When to do a building and pest inspection
Buying a property can be an overwhelming process and knowing when to do a building and pest inspection is important. However, a building and pest inspection is not only important when you’re buying but also when you’re selling.
In this blog, we’ll go through when is the best time to get a building and pest inspection, what they are and how much they cost.
1. When you're buying a new house
Buying property is a huge investment and it can be an overwhelming process. There are lots of things to remember but ultimately you want to make sure you’re not buying a money pit. A building and pest inspection is an important part of this process as it ensures you know exactly what you’re buying.
Ideally, the time to get a building and pest inspection is prior to entering the contract. However, this often isn’t possible particularly if the property marking is running hot. In this case, it’s best to make sure the contract is subject to a building and pest inspection. This will give you the option of withdrawing from the contract should the building and pest inspection find major building defects or termite activity/damage.
2. When you're selling your property
Many people also get a building and pest inspection when they’re selling a property. A pre-sale building and pest inspection is helpful for several reasons.
Firstly, it gives you an opportunity to find and repair any issues prior to the house going on the market. This ensures that any problems are dealt with before potential buyers find the issues themselves and decide to pull out of the purchase.
Secondly, it can help to speed up the sale process. Most contracts of sale are subject to building and pest inspection in Queensland. If you have documentation ready for potential buyers to view, it increases their confidence that the home is in good condition.
Finally, it helps you set a realistic sale price as the sale price may need to be adjusted if major defects are found.
What are building and pest inspections?
A building and pest inspection is a thorough visual inspection of a property to assess its current condition. It is a combination of two inspections – a building inspection and a timber pest inspection.
The building inspection looks for any major or minor building defects and safety hazards. Major defects refer to issues that affect the livability, integrity, or safety of the building. Put simply, it is a defect that needs to be repaired as soon as possible to avoid further damage or unsafe conditions. Minor defects on the other hand are generally maintenance items that need addressing but are not necessarily urgent.
The timber pest inspection checks the home for any evidence of live termites, termite damage, and timber borers. The pest inspector will also look for any conducive conditions to future termite infestations and whether the home has a current termite management system.
What's covered in a building and pest inspection?
Building and pest inspections are very thorough. Under Australian Standards, the inspection includes checking all accessible areas of the home and property within 30 meters of the home. This includes checking the interior, exterior, roof void, roof, subfloor (if applicable), garage, driveway, shed, fencing, and retaining walls. The roof, roof void and subfloor will only be checked if it is safe to do so.
During the inspection, the building and pest inspector will also check the home with a moisture meter and thermal imaging camera. This equipment allows our inspectors to identify anomalies that may be unseen to the naked eye. In particular, the inspector is looking for signs of moisture issues and termite activity at the property. Both issues can be costly to repair and attract termites to the home.
How much does a building and pest inspection cost?
The cost of the building and pest inspection will vary depending on the size and condition of the property. As you can imagine, an old Queenslander will take longer to inspect than a brand-new property. Likewise, if a property has a granny flat, is dual living or has additional rooms, it will cost more than standard-sized properties.
At Local Inspections, an inspection for an apartment or unit starts from $340 including GST (June 2023). Whereas houses start from $440 including GST for a standard 2-bedroom home (June 2023) but may increase depending on the size.
Have peace of mind with a building and pest inspection from Local Inspections
At Local Inspections, we pride ourselves on delivering great service, fast reporting, competitive pricing and comprehensive inspections. All our inspectors have over 30 years within the building industry so you can trust that you're getting a quality inspection.
If you would like to know more or would like to book, contact us today!