Is a Building and Pest Inspection Compulsory in Queensland? It’s a great question and one that you should know the answer to when buying a home.
A standard clause (clause 4.1) in house and land contracts in Queensland is provision for an independent qualified building and pest inspection to satisfy the buyer that there are no unknown significant faults, maintenance issues or pest problems.
This can also be requested by some mortgage companies before lending the money for the home’s purchase.
However, it’s actually a good idea for sellers to have one done before selling their home. It helps in ensuring that you agree on a price and sign a contract with a prospective buyer.
Let’s talk more about a seller obtaining a building and pest.
Why have a building inspection done?
A building inspection helps to ensure that the sale of your home goes smoothly.
The inspector will thoroughly check out your home and notify you of any problem areas that need rectifying or touching up. This goes a long way in helping you stage your home to its best advantage. All areas that need fixing will be pointed out, making it easier to have them upgraded or styled up for best value, before putting your home on the market.
A building inspection also minimises the issues that buyers might have about buying your home. This increases the number of potential buyers and puts you in a better bargaining position for a higher price.
With a building inspection report to hand, the seller portrays honesty and good will.
The assumption is always that a seller should know of any looming problems, as they live in the property, but that’s usually not the case. The seller might already be too used to the way things are and see no problems or issues as such.
A building inspection will assist a home owner to pinpoint these problems. It brings a fresh set of eyes to the exterior of the property and will provide objective advice.
It ensures that your home sells as quickly as possible, without being put on the market over and over if the buyers keep backing out of contracts. If a buyer backs out, other potential buyers will wonder why the first deal fell through, and may be concerned enough that they won’t want to take a risk on your home. You will have a lot of explaining to do, and consequently more stress.
If problems are discovered during a building inspection, it does not necessarily mean that you must fix them. However, if there is no intention of making repairs, this should be communicated firsthand to the buyers so that they are aware.
Failure to do so could result in a lawsuit by the buyers, which in turn ends up being more expensive than doing the repairs in the first place. You may also end up selling your home at a very low price since you will not have bargaining power. Being upfront about the problem areas and the price adjustment will work to your advantage.
What building inspectors look for
Building inspectors primarily look for evidence of problems that could cause structural damage or safety concerns for the prospective buyers. These problems may or may not be known to you as the home’s current owner.
It’s important to know the condition of the home you are preparing to sell to prevent any unpleasant surprises during the sale.
Home inspectors usually look for defects both on the outside and inside of your property. This may include:
- Roof leaks or other defects, checked either by walking on the roof or from a ladder.
- Doors, windows, and decks on the outside will be examined for breakages and maintenance.
- Driveways and walkways may be inspected.
- Proper rainwater disposal with regards to damage on the home’s foundation.
- Ceilings and walls will be checked for defects and signs of structural damage or water leakage.
- The attic or roof cavity will also be inspected for similar problems including ventilation and insulation.
- The basement and crawl space are an equally important part of the inspection. The foundation walls are inspected to ensure there are no critical weaknesses, signs of water intrusion and other defects.
- The home’s electrical system may also be inspected for shorts or other wiring problems.
- Plumbing will be thoroughly checked, including the type of pipes used, to ensure that they are functioning correctly, and tested for adequate water pressure and flow.
- They will inspect all fixtures, toilets, and drains for damage and proper function.
- Heating and air conditioning systems may be checked for functionality and safety. They determine whether heating and cooling are distributed to all areas that they should be.
- A pest inspector will check for evidence of termites or other wood-destroying insects.
Building Inspection to the buyer
Finding your dream home is one thing, but living in it comfortably is another. There could be underlying problems with the home that you are unaware of.
A building inspection can bring this to the light and give you as the buyer a bargaining power to either have the seller repair or fix the damage or negotiate a lower buying price.
Having a building inspection done can help you avoid buying a home that needs a lot of work. If you agree with the home owner that you will do your own repairs, the inspection helps you know which repairs are critical and which ones can be done on a progressive basis. A building inspection can save you money and problems later on after you sign the deal.
If you are not aware of what exactly to look for in a building inspection, have a professional do it for you at a small fee, before going forward with your purchase.
Otherwise, the steps discussed in the home staging section can also guide you on what to look for when doing an inspection of your own. You must differentiate between a pest inspection and a home inspection as these two are different. However, they are often conducted at the same time by a pair of inspectors, where one will conduct the building inspection and the other conduct the pest inspection.
Problems that are not readily apparent could turn into major nuisances, or even cause serious damage to your home, in a few or years if a proper building inspection is not done. It is important as a buyer to have these things checked out since safety issues might not show themselves until someone has been injured or had a close call.
Knowing about these things ahead of time gives you the opportunity to have them resolved before buying, or to negotiate a cheaper price in order to cover the repairs. Even to back out of a deal, if the seller is not willing to consider the effects that the problems may cause during your stay should you buy the home.