Building and pest inspection in Sunshine Coast
Looking to buy a property in Sunshine Coast? Whether you’re buying a unit, townhouse or house – Local Building and Pest Inspections can help. A building and pest inspection in Sunshine Coast is designed to help to make an informed decision and give you peace of mind about the property you’re purchasing.
What is a building and pest inspection?
A building and pest inspection is a thorough visual inspection of a home looking for building defects and timber pest activity. It’s two inspections combined - the building inspection and the timber pest inspection.
The building inspection checks for major and minor building defects and safety hazards that may affect the livability of the property. Whereas the pest inspection is focused on looking for any evidence of live termites and termite damage – both past and present. This inspector will also note whether the property has a termite management system installed.
The inspector’s findings and recommendations for repairs (if needed) are then collated into a report. At Local Inspections, our reports are easy-to-read, include coloured photos, and are sent to you within 24 hours.
Why is a building and pest inspection in Sunshine Coast important?
A building and pest inspection is an important step in the buying process for several reasons. Including:
- It ensures that you are fully aware of the true condition of the property. This means you’re not going into the purchase blind and unaware of building or timber pest issues related to the property.
- It can save you from costly repairs. It’s not uncommon for a vendor to be unaware or cover up major building defects. Likewise, termites are quiet creatures that can cause significant damage to a home if they go unnoticed. Both issues can be difficult to spot during an open house. A building and pest inspector knows what to look for and can often find issues in a property that you may not be able to identify.
- It gives you peace of mind. By being fully aware of the condition of the property, you’ll know exactly what you’re buying and will have peace of mind that you’re making the right decision.
- It gives you greater bargaining power during negotiations. If major defects are found, you may be able to negotiate a lower purchase price or get the vendor to complete repairs prior to settlement. Likewise, you may be able to withdraw from the contract altogether.
What's included in a building and pest inspection?
Our building and best inspections in Sunshine Coast are comprehensive and thorough. We check all accessible areas of the home within 30 meters of the home. This includes the interior, exterior, roof, roof void, subfloor, garage, carport, fences, retaining walls and more. Under Australian Standards, the roof, roof void and subfloor can only be checked if its safe to do so.
During each inspection, a thermal imaging camera and moisture meter are used. The FLIR thermal imaging camera detects heat spots and other anomalies that may not be visible to the human eye. This can help to find large termite activity and possible water leaks and rising damp.
The moisture meter is also used to help detect levels of high moisture within a property. This helps our inspectors determine areas that may be conducive to termites and other water / damp issues. Whilst there’s no tool available that allows us to see behind walls, these tools assist our inspectors in completing a more comprehensive inspection.
What happens after the building and pest inspection?
Once you have received your building and pest report, you have a few options:
- Proceed with the purchase of the property and settle on terms already discussed with the vendor
- If major defects are found, you may be able to request that the vendor fix the defects prior to settlement
- Use the list of defects to negotiate a lower buyer price and have the repairs completed after the settlement
- Choose not to purchase the property and walk away from negotiations
Regardless of which option you decide to pursue, you must act in a manner that is fair and reasonable. For example, it would be considered fair and reasonable to walk away from negotiations because the listed defects are too severe or are outside of your scope or budget to repair. However, it would not be considered fair and reasonable to exit the purchase contract based on only minor defects, such as stained carpet or general aging to the property.
Building and pest inspector in Sunshine Coast
Our local Sunshine Coast building and pest inspector is Chris. He has been working within the building industry for over 30 years and has an incredible amount of building knowledge. Chris is very friendly and always goes above and beyond for his clients. He is also a great communicator and will take the time to explain any defects with clarity and in a solutions-focused manner.
As a building and pest inspector in Sunshine Coast, Chris provides a range of services including pre-purchase building and pest inspections, handover inspections and annual timber pest inspections. Chris also lives locally on the Sunshine Coast and has a fantastic understanding of the area.
Have peace of mind with a building and pest inspection from Local Inspections
At Local Inspections, our inspectors have a minimum of 30 years of experience within the building industry. This ensures you are getting the best quality building and pest inspection.