Before you commit to buying a new property, you should get a thorough pre-purchase house inspection. There is now a standard building report clause in most sale and purchase agreements and inspections give you peace of mind.
Your inspection should be carried out by a registered building inspector who has plenty of experience doing inspections, not just building work. They will have the necessary knowledge and tools like thermal image moisture testing to ensure your inspection is carried out properly.
Three deal-breakers your pre-purchase house inspection might find
There are many issues that might show up in a pre-purchase house inspection. Not all of them are cause to pull out of a sale. But there are some issues that may be bigger problems. Three key areas that may cause concern are:
Damp or evidence of leaks
If there are serious damp issues in the property or evidence of leaks behind the walls or under the floor, then this could be an expensive problem to fix. Large-scale damp can also lead to other potential issues such as mould or rotten timber.
Roofing issues
The roof protects your home from the elements so it is important that it is structurally sound, leak free and properly finished.
Sub-floor issues
If there are issues with the base of the property, this could cause serious problems later on. Issues could include major cracking and floors not being level.
Should major problems put you off buying a house?
While these issues may be deal-breakers, it might depend on the scale of the problem and the cost of repairs.
You may simply want to walk away from the property, but you might consider negotiating based on your pre-purchase builders report. A lower buying price would free up money for necessary repairs. A detailed building report will tell you exactly what state the property is in so you can estimate costs beforehand.
You could also negotiate for the vendors to rectify any problems before you complete the sale.
Whatever the situation, getting a pre-purchase property inspection is a good idea. Even if the house turns out to be in good condition you still get peace of mind.
InnoHome offers house inspections throughout Auckland and we offer a prompt service so your inspection won’t delay your completion schedule.
Contact us to arrange your inspection.
Read More
- Mould in a house – what to do about it and how a property inspection can help
- Why get a building report?