Buying a house is often the biggest purchase of your life. However, many existing properties have hidden defects that can cost you tens and thousands of dollars to repair, even worse, you may discover some major defects that are irreparable after you signed the contract. Have a building inspection carried out by a professional building inspector from Fangs Building Inspections before you buy, so you can buy with confidence and a peace of mind, avoid nasty surprises and regret down the track.

  • Major Defects for Existing Houses
    Major Defects for Existing Houses

Top Reasons for a Professional Inspection

  • To determine if there are concealed major defects such as defective building structure, sinking foundation, major leaking, significant termite damage, etc.
  • To help you to avoid unexpected expenses after your purchase
  • To help you to identify the risks of termite invasion or any asbestos materials in your next home
  • Use our comprehensive report to negotiate a better deal for yourself with the vendor
  • To determine the cost of repair and if a renovation is necessary

Major Focuses of Our Inspections

  • Defective House Structure - Cost $10,000 and upwards to repair
  • Defective Stump Footing - Re-Stumping costs around $50,000 and above
  • Defective Roof Void - Re-patching roof costs around $4,000, roof replacement costs $20,000 and upwards
  • Internal Leaking - Repair of damaged pipe system and damaged structures costs from $3,000 and upwards
  • Termites Damage - Termites extermination costs from $3000, repair of damaged structures-related rectification costs around $10,000 and above
  • Exposed Asbestos - Asbestos Removal costs around $20,000 depending on the size of the area
  • Poor Drainage System - Any Rectification related to drainage system will costs at least $500 and above (poor drainage will cause great damage to foundation and structure integrity in long term)

Our Inspection checks hundreds of items such as：

Areas our inspection cover:

Interior

  • All areas (incl. Living room, Bedroom, Lounge Room, Wet Areas like Bathroom, Kitchen etc, walls, floor, appliances, access to electricity, piping, fixtures etc)

Exterior

  • All areas including garage, carport, porch area, veranda, front yard
  • Structures such as load-bearing walls, sub-floor system, roof void, framing, settlement etc
  • Check for termites, borers, other pests, condition of ant-cap, termites barrier, moisture content, surface drainage, ventilation etc
  • Roof Areas including for tiles, moisture content, gutter, down pipe, ventilation etc
  • General Condition such as fencing, driveway, stairs, pergola etc

Inspection Process

Pre-Purchase Inspection

Inspection should be carried out before the cooling period end or before you make an offer. We recommend our clients to add "subject to building inspection” special condition on the contract.

Pre-Auction Inspection

Potential buyers should arrange an appointment with agents and building inspectors before the auction as there is no cooling period after auction.

Pre-Settlement Inspection

It advisable to have final inspection right before settlement as cost to repair defects arisen during the settlement period could still be paid the vendor.

Maintenance Inspection

Maintenance inspection should be between 12 months interval to ensure the longevity of your property and to reduce the chances of major defects

  • Our building inspection requires around 1 Hour-1.5 Hour, depending on property size. Clients have the options to attend or otherwise.
  • We will provide you with our comprehensive report within 24 hours. When requested, we will provide professional advice on how to fix the identified defects as well as the estimated costs. You can also contact us after receiving the report with any question or concerns.
  • We also provide ongoing free consultation on best method to repair existing defects and information on property renovation.

Our Inspection Methodology

​During our building inspection, we conduct visual inspection in combination with using cutting-edge inspection equipment such as Infrared Thermal Camera, Moisture Meter, Termitrac Termite Detector, Laser Levelling etc to ensure the efficiency and quality of our inspection. We identify defects in reference to the Building Code Australia AS1684, AS2870, AS3600, AS3700, AS4349.1, Standards and Tolerance 2015. We capture defects identified in our easy-to-understand and comprehensive inspection report with photo evidence. Moreover, we can also provide detailed explanation on the cause of the defects as well as recommendations for repair and maintenance.