Pre-Purchase Building and Pest Inspections in Wollongong

Unless you have access to an experienced and knowledgeable builder, then the answer will usually be an emphatic ‘yes’. Structural repairs can be extremely expensive so you need to be fully informed before committing to purchase.

If you avoid the tick and flick operators then it definitely is for nearly every purchaser. For a couple of hundred dollars, you could potentially avoid unexpected repairs stretching anywhere from $10K to upwards of $100K. Even if no major defects are found, often the report will be useful during the negotiation process.

Unfortunately, yes. The frame of the house and other key structural components are still made of wood and termites only need small gaps through the concrete slab to gain access. Termites will often get in via gaps around pipes, electrical cables, and through covered weep holes, for example.

This is a common question. The agents often don’t encourage an inspection diverting the liability or the defects to a strata report. A defect will only be mentioned in the strata report if it has been reported. An undetected defect like a leaking shower or structural issue can be undetected by the tenant and therefore not listed in the strata report. Relying on the information within a strata report to be accurate and current is fraught with danger and can cost you thousands of dollars if the defect is considered not within the body corporate responsibility.

Asking if the inspector is fully licenced/insured is an excellent question that should be asked. In NSW there are no specific licence requirements for a building inspector as the industry was deregulated some years ago. That means that there is no requirement to hold any licence to undertake/advertise to conduct building inspections. The question you should ask a prospective person to undertake your building inspection is, “Does the person who will be undertaking the inspection have a Builders licence”. Check the credentials of the person undertaking the inspection. Holding insurance for professional indemnity does not automatically give the inspector a builder's licence. Would you take your car to a person who does not hold a mechanic’s licence?