Queensland

What Does Jim Know About Building Inspections Anyway?

ACTUALLY, QUITE A BIT MORE THAN WE EVER REALISED! We recently discovered that Jim Penman’s dad was a forensic engineer. From an early age Jim’s father was investigating materials, structures and their components which failed o...
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The Dirt On Property Depreciation

What’s depreciation? In a nutshell, it’s an allowance under tax laws in Australia for investors. It means they can claim deductions for expenditures in their property investments. Why depreciation? Even extremely well-built houses aren’t imm...
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Smoke Alarms - America's Move May Trigger Australian Action

It’s an important topic. Will moves in the United States regarding smoke alarms trigger a debate here? The dirt: As the ABC reported, new US smoke alarm laws look likely to drive ionisation alarms out of business – and an American expert has b...
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Blacklists For Potential Tenants? You Betcha!

Yes. Blacklisting tenants is a thing and may not be talked about because of shame-related issues. According to the ABC, a person can be blacklisted without even being aware. His or her name in such a case will pop up on tenancy databases meanin...
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The 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...
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Blocked 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...
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Rental Reforms To Hit Queensland

Queensland’s 40-year-old rental laws are under scrutiny. One big potential change: making it easier for tenants to own pets and more pressure to address repairs in a timely manner. Property owners, however, may have more powers in their hands to ch...
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10 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...
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To 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...
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Asbestos In The News

Think asbestos is old news – and not relevant in today’s society? Think again. Here’s one of many asbestos-related news stories. From the Western Advocate: WORK on Bathurst Tennis Centre’s new $800,000 clubhouse has come to a halt after...
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