The importance of a thorough building inspection report cannot be overstated. The report is a direct reflection of our own building and inspection experience, which means we are naturally meticulous with its content. A good report will specify visible and non-visible defects, their urgency, photographs, a pest report, and recommendations on finding resolutions.
Whether buying or selling, the report will help you make financial decisions on repair work—imperative or otherwise—and assist with understanding or negotiating the expected sale price.
The inspection is undertaken to meet the Australian standard, which means your building inspector will evaluate all accessible areas (classified as minimum 600mm x 600mm). This allows us to categorise specific sections of the house and communicate them to you in defined headings.
Summary
A critical factor of a building inspection report is establishing the urgency of defects. The summary will give you an initial guide of what has been inspected and our subsequent findings; it is here that we will outline the areas assessed and the types of defects identified.
Minor Defects
Superficial defects are commonplace in a building inspection, but are important nonetheless. While these won’t affect the structural integrity of the building, minor defects may need to be addressed to ensure the property has the desired appearance to the buyer or seller.
Needs Monitoring
These types of defects start off small but could lead to much bigger problems and, subsequently, financial loss. This could be as simple as cracks or corrosion that if left untreated may result in water damage or further dilapidation (i.e. conducive to termites or structural problems).
Major Defects
These will require urgent attention and will generally result in a monetary loss if not addressed. Major defects could relate to the structural integrity of a property, making it uninhabitable. Subsequently, defects such as this could have a significant bearing on the suitable sale price—potentially leaving you out of pocket.
Recommendations
As a result of the issues identified, we will summarise our recommendations for seeking resolutions through licensed practitioners. It is important to understand that, while helpful, our summary is only used to condense our findings and should be followed by reading the entire report.
Interior
The report will include defects identified throughout the interior of the household. We will differentiate our findings according to the room assessed (i.e. Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom 1,2,3 etc.)
While the report will classify each room, we will indicate the defects found in specific parts of the build.
Flooring/Tiling
Your building inspector will outline defects found in each room and as a result the flooring will differ accordingly. The type of floor means variations in their susceptibility to particular types of damage.
Defects found can often relate to the floor coverings such as tiles or timber – these might include cracks, movement in the floorboards, skirting board damage, untrue level, or attacks from pests such as borers. Depending on the defect identified, a pest controller, carpenter, or both, may need to be contacted.
Bathrooms, en-suites, or other tiled rooms can often be affected by moisture due to cracking, tradesmen error, or faulty adhesives. These errors may need to be addressed by a tiler. Leaks and water damage is also conducive to further attacks by termites, which means it is important to address early.
Floor level can affect water build up and, in the most extreme cases, stormwater flooding. This information will be included in the report if identified.
Walls
The building inspector will assess the state of walls (damage to brickwork, rendering and plastering) and establish any defects to window and door binding. We use moisture meters to detect moisture in the walls and identify why this would be the case; this can often lead to recognising larger defects. The type of tradesman required will depend on the nature of the damage.
Ceiling
The evaluation will extend to the state of the ceiling and indicate any damage to plasterboard, rendering, or cornices. The ceiling can often be susceptible to water damage due to exterior issues such as roof leaks. Depending on the defect, ceilings may require regular maintenance.
Exterior
The exterior of your house experiences the worst of the weather; therefore it is important to assess it for current defects or the susceptibility of future problems. We will systematically make our way around each area of your house to include in our report.
Roofing
The building inspection will include the state of the roof’s materials, whether it is tiles, corrugated iron or anything in between. Damage to your roof can lead to issues with insulation and water damage to your roof cavity. If not addressed, roof defects are likely to worsen. As long as your roof space meets the minimum access and safety requirements, our inspection will extend to inside this area.
Our inspections will also include an assessment of the gutters and downpipes and test for any leaks or debris build up.
Walls
Exterior walls are often susceptible to weather damage. Detail Building Inspections will identify cracks or dilapidation and advise which type of tradesperson is required.
Drainage
Effective drainage is imperative to a decent house. Your building inspector will assess how equipped the property is to managing inclement weather, paying close attention level of the surrounding landscape and pathways. This will indicate how prone the property might be to flooding or stormwater damage.
Verandahs, Carports, Patios
A quality inspection will pay attention to all aspects of the house; this includes your outdoor areas. These areas are often susceptible to weather damage and pest infestation.
Pest Assessment
The building inspection will identify any pest threats within the household, with a focus on termites. Our assessment will include identifying damage from previous pests, in addition to active threats and conditions conducive to attacks.
It is important to understand that the presence of termites comes with the presence of water. Something as simple as a leaky downpipe could create conditions that could attract termites and lead to further damage.
Photographs
Our building inspection reports will include photographs of all visible defects. These can be helpful in providing evidence to third parties if required or explaining the extent of damage to tradespersons.
