If you think that getting pre purchase inspection is a guarantee against defects in the home you are buying you are dead wrong. It is not nor it can ever be.

It is the best attempt on the day to find and report on significant issues to give you informed opinion that may assist your decision in buying  property.

It simply means that pre purchase inspection and report will greatly reduce your risk but it may not eliminate it entirely. It’s a risk reduction and not a guarantee. There are very good reasons why this is so and they are outlined below.

Standard building property inspections and timber pest inspections (AS 4349.1 & 4349.3) are subject to limitations and disclaimers as follows:

Occupational Health and Safety.

1. Every employer has duty to provide workers with safe working environment and safe procedure and practices. Think of it as if I am employing your son or daughter. Everybody is someone’s son or daughter. Since the economics of inspection requires inspector to be working alone(most of the time) the instructions are factored to recognise and allow for the risk of getting into harm and to prevent it. This is why every inspection is subject to safe access limitations. My instructions are:
2. Do not inspect if it is unsafe to do so for any reason: animals, aggressive occupants, exceptionally filthy dwelling, danger of falling through or danger from falling objects or exposed electrical wiring, mud flooding saturated ground, chemical danger, asbestos danger etc.
3. Do not access and walk on the roof unless it is absolutely safe and there is no danger of cracking tiles, denting metal roofer falling through (illegal and unsafe additions are rife). Standard procedure is to inspect roof from a 3.6m ladder and if closer inspection is required camera zoom lens is used.
4. Do not enter roof space, if access is undersize and or obstructed, if view is obstructed by: ducting, stored goods and insulation and the integrity of ceiling members cannot be visually verified or verified by probing. (you hear horrible stories of inspectors falling through getting seriously injured) Standard procedure is to inspect from the position of manhole looking for damaged and replaced roofing members, sagged roofs, loose roof supports etc. Enter roof space if safe.
5. Do not enter sub floor space if it has been chemically treated or there is reasonable suspicion that it has been treated, if it’s obstructed with stored goods, there is danger from sharp objects, wiring, piping, broken asbestos(from bathroom renovations or initial build), undersize access, mud, animal faeces etc. Enter if safe.

Furnishings and obstructions

1. Vacant property is best for inspection because there will be little or no obstructions
2. Inspector can’t see behind furniture, behind paintings, under rugs, inside cabinets full of goods and wardrobes full of clothing and other stored material, garages full of stored stuff.
3. Heavilly cluttered properties are difficult if not impossible to inspect
4. Standard procedure is to inspect property as found, we do not move furniture, stored goods and private articles and we do not touch anything in wardrobes.
5. Effectiveness of inspection equipment such as thermal imaging camera will be limited in a furnished property because thermal images behind furniture etc are out of reach.

Standard disclaimers in building report (insurer’s format)

Important Advice: –

Note: In the case of strata and company title properties, the inspection is limited to the interior and immediate exterior of the particular unit being inspected. The Exterior above ground floor level is not inspected. The complete inspection of other common property areas would be the subject of a Special-Purpose Inspection Report which is adequately specified.

Trees: Where trees are to close to the house this could affect the performance of the footing as the moisture levels change in the ground. A Geotechnical Inspection can determine the foundation material and advise on the best course of action with regards to the trees.

The septic tanks: Should be inspected by a licensed plumber.

Swimming Pools: Swimming Pools/Spars are not part of the Standard Building Report under AS4349.1-2007and are not covered by this Report. We strongly recommend a pool expert should be consulted to examine the pool and the pool equipment and plumbing as well as the requirements to meet the standard for pool fencing. Failure to conduct this inspection and put into place the necessary recommendations could result in finds for non compliance under the legislation.

Surface Water Drainage: The retention of water from surface run off could have an effect on the foundation material which in turn could affect the footings to the house. Best practice is to monitor the flow of surface water and stormwater run off and have the water directed away from the house or to storm water pipes by a licensed plumber/drainer.

Important Information Regarding the Scope and Limitations of the Inspection and this Report

1)   This report is not an all encompassing report dealing with the building from every aspect. It is a reasonable attempt to identify any obvious or significant defects apparent at the time of the inspection. Whether or not a defect is considered significant or not, depends, to a large extent, upon the age and type of the building inspected. This report is not a Certificate of Compliance with the requirements of any Act, Regulation, Ordinance or By-law. It is not a structural report. Should you require any advice of a structural nature you should contact a structural engineer.

2)   THIS IS A VISUAL INSPECTION ONLY limited to those areas and sections of the property fully accessible and visible to the Inspector on the date of Inspection. The inspection DID NOT include breaking apart, dismantling, removing or moving objects including, but not limited to, foliage, mouldings, roof insulation/ sisalation, floor or wall coverings, sidings, ceilings, floors, furnishings, appliances or personal possessions. The inspector CANNOT see inside walls, between floors, inside skillion roofing, behind stored goods in cupboards and other areas that are concealed or obstructed. The inspector DID NOT dig, gouge, force or perform any other invasive procedures. Visible timbers CANNOT be destructively probed or hit without the written permission of the property owner.

