What is Caveat Emptor?
Increasingly property buyers are aware of their responsibility to discover building defects before sale – this is known as the Latin principle Caveat Emptor or ‘buyer beware’.
The full quotation is ‘caveat emptor, qui ignorare no...
Read moreWhat is a Building Inspection?
A building inspection is designed to give you independent and objective advice about the physical state of a building, enabling you to make an informed decision, generally about whether or not to buy a building.
A building inspection is a snapshot...
Read moreThe Dirty World Of Termites
This summer it’s time to think pests. "Generally the soil moisture is high, that makes a big difference to termites. Termites are really just organised cockroaches," says Dr Ewart to The Age in an article titled: Hungry termites marching on Melbour...
Read moreTo Buy Or Not To Buy (Off The Plan)
To buy or not to buy (off the plan) is an important issue for an increasing number of new homebuyers and property investors.
When done responsibly with professional guidance (offered by Jim’s Building Inspections, for example) it can be a positi...
Read more10 Horrifying Traps a (Good) House Inspector Might Find
Number One: Asbestos. Enough said.
Number Two: Termites. In a word: EVIL.
Number Three: Fire hazards. Wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy.
Number Four: Faulty smoke alarms. It’s a thing.
Number Five: Ghosts. Okay, kidding. Okay, ma...
Read moreMould - The Silent Killer
Mould: Ugly, yes. But the health consequences of inaction are uglier.
Gizmodo explains: “A common mould called Aspergillus, when inhaled by particularly susceptible people, can infect the lungs and spread throughout the body. Other moulds that ...
Read moreIs Your Smoke Alarm Up To Scratch
Fires can spread rapidly (in less than five minutes) through your house, according to findings from a Fire & Rescue NSW report. Interesting also is that homeowners are encouraged to look at how many fire alarms in their house to cover all potenti...
Read moreRe-stumping red flags
A guide to Re-Stumping
Re-stumping - or re-blocking as it's known in Victoria - is big business in Australia and can be a very costly exercise, particularly if you don't know what you're looking at and you don't understand what you've bought into....
Read moreProperty Management and Smoke Alarms are Good Friends
Property management and smoke alarms are good friends. Or at least they should be. Worst possible scenario: Inaction can lead to deaths and a stint in prison.
It’s a familiar story, even in developed countries, however. From one BBC report: “A...
Read moreEXPLAINED – Owner Builder Warranty Inspections & S137B of the Victoria Building Act 1993
You're an owner builder and it is time to sell your home. The last thing you want is for your hard work to be a hindrance to potential purchasers who have reservations about quality or compliance, just because the works weren't part of a major domest...
Read more
