What is a pre–purchase property inspection ?
This is one of the types of building inspection reports you can have completed. As the name says, this building inspection report is the one you get prior to buying a property. Sometimes referred to as a ‘building inspection’, a pre–purchase property inspection report is a written account of the condition of a property. It will tell you about any significant building defects or problems such as rising damp, movement in the walls (cracking), safety hazards or a faulty roof to name a few. It is usually carried out before you exchange sale contracts so you can identify any problems with the property which, if left unchecked, could prove costly to repair, although the majority of people carry out this inspection during the cooling off period.
Note: A building inspection report is different to a ‘pest inspection report’. While a building
inspection report should identify any visual damage that may have been caused by termites, it usually won’t include the existence of termites or other timber destroying pests. It can be advisable to get a separate pest inspection report done before you buy a property.
Why do I need one?
- There are three good reasons why you should get a building inspection report done before you buy a property:
- you will know in advance what problems there may be
- you may be able to utilize any information gathered to negotiate a better purchase price.
- by having specialist advise on any minor or major defects there may be will give you an indication of out of pocket expenses in the future
- Of course, the building inspection report will be one of many things you will need to consider before buying a property.
Contents
The format and amount of detail in the report will depend on the type of property, its size and age, its condition and the reporting process used by the consultant or organization preparing the report. These factors will also influence the cost of the report.
Our building inspection reports are individually tailored to each individual property. Photographs will be included. The important thing is that our report complies with the Australian Standard (AS 4349.1).
Our building inspection reports include enough information for you to be aware of the property’s condition and identify any significant problems.
General information – We Do Building Inspections – Pre purchase inspections Melbourne
We will inspect all accessible parts of the property. These include the following areas:
- interior of the building
- exterior of the building
- roof space
- under-floor space
- roof exterior
- site.
The site
The following will also be included in a building inspection report:
- garage, carport and garden shed
- separate laundry or toilet
- small retaining walls (i.e. non–structural)
- steps
- fencing
- surface water drainage
- storm water run-off
- paths and driveways.