New homes & Termite zones
An increasing number of councils across Australia are seeing the value in designating residential zones as termite prone areas in an effort to help local communities avoid costly repairs and horror surprises in the future.
Victoria is the only Aus...
Read moreBeware Of Unqualified Building Inspections
How to avoid unqualified building inspections? In a Fairfax article, Chris Dyce, president of the Australian Society of Building Consultants, says go with experienced building inspectors. Make sure they’ve work experience in the industry and don’...
Read moreBlocked Guttering- One of the most Common Pre-Purchase Defects
Blocked gutters are one of the main defects found during a pre purchase inspection and is also one of the easiest to fix and prevent. Doing something as simple as keeping your gutters clean can save you thousands of dollars in maintenance costs in th...
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 moreWhat Victoria’s New Tenancy Laws Mean For Landlords
Victoria’s new tenancy laws mean that landlords need to pay extra attention to basic standards, especially relating to health and safety. These include (but are not limited to) providing functioning heaters, stoves and even deadlocks. Furthermore, ...
Read moreHow To Avoid Renovation Traps
Renovations done right can pay off. Literally. That said there are some serious traps to avoid.
Potential problems from wiring to asbestos issues often come up especially in older houses, so it’s important to seek professional help. Jim’s Buil...
Read moreThe Science Of Inspections
There’s a science to property inspections. Seriously. Because while your average inspector can and does spot problems, a trained inspector can find problems behind problems and other easy-to-miss issues.
What’s more, he or she is less likely t...
Read moreThe Politics Of Smoke Alarms
From 1993 to 2015, CSIRO conducted tests on smoke alarms but the public is yet to read the findings. This comes at a time when activists want ionised smoke alarms banned due to alleged issues with response times to common fires. In America, the alarm...
Read moreTips For First Home Buyers.
With government policy and a market that has cooled in recent times, the opportunities for first home buyers is really exciting. The dream of buying your first home is becoming a reality. There are however so many factors to look out for before you r...
Read moreIs your house cracking up?
Is your house cracking up?
A long, spidery vein is inching its way across the dining room wall. It seems to be spreading even as you stare at it! You’re sure it wasn’t there yesterday! So what does this mean and how can it be fixed?
Don’t...
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