Hello World! Welcome Friends! The capital city of the state of South Australia, Adelaide, is located at the base of the Mount Lofty Ranges and 14km from the center of the Gulf St. Vincent. Separated from the suburbs by extensive parklands, it is the fifth most populous city in Australia.
Adelaide is one of the safest places in Australia to own a home. It also helps that housing is often affordable. There are different ways to get housing in South Australia and Adelaide in particular. You can either rent a public or private housing or you can own yours by buying one. You can learn more about Adelaide’s current housing news here.
For home buyers, there are several ways to buy a house in Adelaide. These include auctions, rent to buy, “buy now, build later” schemes, private treaties, and so on.
There are also different types of houses you can buy. You may be able to buy public or a community housing property where you are a tenant. You may also be able to buy private property from other people.
However you are going about acquiring a property, it is important to have an inspection of said property before concluding the purchase. This is referred to as a building inspection and people who carry this out are called building inspectors.
A Closer Look at Building Inspection
This is an inspection that is performed on a property by building inspectors to ascertain its condition. It reveals if the property needs repairs, maintenance, or any other issues that may be expensive to fix. This kind of inspection is usually carried out when a house is about to be sold.
Building inspectors who carry out the examination can either be architects, surveyors, or building consultants and may be employed by the city, county, or township. They may also be private businesses. These inspectors are usually certified to make professional judgments on whether a building or property meets city codes and requirements as well as if it has problems that can lead to expensive renovations.
An inspector can be certified as a residential or commercial building inspector and they inspect different features of a building including the mechanical, plumbing and electrical features. They can also examine the structural features including the foundation, walls, roofs, and so on. Inspectors will most often charge a fee to carry out their duty.
When they are done, you will be furnished with a detailed report of any issues and any potential maintenance or repairs that may be required. They may also give an estimate of how much it will cost to carry out the required maintenance or repairs.
You can learn more on this here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_inspection.
What Do Inspectors Look for?
Before buying a home in Adelaide, you need to engage the services of a building inspector who will examine the property before you go on to sign a contract for the building. There are a number of things that the inspector will investigate and look out for. One of the reasons you need professional inspectors rather than doing this by yourself is that not all issues in a house are obvious at the time of purchase.
There may be hidden issues that can have long term negative effects that an untrained eye may not notice. Until you move in, you may not know about these problems.
During an inspection, inspectors will look out for things such as
- Sloping floors which may be an indication of a sinking foundation or a need to replace stumps.
- Cracked walls especially large ones which may show there is a structural problem.
- Peeling paintwork, mold, mildew, and stains on the wall that may be indicative of a problem with drainage or moisture.
- Sagging roofs and frames, broken or cracked tiles, displaced edges, shingles, ridges, and decking which can indicate the need for expensive roof repairs.
- Insect and termite infestation that may appear in the form of mud splatters around skirting boards and the jamb of doors. It may also show as blistering paint.
Other things that may be checked can be things such as
- TV, internet and phone connection points.
- Electric wiring, sockets and switches.
- Plumbing works like pipping, taps, toilets, blocked sinks, sewage, downpipes, gutters, etc.
- Stains on walls both internal and external as well as on the ceilings.
- Trees and roots especially those growing close to the building.
- Air conditioning, heating and hot water systems.
- Doors and windows to be sure that they open and close properly.
If there are doubts or suspicions on certain issues, you may make the sale subject to obtaining a satisfactory report from professionals such as structural engineers and pest inspectors.
For a recently renovated property, you may reach out to the local council to ensure all guidelines and permissions were obtained and that they are legal. If there is any illegal work done and you go on to purchase the home, it becomes your responsibility.
Getting an Inspection Done
Building inspections can be carried out at various stages in the lifecycle of a building. It can be during a pre-purchase, a pre-handover, or even during the construction of the building.
Inspectors can assist you in your decision making before you go on to buy your home or invest in a property. They can also be useful if you need to sell your home because they will help you know the condition of your property and maybe help you carry out any maintenance before you put it on the market.
Inspectors can provide you with great value so that you know that the property is suitable. You will be sure that quality materials are used and that everything complies with all local, state and national regulations. Any defects observed, whether they are noticeable or not, will be detailed in a comprehensive report. This you can send to your building contractor or seller of the property so that proper repairs can be executed prior to your takeover of the place. You may also decide based on the report to decline the purchase.
You can check out Summerton Building to learn more about choosing the right home inspector.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown that it is essential that before purchasing a property you carry out due diligence which will include ensuring that it is compliant with legal requirements. We’ve seen that it is also necessary to check that there are no issues whether major or minor that might trouble you or result in expensive repairs down the years.
You now know that you need the help of professional inspectors who are trained and certified. They can notice things that you may not notice by yourself and save you a whole lot of stress in the future. All you now need to do is ensure you find a suitable home inspector to carry out this task for you.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
How to Use Solar Panels at Home
Benefits of a Pop-Up Outlet in a Kitchen
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Toodles,
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