Pre Purchase Building Inspections Melbourne

Whether dream home or investment property, buying a house will likely be one of the biggest purchases you ever make, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into before you buy!

Getting a pre purchase building inspection is the best way to find out about any potential problems with the property – potentially saving you time, money and stress by making sure that your new home has no nasty hidden surprises!

What is a pre purchase building inspection?

A pre purchase building inspection is a detailed report assessing the condition of a property and is carried out by a qualified building and pest/termite inspector.

It advises potential home buyers if the property has any major or minor structural defects, what repairs may be needed to it, and whether there are pests or termites, so they can make an informed decision on whether or not to go ahead with the purchase.

The pre purchase building inspection report covers many aspects of a building’s interior and exterior, looking for potential issues that could prove costly for a new homeowner to fix, and will be conducted according to the relevant Australian standards, as well as if there are any pests and termites.

To book your pre purchase property inspection, simply give us a call on 1300 022 766 or, if you’d prefer us to call you, fill out the form on this page to speak to one of our team.

What do pre purchase building inspections look for?

When you choose ABPOM’s team of experienced & qualified building and pest/termite inspectors to carry out your pre purchase building inspection, we’ll look at:

1) The condition of the building.

You want peace of mind that the building itself is sound and free of both significant building defects and structural issues, so we conduct a thorough inspection of the building proper.

– Roof

No one likes a leaky roof, so we’ll inspect and report on any structural defects or issues around the roof such as poorly fitting, degrading or broken tiles.

We’ll also check around the roof structure its flashings, gutters and downpipes.

– Walls, floors, windows & doors

We’ll examine the condition of internal and external walls, noting alignment, the proper functioning of doors and windows, and the condition of the floor and subfloor areas such as stumps, brick piers, bearers, floor joists etc.

Additionally, we’ll also assess if there is adequate ventilation, signs of dampness, or pest infestation.

– Safety hazards

Here we’re looking for any potential safety hazards of the building.

This can include the condition of balcony platforms, unsafe barriers around balconies or decking, cracked glass in windows or doors and inadequate barriers/ fencing/ gates around swimming pools or spas.

2) The condition of the land around the building.

Because the land around your potential investment is as important as the building itself, ABPOM’s professional inspectors also ensure the property area is free of major and minor defects that may cause issues now, or in the future.

– Drainage

The structure of a home may be sound today but can be undermined in the future if site drainage systems are blocked or failing, which may lead to issues with rising damp or even destabilisation of building foundations.

– Trees & shrubbery

Small trees and shrubs that are planted too close to a property may show no impact today but are very likely to cause serious cracks in external walls as they increasingly suck moisture out of the ground below the footings of a house or from below concrete slabs.

3) The condition of adjacent buildings.

Many older properties in Melbourne and around regional areas of Victoria may also have other freestanding or externally accessed buildings such as a garage, shed or utility area.

Our inspectors will also assess these structures against the criteria mentioned above for any defects or potential issues.

Pre Purchase Building Inspections FAQ

Have a question about pre purchase building inspections? What’s in one, how long does it take or whether you really need one? Here are some of the most common ones we get asked.