, lights, and extras cheap or quality parts?
Location – Is the townhouse in a flood area or near a river or water source? Has it been flooded recently?

What your building inspector may find in a townhouse inspection

While you can look for obvious red flags during a townhouse inspection, a professional inspector can go deeper to ensure your investment and potentially your safety are protected with a solid and safe investment. The imperative things that your building inspector will look for are:

Joined walls – What are they made of, single brick, double brick, or gyprock? This is important for privacy, sound, and safety issues. A joining wall made of thin material can cause constant interruption to your comfort and enjoyment, or at worse, a neighbour’s activities can cause damage if it is poorly built or especially flimsy.
Fireproof and privacy walls in the ceiling – Fireproof walls are something that you should consider essential. In a townhouse, you are not just reliant on your own behaviour to prevent a housefire, but your neighbours, too. If you have a neighbour that starts a fire without a firewall, your property is also at risk. It is also considered a safety issue due to break-ins being through the roof in semi-detached houses and townhouses. If you won’t leave your front door open and allow your neighbour to walk in, don’t skip the firewall either.
Roofing – While you may have looked at your own roofing and guttering, the attached houses should be checked, too. Damaged roofing next door can still allow water and dampness to cause trouble at your potential home.
Wet areas – Your inspector will know how to spot quick fixes for water damage. They can also identify any potential moisture problems arising from the neighbouring properties – issues that are not yours to fix can still become your problem in a townhouse.

Choose an experienced townhouse inspector

With over 25 years of experience in the Brisbane area and over 500 five-star reviews, Andrew, Action Property Inspections’ exceptionally detail-driven professional building inspector, has your investment interests at heart. Your building inspection report will assist you with buyer negotiations; from asking for repairs to be complete before purchase, requesting a reduction in price, or ensuring you know when to walk away. We’ll complete an inspection that gives you peace of mind that the townhouse you have fallen in love with is a safe, comfortable, and reliable home you can relax in.