Buying a new home is likely to be one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make. Understandably, you want to make sure the house is in the condition you believe it to be. Pre-purchase inspections are there to protect the buyer by ensuring you’re fully aware of the condition of the Property – prior to purchase. The last thing you want is to move into the property only to find that it’s in need of serious repair or infested with termites. Thankfully, pre-purchase inspections help to prevent this from happening by providing a snapshot of the true condition of the property.

Why should buyers get a pre-purchase inspection?

Whether you’re buying a house, apartment, townhouse or unit, it is a big investment! It’s vitally important that you have a clear understanding of the current condition of the property. You want to make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for and that you’re not buying a money pit. It also gives you peace of mind and can save you from costly repairs from defects that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.

What is a pre-purchase inspection?

A pre-purchase inspection is a combined inspection, looking at building issues and pest activity.

The building inspection is a visual appraisal of the condition of the property, highlighting major and minor defects and safety hazards.  The timber pest inspection involves a visual inspection of all accessible areas of the property to see if there is any evidence of active termites or previous termite damage.  The inspector will also note whether the property has a termite management system installed.

The house is checked for any high moisture readings especially surrounding the wet areas like bathrooms. Other areas that are checked are the yard and exterior of the building, internal rooms, ceiling roof void and house foundations. During the inspection, the inspector uses a thermal imaging camera to detect anomalies that may not be visible to the naked eye. Such as large heat spots in the walls indicating termite activity.

What gets inspected during a pre-purchase building and pest inspection?

A pre-purchase building and pest inspection include a thorough inspection of all accessible areas within 30 meters of the house. This means the building and pest inspector will check the following areas:

• The interior of the property – including walls, floor, ceiling, windows, doors, bathroom, laundry, stairs and cupboards.
• The roof space of the property (subject to safe and reasonable access)
• The exterior of the property – including stairs, garage, external finishes, gutter, eaves, porch, weep holes and ventilation, external door components.
• The subfloor of the property (subject to safe and reasonable access)
• The roof exterior (subject to height restrictions) – including gutter and down pipes.
• The property within 30m of the building being inspected – including fencing, retaining walls, driveways, paths, surface drainage.

Under Australian Standards, there are some items that cannot be checked during pre-purchase inspections as they are outside the scope and qualifications of a building and pest inspector. These items can include swimming pools, home appliances, electrical, plumbing, smoke alarms, solar panels and more. Likewise, they are unable to check whether the home is compliant with current building codes, has hazardous substances or likelihood of natural disasters.

What happens after a pre-purchase inspection?

After the inspection, the building and pest inspector will collate their findings into a report. This report is easy-to-read, includes coloured photos and is sent to you within 24 hours of the inspection taking place. At Dedant Building and Pest Inspections, we also include the inspector’s phone number in the report so you can ring them directly with any questions.

Once you have the report, it’s important to read it thoroughly. Each of our reports is recognised by lawyers, surveyors and real estate agents as they are completed in accordance with Australian Standards. This means that should you need to negotiate or exit the contract of sale based on the findings of the report, you can do so.

It’s important to remember that each report is designed to help you make an informed decision about the property. The building and pest inspectors themselves are unable to advise whether you should proceed with the purchase or not. As the circumstances are different for every buyer. What may be suitable for one person may not be for another. For this reason, the decision of what to do after the pre-purchase inspection lies with you.

How much do pre-purchase inspections cost?

The cost of a pre-purchase building and pest inspection is dependent on the size and location of the property. Inspections for apartments and units start from $320 including GST. Whereas inspections for detached houses with 2+ bedrooms start from $420 including GST. If there is a granny flat or additional living spaces, there are likely to be additional costs. This is due to the extra time needed to inspect those areas.

Have peace of mind with Dedant Building and Pest Inspections

At Dedant, our inspectors are fully licensed and highly experienced to carry out pre-purchase inspections. We have been providing pre-purchase building and pest inspections to the Brisbane, Logan, Redland, Moreton Bay, Ipswich and Gold Coast area since 2009. If you would like to know more or to book, contact us on 07 3807 0122 or via our website.

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