Customer Pre INSPECTION CHECKLIST
Pre-Inspection Property Presentation Checklist
To help ensure your report reflects the property at its best on the day of inspection, we strongly encourage vendors to carefully walk through the home before our inspector arrives.
Many items identified during an inspection relate to minor maintenance, presentation or repair issues that owners may prefer to address beforehand so they do not appear in the final report. Building Inspectors must report what they see on the day, even if there are good intentions to rectify later.
Once a report has been completed and distributed, any requested amendments following repairs or maintenance result in delays to your campaign. Updated versions of reports also need to be reissued to your selling agent and conveyancing solicitor, which can create unnecessary confusion in the marketplace and may result in additional conveyancing or administrative costs. For this reason, it is best to complete any intended repairs or maintenance prior to the inspection taking place.
General Presentation
- Walk through every room slowly as though you are a buyer viewing the property for the first time
- Repair obvious minor defects where practical
- Remove excessive clutter from walls, floors, cupboards and storage areas
- Ensure all rooms, garages and subfloor areas are accessible
- Clean obvious mould or mildew where possible
Doors, Windows & Locks
- Check all doors open and close smoothly
- Ensure locks and latches operate correctly
- Repair sticking sliding doors or windows
- Replace cracked glass where possible
- Check flyscreens for damage
- Repair loose cupboard doors, handles or hinges
Wall, Ceilings & Paintwork
- Patch obvious dents, cracks or holes
- Repaint noticeable patching or marked areas
- Address obvious water stains or peeling paint
- Re-fix loose cornices or trims if practical
Plumbing & Wet Areas
- Fix leaking taps, shower heads and toilets
- Check sinks and basins drain properly
- Reseal deteriorated silicone in showers, baths and sinks
- Ensure shower screens and fixtures are secure
- Address obvious moisture issues or water damage
- Ensure toilets and taps are in working order
- Check tile grout
Flooring
- Repair loose or lifting flooring
- Secure loose tiles
- Address trip hazards where practical
External Areas
• Clear gutters if accessible and safe to do so
• Repair loose fencing or gates
• Ensure paths and paving are safe and stable
• Remove stored items restricting inspection access
• Don’t excessively water garden beds against the house as this may show and be reported as moisture in the subfloor
Roof Space & Subfloor
- Ensure access hatches are clear and accessible
- Remove stored items blocking access
- Advise us beforehand if access is restricted
- Ideally remove stored goods from subfloor areas, particularly stored timbers
Pest & Timber Issues
- Remove timber stored against and under the house
- Address obvious termite activity if already known
- Reduce excessive moisture around the property
- Trim gardens back from walls and weep holes
- Look for signs of timber rot in decks and pergolas and assess whether repairs are required
Final Tip
If you are unsure whether something is likely to be noted in the report, there is a good chance it will be. A careful pre-inspection walkthrough can significantly improve the presentation of the final report and reduce the need for post release administration and delays. You may even wish to ask a friend or family member to walk through the property with “fresh eyes” before the inspection date.
How does the building inspections process work?
IMPORtANT NOTE
All ACT & NSW SELLERS REPORTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR DEFERRED PAYMENT PROGRAM: There are NO upfront expenses and NO additional fees, our invoice is paid at settlement and we take care of all paperwork and liaise with your solicitor who will remit payment directly to us.
TELL ME MORE ABOUT REPORTS
Selling or buying in the ACT or NSW? Residential Reports have you covered:
In the ACT all Sellers require the following 4 reports detailed below (a unit will only require an Energy Rating). If you are Selling or Buying in NSW we recommend a Building Report and Timber Pest Report are completed.
The process is simple:
- Book online or by phone (if online you’ll be called immediately to confirm an appointment time)
- We liaise with Access Canberra to obtain your building file (for ACT Sellers reports) – files take approx 4 working days
- We arrive as scheduled for your inspection … and always with a smile
- Reports are released the day after inspection
- For Sellers reports (if you choose to defer the payment) we liaise with your solicitor and our payment is remitted on settlement – we allow up to 6 months before payment of our fees is required. To find out more about our No Pay Packages Click Here
- Questions from Sellers and Buyers are answered promptly – we are there any time you need us
- If your report requires amendments or revisions in the case of repairs being undertaken post inspection or an updated building file with new compliance certificates, our administrators ensure updates are processed swiftly and at no additional charge to you
The 4 Standard Reports Explained
A comprehensive investigation of your property which may include comments on: brick work, roofing/roof space, eaves & fascia, sub-floor space, internal rooms, ceilings, wall linings, tiling and flooring, shower recess etc. The maintenance inspection reviews non-structural building elements identifying significant general maintenance requirements.
