It’s widely agreed that building inspections prior to purchase are vital in establishing the condition of a house. This way any issues regarding the property can be included in a house defects report, that allows the buyer to understand any risks or extra costs that might be involved in buying the property. This has become pretty standard and most people who buy a house or apartment get a pre purchase property report before committing to a purchase.

However, quite often the simple identification of a defect alone is not enough. At Melbourne House Check we follow a method of reporting called the four W’s. By following the four W method, we articulate each and every building defect to our client by not only identifying the defect, but also explaining why it is a defect and the consequences of the defect if it is not attended to. We outline what the defect is, where the defect is located in the house, why it is considered a defect in the first place and exactly what should be done to rectify the defect.

 

Our four W method:

1. What is the defect?
2. Where is the defect located?
3. Why it is a defect.
4. What should you do about it?

Thorough reporting of each and every defect is vital after a building inspection. If you have been presented with the four W’s on a house you are considering you will be best equipped to make an informed decision. Melbourne House Check conduct really thorough building inspections Melbourne wide. To speak with us, simply make contact with us through our website form or call us on 1300 729 352.

During a Building inspection it’s vital that your building inspector is experienced in timber pest detection. All too often we find damage caused by termites, and more often than not that damage is a structural concern. This week alone we have uncovered termite attack in 3 Melbourne houses. In one particular house in Newport, termites had built a sub nest in a wall cavity behind the shower. It wasn’t until the builder removed the wall lining to renovate the room, that he uncovered a massive termite nest that is shown below. The species shown above is a Coptoterme Acinaciformis, which is one of the most destructive termites of timber structures in Australia. Having a building inspection prior to buying a house does not automatically include a termite inspection, so it is vital that when you commission a building inspection, you ensure that it includes a timber pest inspection also, in order to specifically identify any termite activity and conditions around the house that are conducive to termite attack.

Building inspections will include an inspection of the house exterior, interior, the roof space within the ceiling, the subfloor underneath the house, the roof exterior and the entire site of the property. It will consider the structural elements of the house, assess the standard of workmanship and note the condition of the timber frame. Having building inspections prior to purchasing is the best way to get peace of mind, and considering that house insurance doesn’t cover termite attack, building inspections are great insurance.

Melbourne House Check conduct combined building and pest inspections. Call us anytime regarding building inspections at a house that you are considering. Bookings can be made through our website or by calling our office on 1300 729 352.

Read our other articles on termite inspections and termite damage

Is your house at risk of termite infestation?

Termite infestation in a new home under 2 years old

Self diagnosing termite issues

Pest inspections in Melbourne – conditions to look for

Our Termatrac radar devices

A recent client, Sarah, this week bought a flat. It seemed perfect. She was thrilled at the thought that the year-long search had finally resulted in a purchase. Better still, this flat had been renovated. It had been completely painted inside, and a new kitchen had been installed. Sarah had missed out on a flat prior to this one. We had conducted a pre-purchase building inspection on the one she missed out on prior to auction. With this flat, the agent convinced Sarah not to have an inspection prior to purchase, and claimed that it would make more sense to buy it first and then commission the inspection. So she did. Sarah bought the flat, paid the 10% deposit and then called us at Melbourne House Check to conduct the inspection. During the inspection we found that the entire roof of Sarah’s flat was asbestos. Not only was Sarah’s roof asbestos, but also the other 15 flats within the development. Sarah decided to withdraw from the sale.

Sarah said –
“After talking to a few people I’ve decided to pull out of the contract. I just don’t want to assume this kind of risk in my first property purchase. I wanted to thank you for completing such a detailed inspection, I wouldn’t have known a thing and I know there are many consultants out there who wouldn’t have bothered with looking at everything that was available. I will not hesitate to use and refer your services to others in the future… The search continues, let’s hope I get 3rd time lucky!”

Asbestos was commonly used in residential construction in Melbourne from 1940 to the late 1980’s. Roofing and exterior cladding were the common applications. The featured photos are the asbestos roof of Sarah’s potential flat. It is vital to understand that removal of materials such as this containing asbestos is extremely dangerous and should only be undertaken by a licensed person. It is also important to know that standing on asbestos roofs such as the above is extremely dangerous, as often this product has become brittle and structurally inadequate. If you are considering buying a house or undertaking a renovation that involves any products that may contain asbestos, it is vital that you conduct a building inspection first. Contact us at Melbourne House Check here for more information on our house inspections in Melbourne or call us on 1300 729 352.

Conducting a thorough building inspection prior to purchasing a house is vital. However, because there are so many elements of a house that are concealed, it can be quiet difficult to expose all the problems. At Melbourne House Check we have developed a checklist of building inspection procedures that we follow while conducting a building inspection in Melbourne. It may be a helpful tool for you, while searching for the right house, and you are welcome to download it from our website, free. Sometimes, as builders it’s easy to expect that everyone understands the technical side of building inspections, when actually it’s a fairly complicated process that we need to simplify when communicating with people.
You will discover from this report, the structured checklist we follow at each and every building inspection, whether it’s a concrete slab or a suspended timber frame, you will become more aware of the potential problem areas of each house and be more able to identify suspected cover-ups. At Melbourne House Check we appreciate your business and assure you of a professional service that extends past the handing over of the report document. We hope this checklist helps you and we would be more than happy to assist you along the way while you are conducting your own building inspections.
Download the building inspections checklist here or Melbourne House Check can be contacted on 1300 729 352.

You can view our Google+ post on this matter also.

How a vendor cover-up caused heartache to a family. When a house is presented for sale during an advertising campaign and it looks like it is faultless, it’s vital that further, and more detailed inspection is conducted. Often, when a buyer looks at buying a new house, they are more focussed on their emotions, whereby they dream and simulate living at the house, rather than assessing the factual condition of the house. People walk through houses and consider things like colours, lighting, furniture and living in the neighbourhood, rather that establishing whether the house has major structural defects or there are conditions around the house that are conducive to major defects. The Sweeny family in Melbourne recently bought a house in Glen Iris that they fell in love with immediately during the first open for inspection. Little did they know that the house was riddled with problems that had been disguised by the vendors. Problems that were of such an extreme nature that it would eventually affect the health of the entire family. One of the problems was that the ground underneath the house was continually wet, and some periods throughout the year water pooled underneath the bedrooms. This created such an unhealthy environment that one of the children developed a respiratory health condition that was extremely serious.

The other problem that the house had, was that the roof of the house was at the end of its life and had started to leak. These leaks were covered up by the vendor, which temporarily stopped the leaks only long enough for the advertising period. As soon as the Sweeny family moved in, water started coming through the plaster ceiling. “Water just started pouring through light fittings one night. The next day we had a plumber come to see what the problem was and he said that the roof was rusted and had holes in the iron.” Marg Sweeny said. What had occurred is that the vendors had applied a paintable membrane on the roof iron in order to stop any leaking, however this was a temporary solution that was never going to last long. This nightmare story could have been avoided if the Sweeny family had commissioned a building inspection prior to purchase, that identified the defects and prevented them from buying the house. In this case the rectification of defects have been valued at approximately $21,000, which was not in the Sweeny’s budget. Melbourne House Check conduct Building and pest inspections Melbourne wide. They can be contacted through the website here, or by calling 1300 729 352.