3)   This Report does not and cannot make comment upon: defects that may have been concealed; the assessment or detection of defects (including rising damp and leaks) which may be subject to the prevailing weather conditions; whether or not services have been used for some time prior to the inspection and whether this will affect the detection of leaks or other defects (eg. In the case of shower enclosures the absence of any dampness at the time of the inspection does not necessarily mean that the enclosure will not leak); the presence or absence of timber pests; gas-fittings; common property areas; environmental concerns; the proximity of the property to flight paths, railways, or busy traffic; noise levels; health and safety issues; heritage concerns; security concerns; fire protection; site drainage (apart from surface water drainage); swimming pools and spas (non-structural); detection and identification of illegal building work; detection and identification of illegal plumbing work; durability of exposed finishes; neighbourhood problems; document analysis; electrical installation; any matters that are solely regulated by statute; any area(s) or item(s) that could not be inspected by the consultant.

Accordingly this Report is not a guarantee that defects and/or damage does not exist in any inaccessible or partly inaccessible areas or sections of the property. (NB Such matters may upon request be covered under the terms of a Special-purpose Property Report.)

4)   CONSUMER COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE. In the event of any dispute or claim arising out of, or relating to the Inspection or the Report, or any alleged negligent act or omission on Our part or on the part of the individual conducting the Inspection, either party may give written Notice of the dispute or claim to the other party. If the dispute is not resolved within twenty one (21) days from the service of the written Notice then either party may refer the dispute or claim to a mediator nominated by Us. The cost shall be met equally by both parties or as agreed as part of the mediated settlement. Should the dispute or claim not be resolved by mediation then one or other of the parties may refer the dispute or claim to the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators of Australia who will appoint an Arbitrator who will resolve the dispute by arbitration. The Arbitrator will also determine what costs each of the parties are to pay.

5)   ASBESTOS DISCLAIMER: “No inspection for asbestos was carried out at the property and no report on the presence or absence of asbestos is provided. If during the course of the Inspection asbestos or materials containing asbestos happened to be noticed then this may be noted in the Additional Comments section of the report.  Buildings built prior to 1982 may have wall and/or ceiling sheeting and other products including roof sheeting that contains Asbestos.  Even building built after this date up until the early 90s may contain some Asbestos. Sheeting should be fully sealed. If concerned or if the building was built prior to 1990 or if asbestos is noted as present within the property then you should seek advice from a qualified asbestos removal expert as to the amount and importance of the asbestos present and the cost of sealing or removal. Drilling, cutting or removing sheeting or products containing Asbestos is a high risk to peoples’ health. You should seek advice from a qualified asbestos removal expert.”

6)   Mould (Mildew and Non-Wood Decay Fungi) Disclaimer: Mildew and non wood decay fungi is commonly known as Mould. However, Mould and their spores may cause health problems or allergic reactions such as asthma and dermatitis in some people. No inspection for Mould was carried out at the property and no report on the presence or absence of Mould is provided. If in the course of the Inspection, Mould happened to be noticed it may be noted in the Additional Comments section of the report. If Mould is noted as present within the property or if you notice Mould and you are concerned as to the possible health risk resulting from its presence then you should seek advice from your local Council, State or Commonwealth Government Health Department or a qualified expert such as an Industry Hygienist.

7)   Estimating Disclaimer: Any estimates provided in this report are merely opinions of possible costs that could be encountered, based on the knowledge and experience of the inspector, and are not estimates in the sense of being a calculation of the likely costs to be incurred. The estimates are NOT a guarantee or quotation for work to be carried out. The actual cost is ultimately dependent upon the materials used, standard of work carried out, and what a contractor is prepared to do the work for. It is recommended in ALL instances that multiple independent quotes are sourced prior to any work being carried out. The inspector accepts no liability for any estimates provided throughout this report.

8)   CONDITIONS :- This standard property report is conditional upon or conditional in relation to –

• the assessment of any apparent defect including rising damp and leaks, the detection of which may be subject to prevailing weather conditions;
• information provided by the person, the employees or agents of the person requesting the report;
• the specific areas of ‘expertise’ of the consultant specified in the report;
• apparent concealment of possible defects; or
• any other factor limiting the preparation of the report.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY: –No Liability shall be accepted on an account of failure of the Report to notify any problems in the area(s) or section(s) of the subject property physically inaccessible for inspection, or to which access for Inspection is denied by or to the Inspector (including but not limited to or any area(s) or section(s) so specified by the Report).

DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY TO THIRD PARTIES: ‑ We will not be liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense, whatsoever, suffered or incurred by any Person other than You in connection with the use of the Inspection Report provided pursuant to this agreement by that Person for any purpose or in any way, including the use of this report for any purpose connected with the sale, purchase, or use of the Property or the giving of security over the Property, to the extent permissible by law.  The only Person to whom We may be liable and to whom losses arising in contract or tort sustained may be payable by Us is the Client named on the face page of this Agreement

 Standard limitations and disclaimers Timber Pest Report (insurer’s format)

TERMS & LIMITATIONS:

1. 1.      THIS IS A VISUAL INSPECTION ONLY in accord with the requirements of AS 4349.3 Inspection of buildings Part 3: Timber pest inspections. Visual inspection was limited to those areas and sections of the property to which reasonable access (See Definition) was both available and permitted on the date of Inspection. The inspection DID NOT include breaking apart, dismantling, removing or moving objects including, but not limited to, foliage, mouldings, roof insulation/sisalation, floor or wall coverings, sidings, ceilings, floors, furnishings, appliances or personal possessions. The inspector CANNOT see inside walls, between floors, inside skillion roofing, inside the eaves, behind stored goods in cupboards, in other areas that are concealed or obstructed. The inspector DID NOT dig, gouge, force or perform any other invasive procedures. An invasive inspection will not be performed unless a separate contract is entered into. In an occupied property it must be understood that furnishings or household items may be concealing evidence of Timber Pests which may only be revealed when the items are moved or removed. In the case of Strata type properties only the interior of the unit is inspected.
2. 2.      SCOPE OF REPORT: This Report is confined to reporting on the discovery, or non discovery, of infestation and/or damage caused by subterranean and dampwood termites (white ants), borers of seasoned timber and wood decay fungi (hereinafter referred to as “Timber Pests”), present on the date of the Inspection. The Inspection did not cover any other pests and this Report does not comment on them. Dry wood termites (Family: KALOTERMITIDAE) and European House Borer (Hylotrupes bujulus Linnaeus) were excluded from the Inspection, but have been reported on if, in the course of the Inspection, any visual evidence of infestation happened to be found. If Cryptotermes brevis (West Indian Dry Wood Termite) or Hylotrupes bujulus Linnaeus are discovered we are required by law to notify Government Authorities. If reported a special purpose report may be necessary.
3. 3.      LIMITATIONS: Nothing contained in the Report implies that any inaccessible or partly inaccessible areas or sections of the property being inspected by the Inspector on the date of the Inspection were not, or have not been, infested by Timber Pests. Accordingly this Report is not a guarantee that an infestation and/or damage does not exist in any inaccessible or partly inaccessible areas or sections of the property. Nor is it a guarantee that a future infestation of Timber Pests will not occur or be found.
4. 4.      DETERMINING Extent of damage: The Report is NOT a structural damage Report. We claim no expertise in building and any expert opinion we give on timber damage CANNOT be relied upon. The Report will not state the full extent of any timber pest damage. The Report will state timber damage found as ‘slight’, `moderate’, `moderate to extensive’ or ‘extensive’. This information is not the opinion of an expert. If any evidence of Timber Pest activity and/or damage resulting from Timber Pest activity is reported either in the structure(s) or the grounds of the property, thenYou must assume that there may be concealed structural damage within the building(s). This concealed damage may only be found when wall linings, cladding or insulation are removed to reveal previously concealed timbers. An invasive Timber Pest Inspection (for which a separate contract is required) is strongly recommended and You should arrange for a qualified person such as a Builder, Engineer, or Architect to carry out a structural inspection and to determine the full extent of the damage and the extent of repairs that may be required. You agree that neither We nor the individual conducting the Inspection is responsible or liable for the repair of any damage whether disclosed by the report or not.
5. 5.      MOULD: Mildew and non wood decay fungi is commonly known as Mould and is not considered a Timber Pest. However, Mould and their spores may cause health problems or allergic reactions such as asthma and dermatitis in some people. No inspection for Mould was carried out at the property and no report on the presence or absence of Mould is provided. Should any evidence of Mould happen to be noticed during the inspection, it will be noted in the Other Information (5.11) section of this report. If Mould is noted as present within the property and you are concerned as to the possible health risk resulting from its presence then you should seek advice from your local Council, State or Commonwealth Government Health Department or a qualified expert such as an Industry Hygienist.
6. 6.      DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY: No liability shall be accepted on account of failure of the Report to notify any Termite activity and/or damage present at or prior to the date of the Report in any areas(s) or section(s) of the subject property physically inaccessible for inspection, or to which access for Inspection is denied by or to the Licensed Inspector (including but not limited to any area(s) or section(s) so specified by the Report).
7. 7.      DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY TO THIRD PARTIES:  Compensation will only be payable for losses arising in contract or tort sustained by the Client named on the front of this report. Any third party acting or relying on this Report, in whole or in part, does so entirely at their own risk.
8. 8.      COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE: In the event of any dispute or claim arising out of, or relating to the Inspection or the Report, or any alleged negligent act or omission on Our part or on the part of the individual conducting the Inspection, either party may give written Notice of the dispute or claim to the other party. If the dispute is not resolved within twenty one (21) days from the service of the written Notice then either party may refer the dispute or claim to a mediator nominated by Us. The cost shall be met equally by both parties or as agreed as part of the mediated settlement. Should the dispute or claim not be resolved by mediation then one or other of the parties may refer the dispute or claim to the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators of Australia who will appoint an Arbitrator who will resolve the dispute by arbitration. The Arbitrator will also determine what costs each of the parties are to pay.

A MORE INVASIVE PHYSICAL INSPECTION IS AVAILABLE AND RECOMMENDED