How Much Should You Expect to Pay for Pre-Purchase Building Inspection Services?

15 October 2021
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog

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When you take into account how large of an investment purchasing a house is, you will quickly realise that you need to take all measures necessary to ensure that you are not paying for a defective property. And one of the best ways of doing so is by enlisting pre-purchase building inspection services. While some individuals are under the impression that these services will simply inflate their overall property acquisition costs, the truth of the matter is that a building inspection can go a long way in saving you money in the long run. Not only do these inspections work to identify potential safety hazards that would need to be tackled, but they will also pinpoint structural defects in the property. Hence, with a building inspection report, you can choose to negotiate the buying price of the property or forgo it altogether. But how much will this cost you? Check out the following aspects that would influence the costs of a pre-purchase building inspection report.

Which type of building inspection will be performed?

What some people are unaware of is the fact that building inspections are available in two main types — a basic inspection and a specialised inspection. While specialised building inspections tend to cost more, you should know that this option will provide you with more value for money, and this can be credited to the fact that basic inspections are not comprehensive. As the name suggests, this type of inspection will only touch on a few aspects of the home. Thus, while you may have a general idea of the condition of the home, you will not be completely informed of the entire picture. This is not the same with specialised inspections. Unlike their basic counterparts, this type of building inspection will analyse everything about the home from the foundation to the roofing. Resultantly, you are at minimal risk of having to undertake repairs and restorations on your own down the road.

What experience does the building inspector have?

The second thing that you should know about pre-purchase building inspections is that not all inspectors will have the same degree of expertise in this field. Hence, the type of expertise that you enlist will also influence the overall cost of your pre-purchase building inspection. If you are looking to save on costs, you could choose to hire a general contractor. While this professional is capable of analysing the condition of the property, you should know that their expertise is limited to a basic inspection. Alternately, if you would prefer an exhaustive inspection of the property, you may want to hire an engineer. These professionals know what to look for to make sure that the property you are buying does not have any major defects.