When you intend to purchase a property, you want to make sure that everything is in the proper condition. For this reason, it is crucial to obtain a pre-purchase building inspection, especially before your purchase becomes unconditional. That way, you’re fully aware of what you are purchasing, preventing expensive issues from surprising you.
For best results, it’s crucial to hire a building inspector any time you are serious about buying property. You’ll get to identify hidden problems, learn of structural defects and other vital aspects that can affect your decision to purchase. Here’s what you need to know about the importance of a pre-purchase building inspection:
Spotting Structural Defects
Having a building inspection done will furnish you with a report that details its evaluation of the property. It will alert you to potentially major structural defects or systemic deterioration that may have been neglected or overlooked over the years. If you don’t hire an experienced building inspector to survey the property, the faults will only worsen, resulting in potentially dangerous and costly fixes.
A building inspector can help you save money by identifying faults before they become apparent after taking ownership of the property. Otherwise, you may be struggling to gather enough funds to carry out repairs while paying for the property’s mortgage. You’ll get invaluable peace of mind by having a building inspector scrutinise each corner of the property and ensure you get your value for money.
Securing Building Approval
Another perk of getting a pre-purchase building inspection is that you’ll get an expert opinion of whether the property possesses certain elements that are not likely to have a building approval. The assessment will also spotlight potential safety issues, which can be costly to address and may involve requesting approval for alterations or making significant changes to remove the hazards and make them safer. You must also secure approval for removing the unapproved works.
The Benefits of a Building Inspection
A top-quality building inspection will reveal vital information about the property’s condition and its systems, ensuring the buyer is well-aware of the costs, repairs, and maintenance the home will require either right away or over time. As a result, the buyer won’t run into unpleasant surprises right when moving into the house.
Having access to an inspection report also allows the buyer to negotiate the price with the seller. If there are plenty of defects in the home, the buyer can ask for repairs or request a price reduction, resulting in thousands of dollars in savings. Additionally, it informs the buyer of any structural safety issues, helping them make more informed decisions about buying the property.
What to Ask Your Building Inspector
It is vital to ask all the questions you can think of when hiring a building inspector. That way, you can ensure that you’re getting the most out of your inspection report. Here are some of the questions you should ask:
- What are the details covered in the report?
- What areas of the property will the inspection cover?
- What are your qualifications and experience in inspecting residential homes?
- Are you able to attend the onsite inspection?
- How long will the inspection take?
- How long will it take to receive the report?
- Do you inspect properties as your primary line of work, or do you do it on the side?
In the early days of the home inspection industry, reports were often simple, containing a brief checklist and a narrative report usually one to two pages long. Due to the abbreviated information, many important details were often left out, leaving the report up for interpretation. Fortunately, building inspectors are much more thorough these days, ensuring they produce a comprehensive report. Still, it is crucial to ensure you’re comfortable with the building inspector you’ll be hiring to ensure you trust in their work.
Conclusion
The last thing any buyer would want is to buy a property at a seemingly reasonable price only to end up with a home filled with structural issues that are expensive to rectify. By hiring a building inspector to survey the property, you’ll make a more informed decision on whether to purchase it.
Home Inspect SA conducts thorough and independent building inspections in Adelaide, Brighton, and Warradale. We provide our clients with comprehensive, same-day reports from our pre-purchase, pre-auction, and vendor building inspections. Contact us today for a free quote!