To complete your compliance report we obtain your building files from Access Canberra. The file includes a survey certificate, building plans and certificates of occupancy and use. House and land improvements are compared to the plans to identify any elements that are unapproved.
In the ACT all homes that are on the market for sale must have a valid Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) Report. This documentation gives an overview of the design elements of the property that relate to energy efficiency. The inspection will include a review of: orientation, insulation, air leakage, design features, floor type, glazing, common walls etc.
This report is particularly important as a building can be affected by any one of several wood destroying pests. Of particular concern are termites (commonly called “white ants”) and timber decay which can render a house structurally unsound.
NO PAY ACT SELLERS REPORTS
ACT legislation requires a Vendor to provide their Buyer with a suite of Building, Compliance, Timber Pest and EER (Energy Efficiency) Reports prior to sale. It is a requirement that these reports along with your sales contract are ready to go before you start marketing. The key to a smooth transition to sale is that the Seller must engage a company with the experience and reputation to satisfy intending purchasers so they are comfortable to rely on the advice of the inspector.
At Residential Reports our brand is recognised for the honest, measured and comprehensive approach that we take to reviewing your most valuable asset. Client enquiries from Buyers have risen dramatically over the last decade and we have a dedicated team ready to work with your stakeholders to answer questions superfast and ensure your sale is closed! .Need it fast? The standard turnaround for your building file is 3 – 4 days with Access Canberra, if you wish to pay for an Access Canberra Fastrack file, we can turn reports around in 24 hours – subject to appointment availability.
NO PAY NSW SELLERS REPORTS
Modelled on the ACT Presale Reporting System, we are witnessing significant advantages when a Seller in NSW supplies intending purchasers with a comprehensive report that they can depend on.
- No additional upfront costs for the Seller
- Streamlined administration for all stakeholders
- Negotiations and sales procedures are fast-tracked
- Stakeholders will all refer to and rely upon one report
The key to adopting this method is that the vendor must engage a company with the experience and reputation to satisfy intending purchasers so they are comfortable to rely on the advice of the inspector. At Residential Reports our brand is recognised for the honest, measured and comprehensive approach that we take to reviewing your most valuable asset.
ACT & NSW BUYERS REPORTS
These packages are designed for clients who wish to book an independent inspection. Depending on the property you may wish to commission a building, maintenance and timber pest component to the job where our expert builders review the property with an eagle eye and report their findings back to you in a simple and comprehensive document. Independent inspections are regularly being booked with our company as our local community recognises the importance of having a ‘Residential Reports’ Inspector evaluate their prospective home.
RE-INSPECTION REPORTS
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF YOUR REPORTS
“No reliance may be placed on (building reports) for any contract entered into more than 180 days after the date of the inspection”: Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Regulation 2004 Legislation.
No matter which inspection company you engage, reports conducted in the ACT will only ever be valid for 180 days.
Expired reports can be used during marketing if your property has not sold within 6 months. When you have secured a purchaser you should then arrange for a re-inspection as their solicitor will require a valid report to form part of the contract for sale.
It is a legislative requirement that your property has been ‘continuously marketed’ in order to be eligible for a re-inspection. If your property has been taken off the market it is required that you book a new inspection where we obtain a new building file from Access Canberra. When you sell your property your buyer’s solicitor will insist on this at exchange of contracts.
Following the expiry of reports a complete re-inspection is conducted, the process is the same as that undertaken originally and the property is again carefully inspected to ensure that the new report reflects the current condition. We do not “sign off” on expired reports! The cost of the new report will be the amount reimbursed to the seller at settlement.
OUR FULLY QUALIFIED INSPECTORS ARE AVAILABLE
Need a building, pest or EER report that sits outside the square? Call us on 6288 0402 and we can accommodate your requirements. There are numerous inspections required during construction of a build or renovation project and handover reports are essential if you are acquiring a recently built property. To find out more visit Access Canberra.