What to check in a house before buying?
We are regularly asked by our pre purchase building and pest inspection Perth customers, “what to check in a house before buying”?
It’s an interesting question, because our independent building inspectors Perth have noticed a change in the most common defects we usually detected over the past 20 years in Perth homes.
So, we decided to review all our building inspection reports Perth over this flux period, from 2018-2023 to answer the question of “what to check in a house before buying?”
Top 5 Most Common Major Residential Building Defects in Perth (2018-2023)
1. Structural Movement
Cracked, bowed or leaning walls and sticking doors/windows are all signs of structural movement in the property. Structural movement types such as heave, settlement and seasonal movement are usually to blame.
2. Failed Gutters & Downpipes
Guttering, joins and rainwater outlets are very common major defects in Perth homes. Blocked gutters cause damp issues / failed brickwork/masonry and can lead to structural issues if left long enough. Blocked rainwater outlets, corroded gutters, cracked guttering are the most common.
3. Structural Failure of Roof
Pest infestation, wet & dry rot, roof spread and sagging of purlins (horizontal beams are the most common causes of structural failures in roofs.
4. Roof – Coverings Failure
Concrete or terracotta tiles can crack and spool, leading to water ingress and structural problems due to rotting roof structures.
5. Structural Alterations
Commonly, alterations to the original house structure, where proper materials and professional labour have not been used, cause major defects to Perth homes, reducing their overall value. For example, if a load bearing wall is deleted, a proper structure design must be used to ensure the load can be taken safely and without fault.
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