While conducting house inspections Melbourne wide, Melbourne House Check have collated a collage of house inspection disasters that continue to amaze us. Inadequate subfloor conditions are over represented in our building inspections in Melbourne, and in the first part of this year it has been a common discovery to identify major structural defects in beautifully presented houses. Borer attack, termite activity and fungal decay are amongst some of the nightmare stories, and as you will see, it is also common for any old left over building materials to be used to support floors. Another common inspection nightmare that we uncover is hot light fittings in contact with combustible materials in roof spaces. Sometimes we question whether the house will even survive to the auction date. Melbourne House Check conduct pre purchase building and pest inspections in Melbourne. Contact can be made through the website here.

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

Melbourne House Check have compiled a list of things to check during house inspections prior to buying your house. Because there are so many elements of a house that need to be considered prior to purchase, it is vital that you do not assume that all is well. Be advised that perfect houses are extremely rear, therefore assessing the degree defects and considering the costs of rectification is a must prior to establishing your financial limit.

1. Establish that the house is structurally sound. It is our number 1 item. You would be surprised to know how many houses that we inspect have major structural defects that are not obvious. Major structural defects are never cheap to fix, so always make a full assessment of all the structural elements of the house, including the subfloor, roof space, stumps and footings.
2. Check for termites. Second to checking if the house is structurally sound, establishing that there are no active termites is the next most important consideration, because if termites are active, the house won’t be structurally sound for long. Termites in most cases obtain undetected access to the timber components of houses, and houses that are built on concrete slabs are at an even greater risk. Now days all houses in Melbourne are at risk of termite attack, and because termites can cause a catastrophic degree of damage in a very short amount of time, it is vital that a thorough termite inspection is undertaken prior to your purchase. Remember also, that house insurance doesn’t cover termite damage. You can learn more about termite attacks here.
3. Check the measurements of the land and compare it with the title document. You would be surprise to know how many houses we inspect where the actual measurements of the land are not consistent with the title measurements, therefore it’s best to find this sort of problem out first.
4. Establish that any past building work has been issued with the required compliance certification. Illegal building work is common. Getting left with non-conforming building work after you settle can result in a building notice being issued and in some cases demolition of the works. It is common for decks, pergolas, the removal of internal walls, spas, pools and sheds to all be undertaken without the required documentation. You can check with your local council to establish if building permits have been issued in the last 6.5 years if you suspect illegal building work has been undertaken.
5. Undertake a site assessment. Assessing the land and its drainage is vital. Consideration should also be given to neighbouring blocks in order to establish the effect they may have on your land. Remember that poorly drain sites can be hard to establish in summer months.

Melbourne House Check conduct pre purchase house inspections Melbourne wide. We can be contacted via email here, or by calling 1300 729 352.
See our Google+ post here.

For all those who are searching for houses, Melbourne House Check has compiled a building inspection checklist that contains procedures for you to follow when considering houses to purchase. It’s called “32 Most Important House Inspection Procedures of a Veteran Builder” 

Click here to download your free copy of our building inspection checklist

There is no such thing as a perfect property, so it’s important to know what you are buying. Inside this 9 page document you’ll discover:

• How to avoid making potentially expensive mistakes when searching for a home.

• A full procedural property inspection checklist required for all house and timber pest inspections.

• Inside secrets of how vendors may cover up problems and ways not to get caught out.

It contains unique and valuable tips that we’ve compiled over the past decade which is how we have built Melbourne House Check into one of the leading house inspection services in Victoria.

Here’s why you should read the document carefully…

1. Expensive problems exposed after buying your house are avoidable. We have focussed on Melbourne houses for over 15 years now and we’ve come to understand the top problem areas in houses that must be checked.

2. There is no such thing as a perfect property, so it’s important to know what you’re buying. Not even new houses are void of problems, which highlights the need for you to know exactly what problems a house currently has or the potential problems it may have in the future.

3. Cover-ups are common, don’t get caught out! Our entire team at Melbourne House Check are registered builders with years of experience. We know all the tricks that vendors may do to cover up problems in houses. The report will highlight some in order for you to be more aware of cover-ups.

If you have any specific questions about the house inspection checklist or if you’d like to discuss how we can help you specifically with a pre purchase house inspection, we’d be more than happy for you to contact us for a free phone conversation. We hope you enjoy reading this checklist and we wish you all the best with your house purchase.

Please feel welcome to contact us at Melbourne House Check here if you have any questions or concerns regarding a house inspection Melbourne wide.

You can view our Google+ post on the checklist here.

