Professional Building Inspections in Brisbane
Brisbane's best building and pest inspectors
Are you in the process of purchasing a property and need a building and pest inspection? Perhaps you have concerns about a property you currently own or reside in? A1 Building and Pest Consultancy offer affordable and detailed Brisbane building and pest inspections to rapidly deliver essential information when you need it most.
Our team of highly skilled and experienced building and pest inspectors offer thorough inspections that enable potential property owners and existing owners to make informed decisions. No matter the condition of the property we offer judgement-free, honest reporting that protects you from risk.
Up to one in three homes in Australia has had termites at some time in its history. To avoid the pitfalls of a pest infestation such as termites or structural damage caused by them or other factors, you need the best pre-purchase inspection possible. This means working with the best to again unbiased opinion and technical expertise- call A1 Building and Pest Consultancy today.
Why Arrange A Building And Pest Inspection?
Building and pest inspections offer a great deal of insight into a property. For existing homeowners, these reports can help you determine if there are hidden issues at your property. This can help you prepare your home for sale and resolve any concerns that may lower the sale price through remedial works. As a potential purchaser, these reports give you a clear picture of what is going on beyond the look and appeal of a property.
A pre-purchase building inspection and pest inspection can highlight or expose safety hazards, infestations of pests both current or past, structural damage and more.
This ensures that you are in possession of all the facts and can walk away from a property if necessary before you are too involved. Investing in purchase building and pest reporting saves you time, money and stress in the long run.
In short, a pest and building inspection can support you to:
Gain advanced insights into potential issues a property may have or has had in the past
Negotiate a better price for a property by leveraging the required repair costs against the requested sale price.
Seek out professional advice on how any issues could impact the property in the future and outline what the risks are should you proceed.
What Does A Building Inspector Do?
As licensed and professionally trained specialists, our Brisbane building and pest inspectors work to determine buildings structural soundness. Through a thorough inspection, they seek any major defects that could impair the safety and longevity of a property.
They will also check that the property is in compliance with contractual specifics and all building industry codes. Their findings are then outlined in a detailed building report.
What Are Building Inspectors Looking For?
During a lengthy visual inspection process, your Brisbane property will be reviewed, this includes the interior and exterior of the building, the roof space, under-floor space and roof exterior. They will be looking for any signs of concern and will check:
- Whether all doors and windows can be opened.
- That there are smoke detectors in place (visual inspection only).
- That all built-in cupboard and cabinet doors open and close properly.
- For water leaks, both active or for past evidence of issues.
- For signs of mould or rising damp, even where it may have been painted over in efforts to hide its presence.
- That floors, walls and ceilings are free of warps, bulges or sagging.
- Retaining walls.
- Exterior walls, noting any cracks in bricks, mortar or evidence of subsidence.
- The safety and age of the circuitry. This includes checking the presence of a safety switch which is required by law.
- Safety hazards such as staircases not built to code, flooring (slip hazards), balustrades that are broken or too low and more.
- The roof frame, roofing materials, guttering and drainpipes for damage or evidence of leaks. For optimal viewing, A1 Building And Pest Consultancy utilise a drone to inspect all roofs up to 30 meters in height.
- The subfloor or beneath the property for adequate ventilation and drainage measures.
What We Don’t Offer
Please be aware that a licensed building inspector is engaged for the purpose of checking structural aspects of a property and will generally not be checking:
- Swimming pools.
- Air conditioning functionality and compressors.
- Whether there are working smoke alarms.
- Taps or plumbing for function, leaks, rust or damage.
- Gas fittings.
Should during the course of our building inspections in Brisbane we notice an area of concern we don’t usually report on, we may still mention it in passing. Anything that is non-structural however, is not legally required to be inspected or noted. This is why you should always carry out a visual inspection of your own and thoroughly check the areas noted above also.
Specific requests such as pool safety inspections can be carried out as part of our building inspection process when required.
Most importantly, a building inspector cannot make guarantees about the structural soundness of a property. Their role is to detect and alert you to defects that may or might be related to any structural movement or instability and advise accordingly.
- That any toilets are operational and without fault.
- The hot water system for signs of rust or leaks.
- For the presence of asbestos.
- Zoning regulations
- Appliances.
The combination of a personal inspection alongside our professional services is the best way to ensure all elements of a property are checked for safety and functionality.
What Does A Pest Inspector Do?
Similar to a building inspection report, a pest inspector reviews timber floors, walls, window and door frames, doors, cabinets, crawl spaces, roof frames, eaves, and foundations. Rather than looking for structural concerns, they are expertly trained to spot evidence of pest infestations or termite damage.
