0419 806 429Can I be present at the inspection?
It is OK with us but the usual process is for you to come toward the end of the inspection. Natalie will give you an approximate time to come, if you can make it. She will need to clear this with the agent/vendor in advance. It is sometimes not best for the flow of the inspection for a purchaser to be present the whole time as it may distract from process, particularly where the agent and the vendor are also present. In some instances, the vendor may not be comfortable to have the purchaser there. With some agents, they are not prepared to be at the property for more than a limited time and the inspection time does invariably extend when the purchaser is present. Please note that where you have particular concerns, they can be advised to us prior to the inspection.
Do you provide a written and a verbal report?
A written report is provided with all inspections.” If you can be present toward the end of the inspection, a preliminary verbal summary is given. It can be extremely helpful to be aware of the main findings from the inspection prior to reading the written report but our clear recommendation and advice is to make no final decisions based on a verbal summary alone. If you can’t make it to the inspection, read through the written report and get back to David with any questions by phone or email or call for a general overview as appropriate.
How long does an inspection normally take?
This depends on the scope of the inspection, the size of the property, the age, general condition and type of construction, the types of issues identified and on the extent of interaction between the purchaser, agent and vendor during the inspection process. For an average property, we would allow at least a couple of hours on site, the written report will take around 2 to 3 hours on top of that. In order to have sufficient time, we never schedule more than 2 pre-purchase inspections on a day.
What checks are made when undertaking an inspection?
This depends on the scope of the inspection and the age and type of construction of the building – every home is different so we tailor the inspection to best assess the condition of the building in question. It is definitely not a situation where “one size fits all”
Do you inspect the roof space and under the floors?
Where there is safe, available and adequate access, yes. Some homes don’t have a roof space eg in multi-story situations and where there are low pitched (skillion) roofs or raked ceilings. Occasionally there is no man hole. Sometimes there is limited access to parts of a roof space. With the sub-floor situation, it is not an issue with slab-on-ground construction and with suspended floors it depends on what access there is that is available at the time of the inspection to check that space. We are also governed by the access limitations in the Australian Standard covering residential pre-purchase inspections which gives dimensions for reasonable access being where there is an access hole of at least 400 x 500 and a crawl space of 600 x 600 and in the case of a roof space or roof, where it is accessible from a 3.6m ladder. Sub floor areas sprayed with chemicals are generally not accessed for safety reasons and also because in the case of termiticide sprays, their effectiveness can be compromised if the surface is disturbed.