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Is a building and pest inspection really necessary?

28/4/2014

7 Comments

 
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What’s involved in a building and pest inspection, how much does it cost, and is it really that important to get one done when you buy a property?
 
Buying a home or investment property is likely to be one of the biggest investments most of us will ever make.
 
And yet, some people are willing to let it all come crumbling down because of an invader that’s only a few millimeters tall!
 
Termites are nasty little pests that can carry on undetected for months or even years, wreaking havoc with the foundations of your building before you figure out they’re even there. The average repair cost for termite damage to a house is $7,000, although we’ve all heard horror stories when homeowners have been forced to part out with tens of thousands of dollars to rectify a termite problem.
 
Similarly, structural issues can cause huge financial headaches – and building issues can be present in both new and old homes.
 
So, when you’re in the market to buy, it makes total sense to have a building and pest inspections by the experts as an essential part of your due diligence process. A building and pest inspection is something that can really help both parties when it comes to negotiating.
 
The seller can use it as a really good tool to give you as the buyer some serious peace of mind, especially if it was carried out by a reputable company. 
 
If you’re the buyer, it can give you some understanding of whether it’s a good buy or whether there are a few risks. It’s like buying a used car; you would have a mechanic take a look at the car before you make your purchase.
 
For an investment of a few hundred dollars – depending on where you are, a combined building and pest inspection will cost roughly $400-$600 ­– you’ll not only gain peace of mind, but you may also uncover valuable information to help you negotiate the purchase price.
 
This was precisely the case for first-time property investor Rebecca from Kensington, who bought a four-bedroom house earlier this year.
 
“I made an offer and it was accepted, but the building and pest inspection revealed evidence of current termite damage in a tree stump, and previous termite damage in the garage ceiling,” Rebecca says.
 
“The building report also noted some evidence of water leaking in one of the bathrooms.”
 
A quick phone conversation with the building and pest inspectors confirmed that the issues weren’t too much of a concern, and were in fact quite common of buildings of that age.
 
As a result of the reports, however, Rebecca was able to negotiate a full termite treatment plan, removal of the infected tree stump and repairs to the bathroom, including a brand new toilet and cistern.
 
In total, work to the valueof $4,000 was carried out on the property, with the bill picked up by the vendor!
 
“Getting a building and pest inspection was the best decision I made,” Rebecca says. “In my opinion it’s completely worth the money. At first, I only did it because my solicitor suggested it, but now I’m convinced – they’re worth their weight in gold!”

7 Comments
Louise link
10/7/2014 03:24:19 am

Great advice. A building and pest is imperative in my opinion and can't believe that some people choose not to have them done. Madness, don't you think? Louise

Reply
building inspection brisbane link
21/8/2014 01:11:11 pm

I bought my house last year but the lintels are angled towards the window and when its raining the rainwater runs down the wall onto the lintel then onto the glass

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Alex Simon link
28/8/2014 04:44:52 am

Pink Slip Building Reports provides a range of services including construction management and costing, reports for litigation and building disputes, pre purchase building and pest reports and general defects, preparation of scopes of works, inspection of buildings under construction. Read more here for details: http://psbr.com.au/

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building inspection brisbane link
28/10/2014 11:19:07 am

thanks for sharing this information is a very beautiful and its a nice post.

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Tara Forrest link
20/12/2020 03:44:28 am

Great reading youur blog post

Reply
Ellison @building inspectors sydney link
6/2/2024 11:00:37 pm

I really appreciate that the author of this blog took the time to write it. I have read a lot of blogs on the internet, but I have never seen this kind of information about pest inspection. If people are interested in learning more about pest inspection, this blog will help them do so.

Reply
Aimee link
9/7/2024 05:23:06 am

Nice blog, thanks for posting.

Reply



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