Building Inspection
A Building inspection should be a standard practice before you decide to buy a particular property. Home » Blog »
It is a fact that nothing can be perfect and no property is truly flawless. A qualified building inspector will look for all sorts of issues from infrastructure to drainage and ventilation.
However, there are some flaws that can be quite serious. If the building inspection report list any of these flaws then it is better to let go of that property and look for another, better option. Wondering which of the flaws are so serious to impact your decision of property buying? Read on to find out.
Structural Cracking:
Building inspections generally start with assessment of the structural integrity and reliability. If the report contains information about structural cracking linked with movement of slabs or footings, then you must think twice before investing.
Structural cracking is a serious problem and its rectification is not only difficult but very expensive as well. Cracking can be caused by a number of reasons apart from age, such as insufficient drainage, poor construction methods/material and ground movement.
If symptoms of structural cracking are identified at the time of inspections, the building inspector would recommend further investigation by an engineer.
The inspector will identify if the cracks are caused by settling of the building. This refers to building’s which settle over time.
Drainage Issues:
Never buy a property having water ingress and drainage issues. These could deteriorate the property before its average life expectancy. The Building inspector should have the necessary equipment and expertise to identify the reason of the problem. Generally, these problems arise from poor maintenance of the property.
The property report would inform you about evidence of water ingress, which is usually determined if there it standing water, water stains, fungal decay or mold/mildew. In simple words, if water can enter the property, it can cause secondary damage and create more serious issues, one of which happens to be weakened structure of the building. Excess moisture can create perfect conditions for timber pest activity and termite too.
Roof Issues:
A Building inspection is important to identify roofing issues, which could be detrimental for the building. Such as a sagging roofline and damages ceilings are issues that are not easy to overcome as their repairing would be very costly. A building inspector will closely assess the roof void.
Fungal Decay:
Also called timber rot and wood rot, fungal decay is caused when timber contains over 15% of moisture content. Building inspections can inform a great deal about the severity of fungal decay as the rate of growth depends upon the species of timber. If inappropriate timber is used during construction, fungal decay would most certainly occur. Fungal decay is quite expensive to fix especially if structural timbers are involved.
Termite Activity:
Whether a building inspection report describes termite activity or not, termite encouraging conditions are present in a majority of buildings. This is because of use of timber in construction of buildings and warmer climate in Australia. Since termites are hard to identify, they cause huge damage prior to detection of their presence and once the activity starts, these can render the property uninhabitable. If unmanaged, poor ventilation and water ingress can eventually lead to termite activity.
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