What We Do
What We Do
Areas that must be inspected during your house inspection
SafeHome Building Inspections believe that the sub floor and the roof space are the most important areas to inspect during the house inspection process. On occasions these areas have not been inspected since the home was built. We always try to get under the wet areas (bathroom/kitchen/laundry) during the House Inspection as this is where most of our faults and problems are located.
Areas that must be inspected:
Sub Floor Space
- Rising damp or excessive damp sub floor soil.
- Leaking drainage pipes.
- Termite infestation and damage.
- Borer damage (see more in "Termite" section.)
- Timber off cuts/debris - conducive to termite infestation.
- Rotten stumps.
- Uneven (plumb) and cracked stumps, excessive packing of stumps.
- Rotten flooring and frames under wet areas (bathrooms/laundry).
- Detached and deteriorated heating ducts.
Roof Space
- Frame detachment, deteriorations and rot.
- Termite/Borer damage to timber framing.
- Insulation inspection.
- Rust/deterioration of roof cladding.
- Insufficient or inadequate support for roof loads.
- Detached and deteriorated heating/cooling ducts.
Other important areas that must be inspected are:
Safety concerns/hazards
- Balustrade gap and height compliance on balconies and decking.
- Pool gate compliance re self closure.
- Raised deck and pergola safety issues.
- Large tree branches.
- Rotten fencing and any potential collapse issues are inspected during the house inspection.
- Any non-compliance of structures with the Building Code of Australia, Building Regulations or Australian Standards that may cause some injury or death may have the potential to void any related insurance policies you have taken out.
Wall cladding
- External wall cladding for any major unevenness, major cracking.
- Excessive gaps between the window frame caused by possible footings/wall movement.
- Rising damp.
- Major unevenness and cracking may indicate a significant problem with the footings of the dwelling which may require underpinning works. Underpinning should be the last resort after all other options have been explored.
Internal floor levels
- Uneven floors may indicate footings problems and re-stumping may be required.
- On slab dwellings uneven floors may indicate severe cracking of the slab footing which will be expensive to rectify.
- Sometimes an uneven floor may just indicate that the home was not levelled sufficiently and may not cause any major structural problems.
Window frame rot
- Window frame rot may be due to a lack of maintenance or insufficient flashing over exposed windows.
- Any fungal decay (rot) of timber should be replaced as this is conducive to termite infestation and also further deterioration of structural components.
- Cracked window panes need to be replaced for safety reasons.
Gutters, downpipes
- Gutter debris build up will cause rust and potential leaking.
- Down pipes are at times not connected to storm water drainage (especially older homes).
- Any excess water around the home can cause rising damp problems, is conducive to termite infestation and may cause movement cracking in walls over time due to excess water penetration into the footings.
Drainage
- It is important that water does not pond around the base of the homes walls and that all drains are properly connected to appropriate drainage pipes.
- Surface water should be directed away from the home and this is assessed during our House Inspection service. Again, this may cause footings movement over time, is conducive to termite infestation and can cause rising damp and fungal decay.
Plumbing
- We inspect for any leaking tap heads, traps and shower wall and base tiles during the house inspection.
- Shower tile leaking is common in older and unmaintained homes and should be regularly inspected and professionally re-sealed.
- Shower tap flanges and tap wall penetrations should all be sealed to prevent water access into the wall cavity to prevent damp related problems and rot.
- Leaking bathrooms into the sub floor is an area common for termite infestation due to their fondness for damp, dark and moist environments.
Electrical
- During our House inspection we inspect the type of wiring - old rubber wiring or newer TPS wiring.
- We make sure that a safety switch (RCD) is installed.
- Smoke detectors are installed and in the correct areas. Most safety switches in class 1 and 2 dwellings should be installed 300 mm from a wall junction.
- A safety check of a dwellings wiring should be conducted by a qualified and licensed electrician.
Internally
- SafeHome Building inspections checks operability and condition of all doors, window frames and panes, cupboards and we comment on worn carpet, scuffed walls, patched walls and ceilings, cracking of walls and ceilings, uneven floor levels, rising damp down to the minor issues of operability of range hood and gas cooking appliances.
- Pre-purchase inspection
We inspect the sub-floor space, the roof space, the interior of the building, the exterior of the building, the roof exterior, the property within 30 m of the building for any Major defects, Structural defects and Minor defects/Maintenance issues. - Timber pest inspection
We inspect for Termite Infestation, Termite damage, concealed entry points for termites, conducive conditions for termites, borer damage, timber fungal decay (rot) and advise re eradication or preventative treatments. - Sub floor Inspection
We enter the sub floor space to inspect for Rising damp, leaking drain pipes, overflowing sewer pipes, timber floor board fungal decay (rot), joists and bearer frame fungal decay (rot), rotten stumps and excessive moisture in sub floor soil. - Roof frame Inspection
We inspect the roof space for detached frame members, timber fungal decay (rot) poor or inadequate fixings of load bearing frame, roof leaks, insulation, termite presence or damage as well as borer damage.
