If you are concerned that building work being completed on your new home is defective, incomplete or different to your contract, here’s what to do. Firstly discuss the issue with your builder. Talk to your builder and describe what you believe the problem to be. Try to remain calm and business-like as this generally gets…
Under Western Australian legislation (Building Act 2011) a building permit is required before commencement of most building work. Formal approval (a building permit) is required for any building work involving the development of new structures, alterations or extensions and changes in ground levels. These include: Swimming pools, spas and barriers Fences Garden sheds Verandahs Gazebos…
Almost every home Houspect inspects has cracks in the walls. Most of these cracks will be simple surface disturbances of the plaster caused by the property expanding and contracting naturally. New homes in particular can be plagued in the early months of occupation by minor cracks caused by the home settling. For the most part…
Winter weather conditions can have a substantial negative effect on the way a property presents and can make it difficult to sell. Houspect Building inspectors frequently come across properties, (especially older ones) where, with the onset of winter, curtains have been drawn and heaters cranked up. Unfortunately this results in stale, stagnant, moist air that…
Houspect is pleased to announce that we are now supporting the McGrath foundation. Today, the McGrath Foundation is considered to be one of Australia’s leading breast cancer support organizations, with over 19,300 Australian families supported by our 81 McGrath Breast Care Nurses nationally in the last four years. As from the first of April 2013…
There has been an explosion of Home Renovation programmes on television of recent times showing ordinary people undertaking glamorous, dramatic and quite often substantial improvements to their homes. Making these programmes entertaining means they focus on the creative experience of creating a dream home, and tend to ignore the “boring” stuff like building to Australian…
When buyers make an offer on a property, they must fill out an Offer and Acceptance form. The O&A determines all the specifics of the sale – the sale price, the parties involved, and any special conditions – so it’s important to get it right. But not everyone does, and when a vital detail is…
Actual rodent sightings in the home are a good indicator that a severe infestation may be in progress. Mild cases of infestation might not result in actual rodent sightings. Indicators of an infestation are: chewing or clawing sounds that come from inside or outside a home. Noises may even come from the roof, as tree-dwelling…
Q&A with Houspect Building Inspections WA Director Chris Walsh What is a building inspection report? A report is a visual assessment by an inspector to identify any structural and/or significant defects of the major building components of a property that are visible at the time of the property inspection. It should be completed by a…
Overhead power service lines carry enough energy to power your home. That’s why they need to be respected and safety clearances followed. What you see in the photo is clearly a safety hazard. The weight of the tree limb is pushing down on the service wire. The breeze easily moves the limb and the wire…