Exposing cover-ups in houses for sale is vital. Building Inspections do just that and more. Defect cover-ups are common in houses marketed for sale and as vendors so often complete poor quality renovations or simply attempt to conceal expensive to fix defects, it is vital that when you commission a building inspection it exposes such problems. To follow are three commonly concealed defects that are often overlooked by non-professionals. When searching for houses to buy it is wise to apply this very important rule. Never assume all is well just because it looks good from the outside. One of the advantages of a building inspection prior to purchase that that we are aware of the commonly concealed defect cover-ups and make assessments accordingly. To follow are three commonly concealed defect cover-ups to look out for that we often observed during building inspections.

Newly Painted ceilings underneath upstairs wet areas.

Leaking showers are a common house defect. When the shower is on the ground floor leaks are often ignored, however when it is upstairs and the water leak has begun to show through the ceiling below, it cannot be ignore any longer. Due to this defect being expensive to fix, plastered ceilings are commonly patched and painted over and sometimes showers are not used during house advertising campaigns in order to conceal the problem. It is vital to establish whether an upstairs shower is water tight and a thorough inspection of the ceiling underneath is a great start.

Stored items in cupboards that back onto showers.

Because showers leak, either due to old age or bad workmanship, it is vital that walls that back on to showers are inspected thoroughly. These wet areas often back onto wardrobes that are solidly packed with stored items, which may or may not be convenient for the vendor. Ensure that wardrobes that back onto showers are dry and clean and don’t present a damp problem. If these robes are full, ask the real estate agent for the items to be removed prior to the next inspection.

Sub-ground floors with new carpet.

Basements or rooms that are below the natural ground level sometime get damp. Rectifying this problem can be expensive and subsequently vendor’s cover-up this problem by laying new carpets. Be aware that new carpet in sub-ground rooms may be such a disguise.

There are many potential defect cover-ups in houses that building inspections expose. Melbourne House Check conduct Building inspections Melbourne wide and can be contacted through the website or by calling 1300 729 352.