Home Buyers

Buying a home is one of the most significant decisions - and one of the biggest investments - you will ever make.

Are you:

Buying a previously owned house? (Click here)
Buying a newly built house ? (Click here)
Building or renovating ? (Click here)

Buying a previously owned house?

When buying a previously owned house you accept that not everything is perfect. But you also don’t need any nasty surprises in the future like unforeseen repair costs.

The purpose of our inspection report is to identify all the existing defects, understand their implications and know what it would cost if you were to repair them. The costing helps to place the condition of the home into perspective and aids in budgeting for remedial repairs.

Our report is not a checklist or computer software generated report. Each report is written from scratch, specific to each property.

A few misconceptions about our inspections need to be cleared up:

The representative sent out by a bank is simply an evaluator (and not an inspector) looking to protect the interest of the bank by making sure that the property is worth the mortgage amount. The bank sometimes does not send anyone at all if it believes that the risk is small - this is their prerogative. The bank's evaluator does not check that you're getting a good or fair deal.
The Inspect-A-Home inspector does not evaluate or assess the value of a property. The Inspector does not recommend to the client whether or not to purchase the property. The exact purchase price is irrelevant to the Inspector and our pricing is not based on the value of a property.
With all due respect to estate agents, no matter how experienced they may be, they do not have the knowledge, expertise or experience required to identify and evaluate defects like an Inspect-A-Home inspector can. Estate agents are supposed to inform the buyer of defects disclosed to them by the seller, but often even the seller is not aware of some of the defects on the property.

Given that all houses require maintenance, our report reveals the more serious (potentially expensive) defects that may not have been disclosed by the seller. This new information can be used to negotiate a better price, or have the repairs done before occupation or in extremely rare cases, if the defects are substantial, to possibly cancel the agreement. The inspection report cannot be used to escape any offer to purchase agreement. The report will always be objective and factual.

The inspections are thorough, taking approximately 2-3 hours to completely inspect a standard 3 bedroom house, and cover every aspect of the property from the roof to the outside boundary walls.

The following areas/components are inspected but are not limited to:

External: Roof, flashing, gutters, roof cavity, plumbing in the roof cavity, geyser installation compliance, eaves, super structure, windows, doors, balconies and patios.

Internal: Floor covering, skirtings, windows, doors, walls, cupboards, fittings, cornices, ceiling. Bathrooms: shower, bath, basins, toilet, tiling, fittings.

Outbuildings etc.: Staff quarters, storerooms, garages, swimming pool, water runoff, storm water drainage, gates, boundary walls.

It is advisable to obtain plans of the property and make these available to the inspector so we can also confirm that no unapproved building additions or alterations have been made.

We not only report on visible defects, but give preventative and maintenance advice as well. If we find something that we know from our experience can be problematic in the future, we will report on it, and if our advice is followed this may save thousands of rands in future repair costs.

The value of the rectification work on most, if not all of our inspections, is inevitably more than the price of the inspection, so the inspection effectively pays for itself.

So that the home buyer does not spend unnecessary money on home inspections, we advise them to add the clause: “Offer subject to a favourable inspection report by Inspect-A-Home”. If the purchase offer is accepted, we are called to do the inspection. We will arrange access with the relevant estate agent or owner when we are given those details. An inspection takes approximately 2-3 hours on a standard 3 bedroom house, and after the inspection is completed, the Inspect-A-Home inspector will phone the client and give a verbal summary of defects found. The written report is then compiled and submitted to the client within 72 hours. The report is strictly confidential and issued to the client only. If the client wants further copies to present to the estate agent or seller, that is their prerogative, and this can be supplied at no extra charge.

Buying a newly built house?

When buying a newly built house, you normally assume that your builder has done everything correctly, hasn’t taken any short cuts, and has used the correct building materials and methods. Horror stories that appear in the media all too regularly show that many home builders do take the short cuts and use substandard materials.

Bad building practices, incorrect building materials, scarce and unskilled tradesmen, as well as poor supervision and lack of attention to detail, lead to the new owner facing massive repair bills a few years down the line that would not have been necessary if things were done correctly in the first place.

We have found that contractors seldom see their previous projects years down the line and don’t adjust their building techniques, methods and materials to minimise maintenance. This almost always ends up costing the homeowner considerable additional expense.

When spending the serious amount of money one does on a newly built home, one wants to be sure everything is done correctly. To this end, we strongly recommend Inspect-A-Home Building Progress Inspections (Quality Control) to guide you through the entire process so that defects can be rectified as they are identified. We will police the building site for you during the entire construction process and advise the builder timeously of any problems. Also, inspection by a professional inspector before hand-over can be extremely informative and helpful in ensuring you get what you have paid for. (see Inspection / Services)

You have spent a large amount of money on building your new home and you are most probably going to live in it for a very long time. Why shouldn’t it be perfect? Why can’t it look like the brochure or the show house?

We will make sure that you are made aware of all the defects and how they can be correctly repaired so that you get the dream home you first imagined.

Frequently asked Questions (FAQs)

Am I not covered by the NHBRC’s warranty if things go wrong?

What does the NHBRC warranty cover?

Building or renovating?

Homeowners need to be particularly cautious when embarking on additions or renovations.

There are many smooth talking, unscrupulous builders that give the industry a bad name.

We strongly recommend that you contact as many references as possible for projects that the builder you have chosen has done recently, that are similar to yours. Also insist on older references (12 – 18 months), as many problems only manifest long after the builders have left the site.

Make sure the specifications for the project are given in writing and that both parties are clear on what is expected. The specifications/quote must include such detail as the finishes right down to rubble removal. The more detail obtained, the less chance there is for misunderstandings and disputes later on. Ensure that a completion date is specified and that you have some recourse if the project is not completed on time. Do not pay the outstanding balance for the complete project before it has been fully checked by our inspector.

For ultimate peace of mind, have Inspect-A-Home do regular progress inspections in the case of a larger project, (see Building Progress Inspection - Quality Control) or have a snag list type inspection done before issuing final payment. Make sure the builder knows you are going to get objective reports from Inspect-A-Home before issuing final payment.

Our involvement is very well received by reputable builders, who normally welcome our suggestions and constructive criticism. Ultimately they should want the same thing - a good quality final product and a happy customer.