Termites in Adelaide 

Termites can be a matter of serious concern for home buyers who should insist of   pest inspection   over and above the pre-purchase building inspection that has become an essential part of the process of home buying. As a buyer, make sure that the purchase contract that you have with the seller includes the clause of all kinds of inspections that should be carried out to ascertain the physical condition of the property as well as the status of pests that can pose serious living problems once you move in. With all the good intentions of home buying, you should insist for an exit clause in the contract in the event any of the inspection reports turn out to be unsatisfactory.

The   building inspector   knows best what to look for in a new house so that unseen flaws are highlighted and these can be set right before you move to your new home. The inspector is trained to assess the condition of the building by visual inspection and has the expertise and experience to hit upon the relevant areas and utility systems that could be vulnerable to defects.

But not limiting your inspections to the competence of the building inspector only, you can have a walk-through inspection of your new home. The cosmetic flaws and functional issues are brought to the fore during a walkthrough of the new house that has to be pointed out to the builder for correction. These are usually not within the scope of the building inspector. The following items when included in the checklist for inspection can make it almost foolproof.

• Plumbing   – Every faucet has to be turned on and off to see that it is easy to operate and works effectively. Check for leaks and drips by running the fixtures for at least five minutes by keeping an eye on the fixture bases and various joints.
• Electrical-   Switch on and off every light fixture to test how it works and check that the fixtures have been installed correctly without causing any damage to it. Check the functionality of the door bell and for electrical outlets plug in a device like radio to see if it works.
• Heating and cooling   – Turn on the air conditioner and check that it emits cool air from the grills continually and uniformly. Set the cooling temperature to about five degrees below the room temperature and see if the system switches off on its own. Do a similar testing for the heating system with an additional check of the convectors and radiators for overheating from outside.
• Walls, ceilings and floors   – The colour scheme should be as desired and the level of smoothness should be satisfying. Check for moldings on ceilings and floors that should be free from nail heads and any gaps. If there are gaps it has to be filled by caulking. The tiles on the floors and walls should be free from cracks and chippings and there should not be any missing grouts. If the floor is of linoleum, hardwood or tile, make sure that there are no scuff marks.
• Kitchen   – Cabinets and counter tops have to be checked for scratches and abrasions and insist for smooth finish. Check that all appliances are functioning and check the hardware and hinges of the cabinet by opening it. Check the smoothness of drawers.
• Bath   – The toilet, sink, shower and bathtub has to be checked for cracks and chips. The toilet should flush effectively and be securely placed and leak in the bat6h tub has to be checked by filling it up to a certain height after closing the sink stopper.

The basement and attic, porches and decks, doors, windows, the garage door and the exterior are all checked with the help of similar checklists that are relevant to those areas.

When you find a property that matches your expectations, you might not want to wait any further and go ahead with the purchase. But in the excitement of purchasing your dream property, you should not miss out on conducting a   pre-purchase building inspection. The inspection will give you complete peace of mind that you have made the right choice and it is a safe investment for you. The inspection report will give you valuable insight into the defects of the building and how good is the construction to combat the environmental issues of the place.

Looks can be deceiving. So, when you are buying a property like a building you should not take it by face value. Instead, you have to probe about the quality of the building so that you know what you are paying for and you get the right value for money. Usually, there are two types of checks that are carried out when purchasing a home. The legal aspect is thoroughly checked by undertaking document searches like title searches, tax searches etc in order to ascertain that the title is clear and free from any encumbrances. The other most important check is the pre-purchase building inspection. Only when you are satisfied with the results of searches and inspections you can proceed to buy the home.