Planning to buy a new house? Before you invest all your savings and splurge a fortune on that strikingly amazing house you saw the other day make sure that the house is as healthy from the inside as it is from the outside. Here is a building inspection checklist for all those who are going to be the proud owner of a house:
Doors and windows: Make sure that all doors and windows can open and close smoothly without any hindrance or blockage. Look for gaps at the top and bottom of the doors and check for cracks on the window panels. Also, examine both doors and windows for condensation issues and water damage.
Walls and roofs: Check your walls for damp and mould stains, especially if you have solid brick walls. Make sure that the level of the ceiling is uniform throughout. Damp stains in the ceiling can be signs of potential problems.
Plumbing: Are there any cracks or leaks in the waste pipe? If yes, they need an immediate repair. Replace the galvanized pipes with copper or PVC pipes. If you have no idea whether yours is a copper or galvanized pipe then simply scrape the dirt off the surface of the pipe and look at the color of the pipe. A silver color denotes a galvanized pipe and a copper pipe can be identified by the solid copper hue.
Roof and drainage: Check the roof for signs of rust. The homeowner might have painted over the rust to conceal the corroded parts, therefore, pay specific attention to the color of the roof. Make sure that the down pipes are linked to the storm pipe at the ground level.
Ask an Architect is your resource to find excellent advice and tips on architecture, design and building. The company offers building, property and pest inspection to homeowners and also provides Prepurchase Building Inspections in Melbourne to those who are planning to buy a new property.
