Legal Fees Inspections

How An Inspection Will Save You On Legal Fees

Purchasing a home can be stressful.

It is important to get a home inspection PRIOR to buying to ensure the home is up to standard, the foundations aren’t cracked, and that there are no termites infesting the walls and house.

If you do buy a house without an inspection, then you could be up for some serious legal fees fighting the original owner of the home who may have falsely advertised that the house had no defects, and was in perfect working order.

The problem with this is that legal fees can be VERY EXPENSIVE so you getting a building inspection first can save you thousands later.

Criminal Defence Lawyers

If you have been burned during the purchase of the property, then you will want to investigate getting yourself a quality criminal lawyer who can help you win your case.

They can help you get your case together against the original homeowner, and give you the best chance of winning your case and getting your money back for the purchase of the home.

It is worth remembering though, that this is a last resort, and if you hire a building inspector, you will not need to get to this point as you will have done your due diligence and you wont be purchasing a ‘lemon’ of a home.

Legal Fees Inspections

Next Steps

It’s key to remember that buying a new house or property can be a minefield when it comes to costs and legal issues. It pays to have a quality accountant, insurer, building inspector and lawyer on your side so that if something unforeseen DOES happen, then you will be protected and your investment will not be wasted.

Caldicott Lawyers, a leading defence firm (www.caldicottlawyers.com) recommends “that all homeowners should consult with their legal team and thorougly investigate the contract they are signing before signing it. It could be the difference between $500 and $500,000”.

Don’t get caught out.

Pest inspections

How Is A Pest Inspection Different To A Building Inspection?

If you’re one of the lucky Australians purchasing a home this year, you’ll find yourself inundated with things you need to do, documents you need to produce and reports you’re required to get hold of.

Before any money is exchanged, it’s really important to ensure that you’ve had a full building inspection carried out by a reputable and licensed roofing contractor who can produce an extensive and detailed report for you.

Alongside this, many people choose to have a pest inspection carried out to further minimize the chances of finding unexpected issues with their new home.

What Is A Pest Inspection?

A pest inspection is carried about before you purchase a new home. It will help to identify any pest activity, especially that which could cause internal damage to the structure of your new property.

The most common pest identified in these inspections is termites, which are found in 1 in 4 of Australian homes.

Pest inspections

Are There Other Pests Too?

Yes, most pest inspections will check timber for signs of anything that could threaten the structure of your home. As well as termites, they may search for borers and fungus such as black rot. Rodents are also identified and significant damage caused by them will be reported.

Handover Cleans

Before moving into your new home, you should ALWAYS consider getting a handover clean completed by a professional company. This will ensure a number of the issues that can lead to pests living in a house are eliminated once a professional handover cleaner has detailed the entire house. They may also discover issues with home’s adelaide solar system or battery packs.

Building Inspections

Although pest inspections may sound similar to building inspections, they’re actually much more specific and concentrate primarily on pests.

A building inspection takes a much wider view of the potential issues that could affect a property and will look for things such as:

  • Damp
  • Drainage Problems
  • Cracks In Walls
  • Issues with Foundations
  • Ceilings and Floors


Which Inspection Do You Need?

Most home owners want to do everything they can to ensure that the property they are buying is problem free. As a result, it’s often recommended to have a building inspection carried out, followed by a pest inspection – however if you do need to opt for one over the other a building inspection is more comprehensive.

Often a building inspection will identify a potential threat from pests and you’ll then seek to have a separate pest inspection carried out in order to investigate further. Either way, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Building Inspections In 15 Minutes: What Should You Look Out for?

Buying a property from an Adelaide custom home builder is an exciting time with lots to think about and look forward to. On an initial visit to a property, you’ll want to keep you eyes open to any potential issues that it may have.

Try not to get carried away by how pretty things look and how you imagine making the place your own before you’ve inspected the most important bits.

There’s a number of things an inspector should be looking out for – from your windows, walls, roof and even any skylights or solar panel systems that have been installed.

  1. Water Stains Can Be Bad News

Always check the walls backing onto showers and baths for any water stains or corrosion. Feel them with your hand for any dampness as this could be a sign that there are leaks within the water system.

Esena Energy

  1. Look Up

Easy to do, easy to forget. Always look up when you’re inspecting a property in a short amount of time. Any ceilings that are sagging are bad news – they should be fixed firmly flush in place with no parachute appearance. Don’t be afraid to use a torch to shine on ceilings to get a clearer look.

  1. Cracked Up

Check walls for cracks and note their size. It’s pretty normal for walls to have some cracks in them, however any that are larger than 2 mm in width should be inspected further. If there are multiple cracks, you should also be wary and may need to enlist the help of a qualified building inspector.

  1. Check For Mould

It’s often hard to spot mould but it can be common in bathrooms and bedrooms.

Although it’s easy to clean mould, either yourself or using an external specialist, you’ll want to try and figure out the cause of the mould as this could lead you to uncovering a larger more serious issue.

  1. Gutters and Pipes

Although Australia is blessed with a pretty good climate, you’ll want to make sure that the house is fully able to whether storms and heavy rain. Check gutters and drain pipes for signs of rust, corrosion, blockages and signs of excess water flow.

  1. Don’t Be Fooled

It’s easy to be taken in by beautiful vases of flowers or large paintings placed across patches of wall where plaster may be flaking or peeling. Try to remain objective and look below the surface before your time’s up!

For more analysis on a quick property inspection, check out the Wikipedia page about property inspections.