Even the most well-hidden termite activity can often be discovered through our pest inspections Brisbane. In addition to a visual inspection, our experienced inspectors may also use advanced technology such as Termatrac motion detectors which can find live termites inside wall and floor cavities, moisture meters, and/or a thermal imaging device.
What Are Pest Inspectors Looking For?
During an inspection, our Brisbane inspectors are looking for signs of pests and also noting any evidence of past pest problems. Not only looking for termites, our quality reports include details of any other pests such as ants, spiders, cockroaches, fleas, bed bugs and more. While the presence of these insects may not indicate an infestation or major concern, it is important to note them in any case.
In pre-purchase Brisbane building and pest inspections, we go a step further than your standard pest inspection. Alongside details of visible damage or presence of pests, we also note risk factors for future infestations.
An example of a risk factor would be pooling water, poor drainage or ventilation beneath the home. Termites thrive in damp, humid conditions so this scenario would be a prime location for an infestation to begin. This information can help you take preventative action should you proceed with a purchase and therefore hopefully avoid pest problems down the line.
Our highly skilled experts will look for a number of signs to identify pest infestations, either active or in the past including:
- Evidence of rodent or possum activity (nests, dropping etc)
- Dead pests such as cockroaches or ants inside cupboards
- Faeces, track marks, discarded wings.
- Pest-related odours caused by urine, droppings, discarded food waste etc.
- Frail or damaged wood and holes in timber.
- Nests both inside and outside the property.
- Live insect activity such as flying termites or ant trails.
Detailed investigation
Our review includes details of whether there is a current termite management system in place or whether there are any telltale signs related to current or old termite damage. Where required, we may prescribe invasive investigation to the areas in question through the use of specialised Boroscope cameras.
Our combined Brisbane building pest inspection services are incredibly detailed. We work hard to pick up signs other inspectors may miss, ensuring your Brisbane property purchase is made with full disclosure of any pest-related risks.
Are Pest Inspections And Termite Inspections The Same Thing?
No, termite inspections are specifically for the purpose of checking for and identifying termite activity.
Timber pest inspections are carried out as part of a building pest inspection and go into detail regarding the presence of any pests rather than just termites. This means that any signs of rats, fleas, cockroaches, bed bugs, spiders, possums, ants and more will all be noted at the time of inspection.
Australian Standards such as AS 4349.3 outline the standard of practice for a timber pest inspection and what is expected to be reviewed during the inspection. At A1 Building and Pest Consultancy, we adhere to these standards at all times.
How Do I Prepare For A Brisbane Building And Pest Inspection?
To enable building inspections in Brisbane to be carried out in a timely and efficient manner, all doors, cabinets and access points should be readily accessible.
Taking steps to prepare your home for our attendance allows for more effective and detailed reporting whereby areas of concern can be easily identified and addressed. The time required to carry out an inspection will be greatly influenced by how accessible the areas to be inspected are.
Should a necessary area not be accessible due to clutter or an overgrown garden, this could lead to the report being incomplete. In some instances, we may be unable to accommodate the reporting at all if we deem vital areas for inspection inaccessible. Therefore, to allow us to make the best possible assessment of a property we ask that you prepare accordingly.
Indoors this will mean removing any clutter or furniture that impedes access. Outdoors, trees and shrubs should be trimmed and grass mowed.
What To Expect During The Inspection
Our Brisbane building and pest inspectors are licensed and fully trained to carry out expert pre-purchase inspections. Our team are polite, respectful and committed to carrying out inspections as quickly and quietly as possible to minimise disruption to property owners.
The inspection will begin with a walkthrough of the property both inside and out followed by a more detailed inspection carried out via the below process:
- Structural defects will be noted and recorded first.
- Wet Areas assessments are carried out second, including bathrooms, kitchen and laundry, checking for any signs of leaks.
- A thorough check for concealed termite damage or active termites, including roof voids, under floors, within cupboards and other known sites where pests frequent
- Inspection of roofs, checking for leaking roofs including flashing and penetration points failure.
- Retaining wall conditions.
During our time at a property, we request that someone remain on-site, this ensures the safety of our staff and yourself while also ensuring we can gain access to any locked areas on the property.
You can expect an inspection to last between one to two hours. The exact duration of the inspection will vary dependent on the size of the property and ease of access.
After The Inspection
Following an inspection, a detailed report will be completed and delivered to you within 48 hours. Should the report be needed sooner, this can be negotiated also. At the close of the report, the property will be given a rating relevant to its age and condition. Your written report will offer an unbiased, easily understood and fair appraisal of the home and the presence of any pests.
We are committed to delivering essential information to homeowners or prospective owners. We understand these reports may be confusing or overwhelming and welcome further questions should clarification be required.