You’ve found the home of your dreams, and you’re ready to march right on over to your real estate agent and make the best offer you’ve got. The hunt for buying a home in Sydney is over – hallelujah! There are just a few admin tasks to tick off your list before you sign on the dotted line, and pre-purchase building inspections is one of them.
Now, if you’ve searched online for a building inspection checklist, you’ll have no doubt come across a number of articles and DIY building inspection checklists.
But this isn’t one of those articles, and I don’t have a checklist for you to download.
Why?
Because DIY building inspections are a bad idea.
If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.- Red Adair
Why you need a professional building inspection
I know you think you know what you’re doing. You’re smart, cost-savvy, improving your credit score, and you want to take control of your home ownership. But when it comes to building inspections, you need to leave it in the hands of the pros for all the hard tasks.
You don’t know how to spot a problem
Think about it: do you know how to look for asbestos? Do you know what a termite infestation looks like? How about testing the plumbing?
Identifying health and safety problems in a building is a skill that is taught, not one that can be acquired via Google. When you hire a trained building and pest inspector, they’ll have the knowledge and experience to easily identify any potential problems that could affect the health and safety of the building. Problems which affect the entire homebuying transaction, because you wouldn’t buy a home in Sydney that’s rife with defects, would you?
| Problems you can probably detect personally | Problems you almost certainly need a professional for |
| Pealing and cracked paint and walls | Termites |
| Roaches | Bed Bugs |
| Circuitry | Plumbing |
| Energy efficiency | Roof defects, including gutters |
| Windows and doors for safety and security | Rotting floorboards |
| Sagging ceilings | Hot water system |
| Smells | Asbestos |
| Neighbourhood noise levels | Drainage |
| Mould and damp |
You’re biased
When it comes to an emotional topic like buying your first home, let alone buying a home in Sydney where vacancy levels are low, it’s natural to be blind-sided by your feelings. You’re thinking with your heart and imagining your future, when you should be thinking with your head. Buying a home should be a rational, calculated decision. But when you’re ecstatic to even find a home within your price range in Sydney, it’s easy to pretend that you’re really not bothered by the mould in the bathroom or those loose floorboards by the front door.
When you hire a professional to perform the building inspection for you, they’ll provide you with a detailed report. They’ll be able to help you make a more informed decision, so that you can get the dream home you deserve.
You don’t know how to fix these problems
So, you’ve got rising damp. Who do you call? The plumber? An architect to rebuild the wall? A builder?
Unless you’re a very savvy individual with a sound knowledge of home ownership and building residential property, this isn’t knowledge that you’ll have on hand.
But you know who does? Yes, it’s our mates the building inspectors. They’ll know which trades are required to get the work done, and also provide you with a list of tradesmen within the local area.
Even if you have the most comprehensive checklist, a ladder to access the roof, and a good knowledge of what visual evidence you need to search for, DIY building inspections should be supplementary to hiring a professional building inspector. Hire someone to do a thorough, professional job, and you’ll receive a detailed report that will include items you’ll most definitely miss. On top of that, a building inspector saves you loads of time. They know what they’re doing and they have to right equipment and tools, so they’ll be able to perform the building inspection far quicker than you could by yourself.
If you’re thinking about DIYing your pre-purchase building inspection, call in an expert. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did!