Berry Blog

Why pest and building inspections matter:

Pest and building reports will outline any termite, roof damage, rust, drainage/leak issues and many more that the property may have. This should be a crucial step in the buying process for purchasers, with this report outlines a vital insight into the condition of the property. Looking at this a purchaser can determine which maintenance issues will be more costly and should be completed immediately.

Not all issues in a property will be visible whilst inspecting, therefore a pest and building inspection can be a convenient option for purchasers that would like further clarification that a property is suitable for them. If any minor problems arise this can assist the purchaser in negotiating the sales price down as the cost of repairing the problem may be deducted from this sales price.

As appealing as a home may be, there are specific issues a home can present that you don’t want to take on, such as major structural issues that can be costly to fix. But when building and pest inspections uncover minor problems, this can give you leverage when it comes to negotiating the final sale price, as the vendor may be willing to reduce the sale price by the cost of repairs. For example, if the property was for sale for $600,00 and the purchaser did a pest and building inspection and became aware there was termites. They may submit a reduced offer of $545,000 for the inconvenience and the cost of a termite spray etc.

There is an Australian Standard that states what is to be included in a report, but the inspector you use and the amount you pay will determine the level of detail you’ll receive in a report. It can be a tick-the-box style report or an extensive 15-page report, either way, the reports are designed to expose any past, present or potential future issues of the home.

The Australian Standard requires that defects be located, identified, categorised under a type of fault (damage, distortion, water/damp related, deterioration etc.) and an indicator or marker or classification of each defect as to the significance or magnitude of defects. 

At first glance, the reports can be daunting, but any good inspector will talk you through the report and the agent will be able to give you contact details for the appropriate trades to get quotes etc.

As a buyer at this stage, it’s important to remember that the majority of homes will have minor issues, so try not to get too caught up with these issues.