Finding a property for sale in Adelaide is both an exciting and intimidating adventure. You’ll be viewing so many homes it will make your head spin; you’ll make offers, there’ll be counter offers, and homes will get snapped up before you can get your hands on them–but just as you’re beginning to go a little crazy, the perfect home will fall into your lap.
Before you sign on the dotted line and commit to purchasing a property, it’s time for a building inspection. In today’s article, we’ll explain the building inspection process, why it’s important, and how much you can expect to pay in the Adelaide area.
What’s Involved in a Building Inspection?
A qualified and licensed building inspector will go over your home with a fine-toothed comb. It’s their job to identify existing damage, look for safety hazards, verify previous work has been done to code, and much more. Here are some things a building inspector will take care of:
- Noting obvious cracks in interior or exterior walls that may have been caused by a variety of factors
- Examining the foundation of the building to ensure it’s free of defect and unlikely to need repair
- Carefully examining the wiring to make sure it’s up to code, and making sure all switches and lights and outlets are functioning properly
- Inspecting wooden framing, beams, and siding for signs of termite or other pest damage
- Checking the roof to examine the shingles, make sure the roof is not in need of repair, and estimate how many more years of life the roof has
- Finding safety hazards such as loose railings, exposed wires, or pipes
- Making sure any exterior decks, patios, or exterior structures are free from damage and have no pending issues, such as tree root intrusion
Why Is a Building Inspection Important?
Home repair can be expensive, especially if it has anything to do with major structural elements. Even replacing a roof starts at $10,000 for the smallest of jobs. Because home inspections aren’t required by banks for loan approval, your realtor likely has horror stories of people who refused home inspections only to find out later the home needed extensive repairs they couldn’t afford.
A qualified inspector will identify these potential problems before they become an issue. This will allow you to either negotiate with the seller to have the issues remedied before purchase or to plan for the cost of repair when the issue must finally be fixed. Alternatively, if the issues are extreme enough, you may wish to cancel the purchase all together and keep looking.
How Much Is a Building Inspector in Adelaide?
There is no set cost for a building inspection, but generally speaking, you can expect to pay around $200 to $300 for a small apartment, and all the way up to $700 to $900 for larger apartments and homes that have multiple stories.
These costs may seem somewhat significant, but when you consider that you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home and potentially saving yourself from tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, the cost of a home inspection is actually quite reasonable.
In fact, after having a few homes inspected and seeing a wide array of problems, you might just give up on buying an existing home and start to look at the price to build a house in Adelaide or even consider downsizing to a rental home in Adelaide.
One thing to look out for is budget home inspectors, home inspectors who cannot show licensing, and home inspectors that get the job done too fast. A proper building inspection should take at least one hour for the smallest properties and up to two or more hours for large properties or properties where significant issues have been identified.
In this case, you want your building inspector to take their time because it means they’re being thorough and detailed.
After the inspection is complete, you’ll have a clear picture of exactly what issues your potential new house may have and you’ll be able to make informed decisions about how to proceed and plan for your future in your new home.
