Before deciding whether or not you buy or sell a property it is highly recommended that you carry out a thorough building inspection by yourself or a hired professional. Although you are most likely going to need a professional inspection company for the job, there are certain things that you can check by yourself, and report your findings to the personnel involved.
And the best way to do this is by dividing your property into 2 different sections – the inside of your house and the outside of your house, i.e. the surrounding
CHECKING INSIDE OF THE PROPERTY
Check the water pressure and plumbing
Turn on all the faucets and check whether the colour of the water is normal or muddy. Check also, whether or not there is good drainage. An indication that everything is fine is when you see that water is flowing smoothly and there is no chance of any kind of overflow.
Check the walls, the floor, and also the ceiling
Be on the lookout for cracks. This is of particular importance as they are signs of structure movement, something which might cost a lot of money in order to fix it in the future. Hence, it is better to point it out to the home inspections personnel before-hand, so that he/she can take the necessary steps.
Look out for electrical damage – It might very well save your life
Every bit of old wiring, switches, and sockets must be changed immediately. Also, check whether all the lights are working properly. Feel free to enquire about the heating and cooling systems.
Check whether there are any signs of pest infestation
Check the corners of the walls properly as this the place where most pests live. And if you find any such corner make sure to inform the person responsible for the building and pest inspection.
CHECKING OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY
Thoroughly check the fuse box and electrical wiring
Be sure that your houses’ fuse box meets all standards of safety and is up to date.
Look for the presence of asbestos
Ask the seller if asbestos was used on the walls, roofing, or fencing. Asbestos can cause deadly diseases like asbestosis and lung cancer. This is why you should always ask the seller whether it was used on walls and roofing.
Look out for signs of infestation by pests
Hornet nests or beehives are some of the most common places where pests breed. So, double-check for any kind of termite damage within your property and duly notify the person responsible for your property inspection.
Check and garden (if you have one!!)
Check if the garden is getting proper irrigation and has a proper landscape layout.
Check your property’s external structures
Make sure that they are in the best of conditions. Check for anything that needs immediate attention. After you are done with your inspection, make sure to do a complete assessment of your findings. Document them in order and present it to the inspector who is in charge of your Asbestos testing Palmerston North .
This allows you to compare the benefits to the costs and come to a conclusion as to whether the property is worth it or not.