No matter how appealing a building could be looking, there are certain things you should check out for before acquiring it. Many people have been blinded by the awesome price quotes and ended up acquiring a house that they later regretted because of its poor structures.
Whether you are in Australia or any other country across the globe, the baseline remains the same; always carry out a building inspection before buying it. The beauty of the entire process is that you don’t have to be qualified yourself.
In Australia, there are qualified building inspectors that will enable you to acquire the best house or home that will give value to your money. Some property owners can be crafty when selling certain buildings. They may paint to make them appealing, but they could be hiding some serious problems.
Such issues can only be seen if a thorough inspection is conducted, So what are some of the things that you should inspect in a building? Well, let’s have a closer look at that:
1. Roof
You will agree that this is one of the important things one should look out for in any building, be it a home or a business premises. Most of the insurance claims of homeowners are usually associated with roof problems. You will need to know how old the roof is before you make any purchase decision.
2. Structures of the building
You need to get deeper and check at the integrity of internal and external structures, including chimneys, fascia boards, faucets, and toiletries, among others. Mostly the issues around chimney revolve around corrosion and blockage. Chimneys can be very costly if they are poorly managed. Your inspector should have the capacity to inspect the chimney properly and give you the value lost.
3. Foundation
Just as the roof is supposed to be stable, so is the foundation. Well, the foundation is the mother of the entire building. If the foundation is poor, the entire house will be in jeopardy of collapsing. So check the foundation properly.
4. The floor
Closely related to the foundation of the building is the floor. If the floor is wooden, you need to check at the wood-eating insects like termites and ants. Sometimes tiles and carpets can easily destroy the floor, making it mouldy and musty.
5. Drainage system
Every building should have a drainage system. A poor drainage system usually results in damaged homes. Water is a big enemy of your house. The drainage should be well made in such a way that it allows the water to flow away from the building. The gutters should also be well-made to allow proper drainage. The water from the gutter can easily destroy the foundation of your building.
Although even the inexperienced can easily identify a damaged foundation, it is difficult to identify damages that are inside the walls. It is only an expert who can easily detect such issues. Nevertheless, you may see some moulds on the wall. You might even find water beneath the floors of your building.
6. The electrical system
This is another crucial thing you need to inspect before acquiring any building. Poorly installed electrical systems can lead to more adverse effects like fire outbreaks. Your inspector should check at the knob and the tube wiring, which is usually ungrounded and can easily lead to electric shock. Check also for circuit breakers which is responsible for most home fires.
In building inspections, the items above are crucial.