Buyer Beware

When purchasing a property it is always essential that you insist on having your own independent building inspection. Do not ever rely on previous reports compiled for the property owner or ones that have been passed on from the agent, other purchasers, resold by inspectors or specialist report selling sites.

The greatest failure with pre-sale building reports and a significant number of pre purchase building and pest reports is that fail in their legal duty of care to warn the owner or potential buyer of the possibility of concealed damage in the strongest possible manner.

It is essential that no matter how small a defect may look on the outside there is a potential to have considerably more damage in concealed areas internally. Elements concealing damage need to be removed up to a point where it is no longer evident. This is particularly the case when termite damage is found.

Building Reports that are generic can have cursory statements like "Damage occurrs when building elements have signs of decay or termite infestation. Repair of damaged elements is advised at the clients discretion" can leave you with extensive damage and expensive repairs that you have not budgeted for or cannot afford.

If a building inspector claims the area where damage is evident has restricted access it is also important to determine if they have assessed the area correctly and they have warned the client in the strongest possible manner.

Coastal Home & Building Inspection Reports will always consider the potential of concealed damage and insist on further invasive and specialist inspections even if the fault only appears to be minor. We also provide our clients with consultation and specialist reports to assess buildings when entering into legal proceedings or disputed insurance claims.