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Home inspection tips for first home buyers

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    Home inspection tips for first home buyers

    If you’re like most first-time house buyers, then you’re probably new to inspecting properties. Which means you’re unsure what you should be looking out for, and sometimes excitement can take over. But there’s no need to worry because here’s what you should look for in property inspections to ensure you don’t have substantial issues in the future. 

    What is a home inspection?

    You may be wondering what a home inspection accurately is. If so, it’s a comprehensive examination of a property that’s for sale. An experienced and highly qualified building inspector will conduct a thorough exam for you and let you know of any issues. Home inspection services in Melbourne contain hundreds of points and items for checking so they can make a professional and adequately informed decision. 

    While it’s crucial to have a professional property inspector asses the home, it’s also good to learn what you should be looking out for yourself. After all, you may be inspecting hundreds of properties until you fall in love. 

    Check for water stains

    You must check for any water stains on the walls and ceilings throughout the house because this usually means the home has issues with dampness. And when it comes to the wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms, you must check near showers, toilets and baths for any water leaks or moisture invasion. It’s not usually a structural problem, but it can be expensive to repair. Unfortunately, sometimes people can paint over these stains and issues, so you may miss them, which is why it’s critical to have a professional examine the property. 

    Check For Mould

    Mould is a must to look out for because it can be an indication there’s a bigger problem which often means it will be expensive to fix. Mould can get caused by plumbing issues, leaking rooftops, poor ventilation and dampness getting into the house. So remember to check for any mould stains in the bathrooms, kitchen, walls and window frames as well. 

    Further to this, mould also creates health problems such as allergic reactions and respiratory issues which means it’s dangerous to have inset mould inside your home. 

    Check for structural issues

    If a property has any structural issues, this is usually the most expensive and challenging problem to repair. So keep a lookout for uneven floors, cracks in the walls, bricks and doors that don’t close properly. And when you’re outside looking at the roof check, it’s straight and without bends, swerves or deflections. 

    Check the internal plaster

    When you’re walking through the house, the plaster can easily get checked for cracks. Make sure to check for even the smallest and thinnest of cracks. Usually, plaster cracks happen from plastering that wasn’t correctly done at the time of construction. A bad plastering job can cause the plaster to keep cracking, and down the track, it can also become loose. This damage will cost a lot to fix and also cause problems when it comes to mounting things on the walls. 

    These above issues are important to check when inspecting homes and while you may have found these yourself failure to invest in a professional home inspector is one of the biggest mistakes any first home buyer can make. 

    Therefore, by investing initially in a building, it will stop you from incurring stress, nasty and substantial repairs, expenses, and even having to add to your mortgage in the future.

    Are you a first home buyer in Melbourne? If so contact our team today so we can help ensure you get the best advice on your first home.

    If you’re in need of reliable building inspections in Wantirna, building inspections in Blackburn, building inspections in Canterbury, or building inspections in Boronia, look no further. Our experienced team of inspectors will thoroughly assess the condition of your property, identifying any potential issues or safety concerns. With our comprehensive reports, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing the true state of your building.

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    FAQ

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Either works, and the right choice depends on how you are buying. For a private sale, most buyers make an offer subject to a satisfactory building and pest inspection, which protects the deposit while the property is checked. Ordering the inspection first costs you money on a property you might not end up winning, but it puts you in a stronger position because you are negotiating with the findings already in hand.

    At auction the decision is made for you, since a winning bid is unconditional and no inspection clause can be attached afterwards. If you are weighing up several properties, a quick call with Nick on 0438 280 420 will usually sort out which order makes sense.

    A standard inspection carried out to AS 4349.1 is a visual assessment, and asbestos cannot be confirmed visually. What we can do is flag materials consistent with asbestos containing products, which in Victorian homes commonly means cement sheeting to eaves, bathroom and laundry linings, older fencing and some roof sheeting.

    Anything built before the mid-1980s carries a reasonable likelihood of containing it somewhere. Where we see something suspect, it is noted in the report with a recommendation for sampling by a licensed assessor, because only laboratory testing gives a definitive answer. Undisturbed material in sound condition is generally not an immediate concern, but it matters a great deal if you plan to renovate.

