Inadequate Site and subfloor drainage
A sub-floor is the structure and crawl space between the lowest floor and the ground. High moisture levels in these areas promote fungal decay and other timber pests such as termites.
All sub-floors and crawl spaces should be considered as having ...
Read moreA Good Building Inspection Is Better Than An Expensive Cure
Put yourself in Hao’s shoes. He buys his dream home only to discover a buyer’s worst nightmare: most of his buildings are illegal.
As the Whittlesea Council says: His bungalow was constructed without a permit. And to add insult to financial in...
Read moreWhy 'The Block' Is More Than Just A Pretty Living Space
Sure, it’s pretty. No question. Her inner-city beachy location is also a big positive. But besides the prospect of rising property and house prices long-term there’s another reason why ‘The Block’ is more than just a pretty face on a reality ...
Read moreConcrete stumps are not immune to decay under extreme conditions.
Many elevated properties sit on some type of stump support whether it be timber , steel , masonry or concrete . Whist most people would consider concrete stumps to be maintenance free , this is far from the truth .
Recently one of our Building Inspe...
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 moreThings to consider when building your first home
You might decide that rather than buying an established property as your first home, it would better suit you to build.
Building your first home can be both an exciting and overwhelming experience. Building allows you to customise your home from t...
Read moreWHAT’S THE MOST COMMON BUILDING INSPECTIONS SIGNIFICANT DEFECT?
Over the past two years, the most common Significant defect found, is the damp shower. Modern showers are aesthetically pleasing and appear to be installed to the highest standard. However, countless showers have been found this year to have damp cor...
Read moreWhat 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...
Read moreAsbestos Concerns? Call The Experts
Here’s an all too familiar story from the Newcastle Herald: A Glendale property is demolished after its owners found deadly loose-fill asbestos insulation.
This type of asbestos was relatively popular in the1960s and 1970s.
Science now tells ...
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...
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