Buying a home is the great Australian dream, and can be a truly rewarding experience. It allows you to spend your hard-earned money in a way that gives you stability and security, as well as creating an investment in your financial future.
If you’ve ever had a rental property, you will particularly enjoy being able to customise the space into something more unique and practical, and not having to deal with regular inspections!
Before you get caught up in the euphoria of getting the keys to your new property, it’s important to follow some procedures to make sure your investment is a good one. You can stay on top of things with a pre-purchase house inspection checklist. This essential document can help you identify and address potential structural and financial issues.
If you want to make an informed buying decision, this article includes six things to add to your pre-purchase house inspection checklist.
1. Personal Inspection
When purchasing a new property, you must conduct a thorough house inspection to determine the space’s state before committing to it. This step may mean bringing a trusted friend or family member along to act as a second pair of eyes. You should also consider any potential defects, the neighbourhood’s character, nearby construction projects, and the proximity of essential facilities and amenities.
Moreover, you should consider other elements like noise levels, natural light, light switches, door hinges, taps, car parking, flood zone, mould, termite activity, and insurance costs. It’s also worth researching the cost of insurance in the area.
2. Building Inspection
You should engage the services of a qualified building inspector to check for potential structural defects or concerns. They’ll assess factors like plumbing, doors and windows, roofing, gutters and downpipes, in-roof and under-floor crawl spaces, fences and retaining walls, garages, garden sheds, stairs, floorboards and structural support beams. They’ll also check for rising damp, the presence of asbestos, and the property’s water drainage system.
A building inspection report identifies significant defects in a property and any issues that need to be addressed, which can give you leverage to negotiate with the vendor.
3. Pest Inspection
Nobody wants to live in a home infested with pests. For this reason, you should add this step to your house inspection checklist.
A licenced professional will conduct a pest inspection to identify any infestations. While pests like rats and cockroaches are unpleasant and unsanitary, a qualified building and pest inspector will be particularly on the lookout for termites, which can cause considerable damage to a property. They know the signs of current or past unwanted visitors and exactly where to check for issues. The inspector can also recommend ways to manage or prevent a pest problem.
4. Surveyor’s Report
Arguments with your neighbour will be inevitable and can sometimes escalate into an intense situation regarding land boundaries. For this reason, you should get a surveyor’s report during your pre-purchase house inspection.
Your surveyor can give you a detailed account of your land’s boundaries and any potential obstacles. This document can be beneficial if you get into an argument with a neighbour about where the limits of your land lie because it can give you the proof to resolve the dispute.
5. Swimming Pool Inspection
You can comply with the safety regulations by ensuring your property’s swimming pool adheres to specific local standards. These standards may include installing safety and CPR signs in the area, installing appropriate fences, and ensuring the swimming space meets construction regulations. Moreover, you can get a report to ensure the pool is structurally safe.
6. Pre-settlement Inspection
The pre-purchase house inspection is the last thing you do in person before settling in your new property. It’s your final chance to check that everything on the property meets your needs before the sale becomes final.
Suppose the conditions don’t meet your expectations, or the property has a significant issue. In that case, the vendor can face legal trouble, and the buyer can delay settlement until the former resolves the problem.
Conclusion
Buying a home is a big step and possibly the largest purchase you will ever make. Minimise risk, and make sure you enjoy your investment, by creating a pre-purchase house inspection checklist and working with professional inspectors.
If you’re buying a property and need a professional house inspection in Brisbane southside, Logan or Redlands, call Trimax Building Inspections! We’re committed to giving you professional building and pest inspection reports you can easily understand. Contact us today, and let’s help you confidently buy a property!