Why You Should You Get A Building Inspection?
by Stephen Brien

When buying a new home one of the most important decisions
you will make is whether to carry out a building inspection.
The idea of buying a house is one of the most stressful and
yet exciting times in someones life and it is vital to understand
what you are buying.

If people ask if they should get a building
inspection, I will always say: " Of Course!"

A lot of people pay to have their vehicles looked at before
they buy it without blinking an eye. The same way of
thinking should be applied when buying a house. Cars like
houses have problems and no doubt there will be some aspects
of the house that you may not have noticed while on your
own. A house inspector will be the best possible match to
make you aware of any issues that may arise before you
commit to something that you may not be aware of before you
go through with the purchase.

A house inspector can help you determine if the house has
any material defects or safety issues of which you as the
buyer need to be aware. Do not be alarmed if your house has
some defects or issues. No matter how well the house has
been maintained, no house is perfect.

We come across a lot of defects when we carry out
inspections and in particular electrical work that has been
undertaken by an unqualified electrician or a DIY homeowner.
There are many things the do it yourself crowd can handle
safely, electrical work is not one of them. This is one area
where a trained and experienced home inspector is required
to help determine whether or not a defect exists or if you
and your family will possibly be at risk.

While we do inspect your electrical system your home
inspector also inspects the structure of the house, the
roof, plumbing, heating and cooling system, and other
readily accessible areas of the house that will be costly to
replace like a worn out roof.

It is a wise decision to invest a small amount of money
into the largest financial investments most people have in
their lifetimes. For a reasonable fee that will protect your
peace of mind and your bank balance. It certainly out weighs
the potential of finding a house that may cost a huge amount
to bring up to standard and more importantly the safety of you
and your family.

The benefits of getting an building inspection carried out
before you buy a home would probably be one of the most
pragmatic decisions you make in your lifetime. You can find
building inspection companies through your local agents, in
the Yellow Pages and on the web. Be sure to go with a
professional company that is especially trained and carry
out inspections full time.

Steven Brien has been active house industry for over 25
years, he serves as an authority on a range of related
topics to the house industry and runs the largest group
house inspectors in the country. Click hereto see how a
professional report should look.

What does a Doctor & A House Inspector have in Common?

By Stephen Brien

I know there are far better places to be than going to the doctor for a check up. I don't know about you but I hate it when I get the call. It is just the idea of knowing what he does when he goes through his routine of prodding and poking. When he sits down at his desk for his diagnosis and pens out half a novel without saying a word, I sit there wondering as I gaze at him across his desk and think there must be a huge amount wrong with me this time.

At this point he will usually leave you in suspense as he writes out his thesis. When I stare at him across his big desk I can imagine what he is going to tell me. It will be something along the lines of "You should be taking better care of yourself, get out and do some more excercise and you need to start eating healthy food."

You can probably by now see some of the likeness between the two professions. Both doctor and property inspector are trying find any defects and or anything wrong that could potentially be hazardess to the health and safety of you and your family. Of course I would like to point out that we don't wear rubber gloves, we print our reports and don't tell you to get more excercise.

Like doctors we are just doing our jobs so we can provide peace of mind knowing that one of your most important assets is not at risk. It is best to maintain the property and do regular checks on the condition to avoid a big long set of tasks later on.

When you find that house that you have been looking for, it is a worthwhile cause to get it checked by a professional to pick up any defects that you or anybody else may have missed. Pre purchase inspections can be very handy when you have missed something that could save you a fortune later on.

If your inspecting the property yourself make sure you have a checklist of all the main areas, starting by breaking them down for example interior and exterior and then their individual components. Make sure, only if you’re confident, to check the plumbing and the electrical. If you are not, then you can just check things like the taps and light switches to see if their are any abnormalities. It is advisable even if you do have experience in this area to get a professional in. just to make sure you have that a second opinion.

There may be some defects that you have noticed. You can at this point ask your agent if they have been factored into the price. If they haven't, you can always try negotiating with the owner to have them rectified. In most cases these would have been picked up by the agent i he is worth his salt.

If you don't feel confident in certain areas for example under the floor or in the roof. Again I would suggest you get a professional opinion, it will give you peace of mind knowing you can always fall back on in the future if anything arises.