What does a pre-purchase building inspection consist of?
The Standard
Australian Standard 4349.1-2007 Inspection of buildings Part 1: Pre-purchase inspections – Residential buildings. This is the Australian Standard which dictates what a Pre-Purchase Building Inspection and report must consist of.
The general scope of a pre-purchase inspection as per the standard is a “visual assessment of the property”. Inspectors must identify major defects to form an opinion of the condition of the property at the time of inspection.
Where will your building inspector inspect?
The inspector will inspect of all of the following areas if they are accessible –
- The site (any paths, driveways, fencing, sheds, carports within 30m of the home)
- The subfloor (stumps, bearers, joists, flooring where accessible)
- The exterior of the home (walls, doors, windows etc)
- The exterior of the roof (roofing material, facia, gutters, downpipes, eaves etc)
- The interior of the home (walls, ceilings, doors, windows, wet areas etc)
- The roof space (structure, modifications, insulation etc)
What does a pre-purchase building inspection report include?
Reports must identify and describe any major defects and safety hazards observed during the inspection. Venatic use interactive online reports which allow our clients to view photos and videos of major defects and safety hazards. Reports also include links to further information to help our clients better understand the impact of defects on the home.
The standard does not require descriptions of all minor defects and imperfections observed on the property. The report will describe the overall extent of minor defects which reflect the overall condition of the home. Venatic reports include photos and descriptions of minor defects that are representative of the condition of the home. This is to assist in describing the overall condition of the home at the time of inspection.
Where applicable, the report will provide recommendations for further inspections from a specialist inspector such as an electrician or plumber. Venatic reports will also provide information to assist you in finding appropriately qualified tradespeople.
Your pre-purchase building inspection will not include –
- Recommendations to engage contractors to assess, quote and rectify any major defects in the home will be included in your report. It is not in the scope of your report to provide quotes or estimates for rectification work.
- Permits – Your building inspection may make comment on additions or alterations to the home or property. It is beyond the scope of the building inspection to obtain records for building permits. You can find more information on building permits on our blog.
It’s great that this article talked that recommendations could be provided after the inspection. Last week, my friend told me that he was planning to sell their home because of a change of plans, and he asked me if I had any idea what would be the best option to do as he wants it to have an inspection first. Thanks to this helpful article, I’ll be sure to tell him that he can consult a pre-purchase inspections service as they can provide more information about the inspection process.
Thanks for your feedback John!
While the standard is specifically written with pre-purchase inspections in mind, you can never underestimate the value in a detailed inspection pre-sale!
It allows sellers to present their home in its best possible state of health by proactively addressing any potential issues which are likely appear on a potential buyers pre-purchase inspection.