Building and Pest Inspections - Wollongong, South Coast & South West Sydney

Buying a property comes with many contingencies, and due diligence on the condition of the property will always ensure that later on there aren’t any issues that will potentially cause financial stress.

Taking a look at the property yourself is recommended, however having a licensed property inspection and building report compiled is also always recommended - checking for water damage, termites, and a myriad of other issues that come with any property.

When checking the property yourself, there are some key elements to look out for, and Inspecta Holmes will manage most of these for you, however at a high level the primary focus should be on the following:

1. Ensure that the windows and doors are in working order and that there is no issues with them getting caught within any of the woodwork or framing
2. Walls, ceiling, balustrades and skirting boards can be riddled with mould or dampness. You can check these yourself upon the property inspection. You should also keep an eye out for any paintwork that has been recently completed that would potentially cover up any work. While this isn’t a common practice, it’s always better to be cautious and check in about recent paint work, and ask the owner yourself.
3. The roofing and walls should be closely observed to look for any sagging or deterioration
4. If the house is carpeted as opposed to floor boards, take a closer look to see if there is any rotting floorboards or dampness
5. Check in the bathroom, shower, kitchen and laundry and assess how long it takes for hot water to be accessible
6. Take a close look at all visible plumbing to see if there is stiffness, sturdiness and no issue of rust or other visible issues
7. Review the hot water system and enquire as to it’s install date any issues or concerns
8. Review the switches and electricity to ensure that you have fully functioning circuitry
9. The guttering, roofing and other exterior can be a real cause for concern in the long run and a vital element of the inspection report that we compile for your home, however should be reviewed for any lack of structural integrity
10. The exterior walls, poles, support or other elements should have no cracks or issues (also check the interior as well)
11. Moving into the modern age of solar, and renewables, with electricity prices becoming more and more of a challenging concern, find out about whether or not the property has an energy rating
12. Use your senses - look, touch and smell the property in different areas to get an understanding of nearby influences like rubbish plants, restaurants, or whatever it may be.

Do I need an Inspecta Holmes pre-purchase building and pest inspections report?

You have a lot of options as a buyer and the pre purchase property report will be a written account with respect to the current quality and overall condition of the property.

It will include and outline any key issue or area of note with respect to the property.

The pre purchase, is performed before you buy the property and is a great way to ensure that you understand precisely what it is that is currently happening before any finances are exchanged. It is a necessity.

Benefits are vast with this pre purchase report, including but not limited to:

1. State of the property now
2. Understanding of potential future and any current issue
3. Buying power with respect to the negotiation phase - understanding any potential costs that’ll be incurred in the future can lend itself to a better price as a result of further investment required
4. Expert insight from those parties that’ll need to support you to repair these - getting quotes and information before you’re dealing with, for example, a plumbing issue, will ensure that the financial aspect (outside of all other contingencies involved in property investment) will be more sufficiently managed, causing less stress on what should be an enjoyable experience

Who from Inspecta Holmes can prepare the building and pest inspection report for me?

We have a wide range of competition here at Inspecta Holmes, however we pride ourselves on satisfying the criteria of being a highly qualified and proven provider of building inspection and property reports across the entirety of the Illawarra.

Our list of credentials are available here:

• Department of Fair Trading Build Lic No 327953C-Q
• Member MBA NSW Strata Building Bond Inspection Panel (SBBIP)
• Certificate III in Carpentry Certificate No:100830-CARP
• Certificate IV in Building & Construction Certificate No:110665-BUILD
• Pre-Purchase Property Inspector Lic No: HS/748
• Swimming Pool & Pool Safety Inspector Lic No: HS/767
• Mould & Asbestos ID Inspector Lic No: HS/788
• New Construction Residential Frame, Final, Defect & Warranty Inspection Lic No: HS/1079
• Registered Master Inspector

There are other providers in the region and across Australia who claim to be able to offer this service, and while they may be able to provide a report that ‘ticks the boxes’ so to speak, they may miss things that the trained eye would be able to spot in a heartbeat.

With an investment of this nature, whether or not we’re lucky enough to have the pleasure of preparing your pre purchase property inspection and compile the report, we always recommend seeking out a licensed provider, to save you headaches later on. Get in touch with us to discuss more, free of charge.

Next steps for a building and pest inspection report?

If you’re keen to move ahead or have any questions at all, give us a call or contact us via email today.