    There is no pass or fail. An inspection is not an examination the property either clears or flunks, and no inspector issues a certificate declaring a home sound. What you receive is a description of the property's condition on the day, with defects identified and photographed so you can weigh them yourself. Almost every established home returns a list of findings, and that is normal rather than alarming.

    The judgement about whether the property is still worth buying is yours, and it turns on the cost and complexity of what was found against what you are paying. Nick talks you through the findings by phone so that decision is an informed one.

    The report describes the property as it was on the day of inspection, so it has no formal expiry but it does age. For a purchase running on a normal timeline of a few weeks between inspection and settlement, it remains an accurate picture.

    Beyond a few months conditions can shift, particularly with anything moisture or pest related, since a wet Melbourne winter can change a subfloor considerably and termite activity can establish in a matter of months. If a sale falls through and you come back to the same property a year later, a fresh inspection is the safer course rather than relying on the earlier document.

    Victoria does not licence pre-purchase building inspectors the way it registers builders and building surveyors, which means the standard of practitioners varies more than most buyers expect. Since the entry bar is low, what you should check is the substance behind the name: relevant trade or building experience, current professional indemnity and public liability cover, membership of a recognised industry body, and inspections carried out to AS 4349.1.

    All our inspections are conducted personally by Nick, a qualified carpenter by trade, and we have held HIA membership for more than fifteen years with full insurance in place. Ask any inspector you are considering to confirm the same in writing.

    We inspect apartments, units, townhouses and villas as well as freestanding houses. The difference with strata titled property is scope. The inspection covers the interior of the lot you are buying, along with accessible common areas immediately serving it, such as the entry, balcony and any allocated car space or storage cage.

    Building wide elements including the roof, facade, lifts and basement usually sit with the owners corporation, so problems there become shared costs rather than yours alone. For that reason an apartment inspection works best read alongside the owners corporation certificate and recent meeting minutes, which reveal known defects, planned works and any special levy on the horizon.

    The distinction matters because it tells you which findings deserve your attention. A major defect is one affecting the structural integrity, weather tightness, safety or serviceability of the building, or one that will need significant work to correct. Think substantial movement in footings, a compromised roof structure, active water penetration or an unsafe balustrade.

    A minor defect is the everyday deterioration and imperfect workmanship any building accumulates, such as small render cracks, perished seals, sticking doors or worn paintwork. Our reports separate the two rather than presenting one long undifferentiated list, so you can see at a glance which items are material to your decision and which are simply maintenance.

    The overview tells you what is visible and apparent, which for most buyers is sufficient. We note obvious issues such as corroded pipework, poor drainage, evident leaks, exposed or clearly amateur wiring and missing safety switches. What it is not is a licensed plumbing or electrical certificate, because testing circuits, pressure testing pipes and running a drain camera all sit outside a visual inspection.

    If our report raises a concern, or the home is older and has never been rewired or replumbed, engaging a licensed electrician or plumber for a specific assessment is money far better spent before settlement than after.

    Yes. Post purchase and maintenance inspections are a regular part of what we do, and there are several good reasons to book one. Owners commonly arrange an inspection before starting renovations, when preparing to sell and wanting to address problems before a buyer finds them, when something new has appeared such as a crack or a damp patch, or simply as a periodic health check on an older home.

    Investors also use them between tenancies to document condition. The report is the same detailed document with colour photographs, giving you a prioritised picture of what needs doing now and what can wait.

    Yes, this situation carries both extra risk and extra rules. In Victoria an owner-builder selling within roughly six and a half years of the occupancy permit or final inspection is generally required to provide a defects report prepared by a prescribed practitioner, and warranty insurance may also apply. Buyers often hear this referred to loosely as the seven year rule.

    Beyond the paperwork, owner-built work varies enormously in quality, and an independent inspection is especially worthwhile where the person who built the home also signed off on their own decisions. Confirm the legal position with your conveyancer, then call us on 0438 280 420 to arrange the inspection.

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