WELCOME TO LYN'S BLOG: Tips prior to a pest and building inspection.

These reports are the bane of a real estate agents life, no matter how good or how efficient they are, these days due to the Australian Standards the homeowner just cannot win. In most cases they take it very personally as renovations were done prior to new regulations being introduced, so while the building may have been legal 10 or 20 years ago, it is not to current specifications.

While I believe this fact should be told to the buyer, is it really necessary as one building bloke wrote last week “width between railings on the stair case are too wide and “little children can fall through these railings” really!! In the 40 years the house has been built not one child has fallen through these railings. Another Inspector (where do they get these licenses) is a Building Inspector, but wrote” Should have a licensed building contractor check!!”. Another real doozy last week who looked at a basic 3bed home recommended all the following experts:

Pest Controller

Plumber

Licensed Drainer

Water proofing expert

Engineer

Licensed roofing expert

Qualified expert on sheeting that may contain asbestos.

I mean really what are they being paid to check a building for?. The whole thing is about protecting their backsides, in case they get it wrong. A building inspection once meant just that……a builder who could check what you cannot see with the naked eye. Surely as a buyer, if you can see it, you can make your own judgement on what you want to do with it.

One Company has provided a checklist prior to sale and I am now starting to recommend to my clients that they have their own pest and building inspections done prior to putting the property on the market. However, what one builder sees another doesn’t so there seems to be no sure way that you have brought your home up to scratch for sale. A great pity.

The following just might help: