What do you do if the building and pest inspector has come back with a list of problems that “sound expensive”?  You have the option to pull out of the contract, or you can bring in professional tradespeople to assess the extent (and cost) of the problem and then re-open purchase price negotiations.  It happens, a lot.  Most commonly when there are problems with the electrical, plumbing or roof.  

Why should you get your wiring, roof and plumbing checked?

As a rule, we humans often forget to look up, unless something interesting up there is grabbing our attention. The roof of your home often stays out of sight, out of mind, until one of Brisbane’s massive rain or thunderstorms hits and you’ve got multiple leaks pouring out onto your carpet.  Drainage issues in the roof cavity, roof plumbing and on-roof issues lead to all sorts of follow on issues.  Electrical work is essential for your family’s safety, but what about roofing and plumbing issues?

Roofers

While roofs are generally designed to take quite a bashing, strong weather like we experience in Brisbane will eventually take its toll. If leaks or other forms of damage aren’t detected and acted upon, they can cause serious structural damage to your property. To repair or even replace your roof, you could be looking at anywhere from $2,000 to $22,000 depending on roof size and materials etc. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive parts of your home to fix.

Plumbers

There aren’t many plumbers Brisbane buyers can call in, and those that do provide pre-purchase inspections will charge for the service.  The pre-purchase plumbing inspection will cover an investigation of issues raised by the building inspector, but may not include waterproofing issues where a wall would need removal.  This is because, well, it’s not yet your house.  They will however be able to advise on the likelihood of a waterproofing issue and give an approximate cost to repair.  This document can then be submitted to the seller for the purpose of cancelling the contract or renegotiating the purchase price.

Five good reasons to get a plumber, sparky or roofer in before you go unconditional 

Your building inspector has suggested you pay the extra expense to get a plumber, sparky or roofer in to check the property – do you spend the money?

1. If the inspector’s report highlights issues with significant costs to repair
2. If the inspector’s report indicates that the seller could be acting deceptively.
3. If there is already significant damage from roof, pipe or electrical work.
4. If there is evidence of danger as a result of plumbing, electrical or roofing issues
5. For no other reason than to know what you’re investing in, and to mitigate future risks.

Pre-purchase building inspections can only go so far, if your pre-purchase building inspection has worrisome red flags, you may need to call in tradies before buying your new home.