The following are the findings from Building, Pest and New Home inspections carried out around Melbourne and Bayside locations.
We inspected a brand new house recently. This home had no plumbing waste connected in the Ensuite. This was found when inspecting under the subfloor which was at a very shallow part of the house. This may have gone unnoticed for sometime as owner would not have thought to check this. Therefore the waste would have flowed into the natural earth causing all sorts of problems. Subsequently the builder was called and the waste pipes installed and connected. A mistake that could have been disastrous but fortunately picked up by Damien our Inspector. The point being made here is that even a new home can have problems.
We identified a Melbourne house bought for 1.9 million. There was extensive flooding damage through a broken pipe and poor drainage. This property is extremely conducive to timber decay and termite and pest activity.
We are finding more and more property owners storing timber cuts and debris under their homes. Along with unseen leaking pipes this area is a haven for termites.
Frankston/Mt Eliza area has become extremely popular for coptotermes which are a very aggressive termite and can cause a great deal of damage in a short period of time.
Whilst inspecting a roof cavity we found a truss cut out for a vent.This is just one of many examples of what appears to be a well maintained solid property. In this instance the roof is unsafe!
Recently I discovered a termite nest in a bay side weather board property the size of two soccer balls. Due to early detection we were able to control the termites and prevent the inevitable destruction of the dwelling resulting in a small termite treatment cost ($2000) and no structural damage to property.
After noticing a small hole in an architrave on a recent inspection we were able to discover termite damage which had extended from ground floor bottom plates and studs into first floor studs.
I am convinced that without detecting and treating the termite nest that this property would eventually collapse as it had very little support left. Repair cost estimated at $20,000
Relevant Reading
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