If you are attending an open home and are serious about buying the property it pays to take your time and be thorough. You do not always need a trained eye and Building and Pest experience to find costly building defects on an open home walk through.

If you decide to enter into a contract to buy the home subject to a Building and Pest Inspection that’s fine, however a few simple house checks we will discuss below may save you precious time, avoid what can be a stressful process if you have to pull out of the contract due to building defects and also the cost of the Building and Pest inspections and solicitors. Being vigilant at the home inspection could be the difference between buying your dream property or stepping into a costly ordeal.

Think to yourself are there any areas that’ll require repairs and or renovation. Is the house ready to move into?

As you walk through the home and around the property best practice is to make notes and take photos to review after a night’s sleep.

The following are just some defects to look out for when first attending an open home inspection.

DOORS:

Door defects provide a Building Inspector with several tell tales for further investigation.

Some of these are.

Doors that do not lock close (able to open without turning handle)
Open or close on their own.
Bind significantly on the door head or jamb. (Some minor binding doors may be related to seasonal swelling)

Any of the above are tell tales of subsidence, floor level changes and background movement in the house.

Although not in the Australian Standards for Building Inspections, Premier Building and Pest Reports always carry out a floor level survey using a laser level application to determine if floor level changes and subsidence exists to the dwelling’s floors.

CEILINGS:

Always look up.

Ceiling Cracks: Look closely for cracks. The most common type of ceiling damage we find is cracking. Generally the significance of cracking defects whether being plasterboard or other building elements is usually determined by the width of the cracking. A ceiling crack which is approximately 1mm in width and travels straight along a join in the material would not be considered serious. A jagged crack in appearance the same width is however likely from background movement and potential structural issues and could well be a costly issue to rectify.

Water Stains: Be on the lookout for water stains and not just under roof areas. Water stains can be visible from under roof coverings, bathrooms, balconies and if the home has a subfloor from the subfloor.

If the balcony underside has been recently pained this may suggest potential leaking cover ups. Balcony leaking is one of the largest complaints received by the QBCC and rectification can be expensive.

Sagging: Sagging plasterboard ceilings is in the top 5 defects of home inspections and sometimes may be difficult to notice without a high powered torch which Building Inspectors use. Be on the lookout for creases along the joins in the sheeting, small popped fixing holes, and bulges.

Peaking creases in ceilings or wave like appearances in cornices: A wave like appearance in a ceiling cornice is usually from roof truss defects and or floor movement and always requires further evaluation by a building inspector. Peaking creases along ceiling joins is a sign of sagging plasterboard.

MOULD:

Be on the lookout for mould. Open cupboards especially walls behind wet areas/showers. Foul damp odours are always a sign of leaking or ventilation problems.

WALLS:

Bubble and flake: On lower wallboard are likely indicators of damp and are usually costly to locate and determine their source. If the walls are masonry face or rendered and painted masonry be on the lookout for Salting, deteriorating mortar/surfaces and bubble as this is a classic sign of rising damp.

Cracks: Once again generally the significance of cracking is determined by the cracking width. Cracking widths less than 1mm are usually classified as fine cracks not requiring structural repair however a cracking width of 5mm is likely from structural movement. All cracking does however have a potential to progress so several factors may come into play so be on the lookout for poor surface water drainage and trees in close proximity to the home.

In a brick home a good tip is to look for gaps between the exterior masonry wall and window stile(side) or door jamb openings and brick wall as this is a sure sign of separation and foundation movement. Costly repairs could follow.

Roofs: At an open home you are likely to be unable to access the roof or roof interior so go out on the street and have a close look for unevenness or level changes to the roof. If changes are visible there is potentially a serious issue.

Guttering/Downpipes: Do a quick walk around the external perimeter of the home to check that down pipes are attached to guttering and all are connected to a ground pipe. Downpipes not connected to stormwater outlets are a costly area of rectification and may contribute to flooding.

Drainage: When walking the perimeter at the open home play close attention to ground levels sloping towards the house. This is not in accordance with building codes and will likely lead to pooling water against the walls potentially resulting in rising and slab edge dampness and or flooding. Costly landscaping and drainage works may be necessary. Also take note of the number of drainage port for collection of surface water drainage. As a general guide you want all surface water to run away from the dwelling shortly after rainfall.

TERMITES:

You will need a professional timber pest inspection to investigate for termite attack.

There are however some important things to look for at an open home to determine if a previous termite attack has occurred to the home.

Firstly check the electrical meter box for non-perishable stickers which will state the type of original termite protection and if any post construction termite treatments have been carried out. Generally, post construction treatments may likely be because of previous timber pest attack.
Look for drill holes in paved/concreted areas close to the dwelling’s walls. This is a sure sign of a chemical termite barrier and may be due to concealed timber pest attack.
Another tip we always look out for inside the home is different profile(types)of timber skirtings and architraves. This is a sure sign of un-tradesman like termite repairs.
Be sure to ask the real estate agent if they are aware of any previous termite attack to the property.

APPLIANCES:

Just because a house ‘comes with’ certain appliances, doesn’t mean they all work correctly.

If the house is equipped with an alarm system, ceiling fans, air conditioning an intercom system or electric garage doors, you should know whether these are functional before you buy the house. Building and Pest Inspections unless requested do not check appliances and these types of inspections are outside to scope of a standard Building and Pest report.

One thing that home buyers might forget to check is whether the home’s built-in appliances work properly. If you go to contract, make sure you arrange a Pre-settlement inspection to check all appliances and withhold monies if defective appliances or equipment is determined.

This includes –

Stovetop
Oven, Range hood
Air conditioning
Spa Baths
Pool equipment
Electric Garage doors and Street front auto gates.

SECURITY CONCERNS

Security is always a priority, so take time check whether there are keyed locks on the windows, deadlocks/deadbolts installed to doors, security doors and security window screens fitted, and whether the house has a home security system installed.

If not, these will all be additions you will have to foot the bill for later so that you feel safe and secure in your new home and to save money on your home insurance policy.

If you decide to enter into a contract to buy the home subject to a Building and Pest Inspection that’s fine, however the simple house checks discussed above may save you precious time, avoid what can be a stressful process if you have to pull out of the contract due to building defects you could have determined with some basic knowledge. This also will save you the cost of the Building and Pest inspections and solicitors fees if you must crash the contract and start looking for another property. Being vigilant at the home inspection could be the difference between buying your dream property or stepping into a costly nightmare.

Premier Building and Pest Reports have got your back. We have advanced equipment to detect and clarify building defects and timber pest activity but through experience we know nothing substitutes for thoroughness and that’s what you will get when you book and inspection with us.

Some of our advanced equipment includes.

1.Termatrac-T3i All Sensor Termite radar.

2.David White Laser level subsidence margin application.

3. Tramex Encounter Plus Non-Invasive Moisture Meter

4.Skyray King High 22,000 lumens torch.

5. Autens Dual lens Borescope inspection camera.