During a recent pre purchase building inspection in Melbourne, an inspector at Melbourne House Check was confronted with foil insulation in a ceiling space. Blanket foil insulation was laid in the roof space of houses as a result of an incentive program introduced by the Federal Government back in 2009 in order to combat the global financial crisis. Unfortunately it was a fundamentally flawed program, in which an inquiry found the government acted too slowly in making crucial changes after the death of the first installer, when it appeared there was time to stop the use of this reflective insulation.

The problem, it seemed was two-fold. Aluminum blanket insulation was being rolled out in ceiling spaces, whereby coming into direct contact with light fittings and live wires, and secondly, the use of metal staples used as fixings for securing the product, whereby these staples were penetrating live wires. When the problem of the use of metal staples to attach the foil emerged in October 2009, nothing was done to stop the practice, and unfortunately two men died as a consequence of using metal staples in order to fix the foil. The featured image shows a live electrical wire only centimeters away from direct contact with the blanket aluminum foil, where by the entire roof space may have become live.

Building inspector Brad Aylett-Sloan said “that while most building consultants are aware of the acute dangers, it is apparent that not all home owners are fully informed of the danger”. He said that “it is vital that people are made aware of the dangers involved in entering roof spaces that are lined with foil insulation, and that the consequence could be fatal. He said that “reflective foil insulation is a dangerous and unsuitable product to use as ceiling insulation and should not have been used”. The correct insulation of a house is complex.

You can learn more about the right way to insulate your home here. There have so far been 224 house fires that have been attributed to blanket foil insulation. If you live in a house that has had blanket foil insulation laid in the ceiling, it is recommended to have an electrician check immediately. If you are considering purchasing a house and wish to speak with Melbourne House Check regarding a building inspection in Melbourne, you can contact us here, or call on 1300 729 352.
You can view our Google+ post on this matter also.

There are just so many reasons why building inspections before you buy are important. So many elements of a house can be concealed by vendors, that it makes it almost impossible for a normal person to detect major defects, not to mention identifying termite activity. At Melbourne House Check we have listed the five main reasons why a pre purchase building inspection are a worthwhile investment. Our considerations are based on the consequence of missing these five elements and financial loss that could potentially be incurred.

Electrical safety – Issues relating to electrical safety are a common defect we see during house inspections in Melbourne. Often, we see light fittings covered over with insulation or dangerously close to the timber frame, whereby the timber is burnt. We often see an accumulation of dry leaves congregating around light fittings, but probably the worst is the presence of foil insulation in the ceiling that is in contact with exposed live electrical wires. These issues, if undetected, can cause a fire and possibly death.

Illegal building works – It is common now days for homeowners to attempt their own house projects after watching reality building TV shows. The problem however, is that these shows give the illusion that it is easy and quick, and that anyone can do it. The reality is that renovating a house is complex and requires tedious planning and the assistance of many well trained professionals. While conducting house inspections it is common to find walls that have been removed without the relocation of roof load. We see roof spaces that have been modified into new rooms and we see decks and pergolas that have been constructed, all without the required planning and building permits. The consequence of buying a house with illegal building works is that when the local council finds out, they may require the works to be demolished. Also, house insurance may not cover these illegal works.

Cracking – Cracking can be a common defect in houses. Plaster, brickwork, concrete slab floors, tiles and timber can all develop cracks. While some cracks are considered minor, others can be major and structural. It is vital to establish what is structural and non-structural when it comes to cracking in the house’s elements. Structural brickwork cracking for example can be extremely expensive to fix.

Termites – Termite are destructive creatures. They can do considerable damage to a house in a very short time. Most people would have no idea where to look for evidence of termite activity, nor would they be able to identify the conditions around the house that are conducive to termite activity. In most cases termites gain undetected access to the structural timber components of a house. It is vital that not only a visual inspection is undertaken, but also other inspection methods, for example sounding tests, moisture tests and computer radar testing. Currently 1 in 10 houses inspected have evidence of termite activity.

Site drainage – Site drainage may seem like one of those considerations that is not necessary when purchasing a new house, however it is an element of the house that will determine the long term stability of any house, and one that cannot be ignored. The slope of the site and the direction of water flow is important to consider. Water that pools around or underneath a house can not only affect the structural elements of the house but may also affect the occupant’s health. A thorough property inspection will consider the site.

These five considerations are only a few of the hundreds of things that can be defective in a house. Remember that no house is perfect, however it is vital that when you buy a house, these elements are considered by a professional and that the important and costly defects are identified.
Read more about building inspections here. If you would like to have a conversation regarding a house you are considering buying, you can contact us at Melbourne House Check here, or call us on 1300 729 352.

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