Building Inspection FAQ

A common question among those new to buying real estate is Why have a Pre-purchase building inspection?

Buying a home is, for the person, the biggest and most important purchase they will ever make. You don't want to get it wrong!

If you're a first homebuyer, looking for a bigger family home, or looking to invest in property, purchasing real estate can be rewarding, but very stressful and challeging at times - especially in today's current financial climate and property market.

Commissioning a Pre-purchase building inspection removes much of this stress. Examining all the structural aspects of a property's construction, a Building Report buys you peace of mind; we look at the floors, walls, roof structure, roof covering & space, the plumbing & piping, electrical wiring and all external features such as retaining walls, boundary fences and patios.

The structural integrity of your future home is examined, so you can rest assured that any major items will be picked up immediately and your fears concerning smaller maintenance items such as wall cracks, cornice cracks or moisture penetration will be allayed.

Often these problems are only minor and can recommend the right people to get them repaired quickly and to a high standard.

A structural fault in a property is any area of the structure that has lost its designed structural integrity. Structural faults can be caused by a number of factors including:

- Accidental damage.

- Faulty workmanship whilst the property was under construction.

- Inappropriately engineered components of the building.

- Structural Engineering plans not being followed correctly.

- Faulty stormwater drainage.

- Faulty service installations.

Properties which are suspected to have a structural fault must be inspected immediately to determine the origin of the fault and the required repairs, as some structural faults can be a danger to the inhabitants of the property if not rectified.

Dilapidation Reports are specifically aimed at property owners concerned about the effects of nearby construction on their homes or Commercial holdings.

Dilapidation Reports are usually done in pairs; a stock take of the various cracks or minor faults in a home is performed prior to adjacent or nearby construction.

Then, either during or after the nearby construction has finished, we come back into the property and reassess any further damage to the home.

Photos are taken during both visits and damage inflicted upon your home during the nearby construction can then be pinpointed. A Dilapidation Report is a wise investment in your home's structural wellbeing the piece of mind they provide is invaluable.

Practical completion in a home under construction is the final stage just prior to handover, when the home can be declared ready to be "lived in". To meet this definition, services such as power and gas must be connected and all the appliances must be working. With regard to minor faults such as scratches and chips, whilst the builder is responsible for these items and should be held accountable, for their repair, practical completion cannot be held up due to minor defects.

Usually the Builder will arrange a site meeting at the practical completion stage to list any unfinished works and defect items. From the day of the Practical completion inspection, all the items listed should be completed within 5 to 10 working days. The property should then be re-inspected with the Builder and all items should be re-checked to ensure they have been completed. If you are happy with the property at this final inspection the List of Practical Completion can be signed off and possession can be gained immediately.

Settlement movement is the normal movement in a property which can be caused by many factors. Settlement movement occurs to some degree in all properties throughout their life.

Contributing factors to the property's settlement movement are:

- The roof structure's will move slightly due to changes in temperature causing expansion and contraction of the roof framing. This movement can pull or push the walls of the home and cause minor cracking.

- The Stormwater drainage around the home can be a major cause for both internal and external settlement cracks. If the property doesn't have satisfactory stormwater drainage, water can pool around the foundations of the home and cause minor movement in the foundations of the property. Existing Stormwater drainage can also become blocked or fill with soil. If the drains are overflowing in wet weather then they need to be checked for blockages and cleaned out.

- Vibrations from neighbouring construction or excavations can cause minor movements in the foundation of an existing home which in turn causes both internal and external cracking.

Settlement cracks usually appear above and below the window and door frames, around the ceiling cornices and between floors in multiple storey properties. Whilst Settlement cracks do not usually pose structural problems to a property, all cracks should be inspected to determine their cause and ensure they are of no structural concern. Settlement crack repairs should be a part of a property's annual maintenance plan.

Roof Leaks: Roof Leaks are a common problem found in both new and old homes.

Rising Damp: Rising damp is a problem found in both new and old homes.

Wall Cracks: Most wall cracks are caused by normal settlement movement in the home and are of no structural concern.

Floor Cracks: Floor cracks are very common and are usually caused by standard industry construction methods.

Ceiling Sagging: Sagging Ceilings can be found in properties of all ages, both new and old.

Fretting Mortar: Fretting mortar to the external brick cement mortar joins is a common problem that is found on many of our site inspections.

Window Lintel Corrosion Expansion: This problem is very common in old properties and is caused by the rusting of the external steel brick support beams above the window or door frames.

Termite Damage: Termite damage in a home is a common and serious problem, and should also be examined by a professional in order to determine the extent of the problem.

Roof Sagging Problem: Roof sagging is a common problem found in both old and new properties. Roof sagging can be seen when viewing the roof from the exterior as the roof lines are not straight.

Shower Leaks: This problem can initially be very small but as with most construction problems if it is not maintained correctly, it will become costly, unsightly and even emit a bad odour.

Residential Prepurchase Building Inspection Reports

Commercial Prepurchase Building Inspection Reports

Structural Building Reports

Structural Defects Report

Indemnity Insurance Building Inspection

Maintenance Inspections Reports

Insurance Assessment Reports & Repairs Workscope Reports

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Inspections

Under Construction Report

Dilapidation Reports

Residential Asbestos Inspection