Things That Fail a Home Inspection and How to Prevent Them
A home inspection in Sydney is an in-depth evaluation of all the major components of a house. It can take up to four hours for one inspector to complete, and it may include checking things like plumbing, electrical wiring, air conditioning, insulation, foundation issues (if applicable), roofing materials and more. After the inspection is completed, you will receive a report that outlines what was found during the inspection.
Some things that may fail a home or building inspection in Sydney include:
- The property is missing key documentation, like a certificate of occupancy or an inspection report. Without these documents you will be unable to obtain the necessary financing for your home purchase.
- There are outstanding issues with water damage in basements and attics that may lead to mould growth if left untreated. If there was significant flooding it could also mean structural problems with the foundation. Make sure that any leaks have been repaired before moving forward on purchasing this property.
- Electrical wiring does not meet local codes, which can cause hazardous conditions throughout the house, especially if outlets have no ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). You should never move into a new home without having all electrical components inspected by a professional electrician first.
- Structural issues such as loose or cracked beams, uneven floors that indicate foundation problems and the presence of mould can all lead to a failed inspection.
- Ventilation issues such as problems with the furnace, air conditioner and duct system can cause a home inspection fail if not fixed.
- Pest problems such as termite infestations, rodents, cockroaches and other bugs can cause a home inspection fail if not handled.
If any one of these issues is detected, then it’s important that they’re taken care of promptly because failing an inspection will affect both your purchase agreement with the seller and their ability to sell the house within a reasonable amount of time, which could ultimately mean losing thousands on down payment money.
How can you ensure that you don’t fail a home inspection?
Make sure all the outlets in your home are working.
Make sure all the outlets in your home are working. This is very important because it’s shocking to find out after buying a new house that none of the electrical outlets work. Make sure they’re all functional before signing off on any paperwork, this will save everyone time and money down the road if inspections discover these issues later on.
-
Replace any broken light bulbs or fixtures.
Replacing any broken light bulbs or other fixtures before an inspection is very important. If they’re not fixed, it can lower the value of your property in an instant, and if you want to sell this house later on that’s definitely something you will have to deal with eventually.
It’s much easier just to fix these issues before anyone sees them than risk having a home inspector notice anything wrong when there are no lights working or that fixtures are broken. This will make sure everything looks well maintained which increases the chances someone might actually buy it.
-
Ensure there is no mould anywhere in your home.
Check for mould growth everywhere in your home. This is very important, and can be a big red flag for an inspector if they see it (plus the health risks mould brings to you and your family). If you do have any spots of mould just scrape them out with a screwdriver or something similar – don’t try scrubbing it off as that will disturb the spores more than anything.
You will want to clean up all clearly visible traces of this fungi before taking on another inspection so there’s no chance anyone might notice when walking through the door. This isn’t quite as easy during winter time either because it makes seeing where there may be hidden leaks even harder too, but at least storage spaces like under sinks are easier to check over.
-
Check for water damage on ceilings and walls, as well as leaking pipes.
Water damage can be a real problem during a home inspection, hence why it’s one of the top reasons for getting a failed pre-purchase inspection report in Sydney, but if you can spot leaks before they take hold then that will help prevent this.
-
Repair for any cracks in the foundation of your house.
Repairing any in the foundation can mean that you won’t have any issues with the home inspector finding major problems in your home. This is important because you don’t want to have any issues with the inspector when they are inspecting your house.
-
Fix leaky faucets and clogged drains to prevent a bigger problem down the line.
Fixing leaky faucets can be very easily done yourself, even if you are not a plumber. Fixing clogged drains can be done as well with just the proper tools. Don’t forget that this gives you more money in your pocket when it comes time to repair bigger issues down the line.