Q. Why should you employ someone to perform a building inspection?
A. The Median house price for a 4 bedroom home in Perth is currently around $600’000, to protect this massive investment a Professional building inspection by a WA Registered Builder is around $500 – $600, that’s less than 0.1% of the asking price.
Combining the necessary building and pest inspection with an Offer and Acceptance Contract written in favor of the Buyer, could save you 10’s of THOUSANDS of DOLLARS. Your Offer and Acceptance Contract should include things like Major Non Structural Defects, or even defects that may cost more than, say $1000.00 to fix. In other words, you call the shots. Speak to your Settlement Agent, if you haven’t got one, contact me and I’ll recommend one. Remember, you don’t have to use an Agent that is close to the home your purchasing.
Building inspections often find Major Structural Defects within the roof void (Space) the same can be said for Major Non Structural Defects. Some Major Structural Defects within the roof can cost as little as a couple of hundred Dollars to fixup. For example, Jo Handyman/woman has installed a Skylight, he/she has cut a Rafter and maybe a Ceiling Joist without fixing Trimmers. This Major Structural Defect should cost between $400 – $600, that the Seller is up for under a Standard REIWA O & A Contract. The same roof, may have Terracotta roof tiles, that have been there since it was constructed 50 or 60 years ago. These roof tiles have started to let moisture through, and the underside of the tiles are fretting or crumbling. Roof Tiles or Roof Cover are NOT Structural Elements, therefore, it is a Major Non Structural Defect. Partial or full roof replacement or restoration will cost YOU the Buyer 10’s of THOUSANDS to fix, under a Standard REIWA O & A Contract.
Ceiling linings are not a Structural elements, ceilings that sag due to age and or moisture, could cost you the Buyer $1000 plus, per room to fix or replace, under a Standard REIWA O & A Contract. A shower recess that’s leaking through the masonry walls, not a Major Structural Defect, but a Major Non Structural Defect that’s going to cost YOU at least $1000 per shower recess.
As a building inspector very few homes that I inspect only have Minor Defects to report, these are things like: the Flexible hose under the kitchen sink is rusting or kinked, Cornice cracking or a Toilet Cistern is continually running. So the Inspection fee, in some instances, is for PEACE OF MIND, you know what you’re buying.
So the question is: Why SHOULD’T you get your prospective home inspected prior to purchase??