‘Piece of mind’ is the main reason to have a pre-purchase building and pest inspection done.
“I’ve found the right home. This is the one for us. We love it. It’s perfect! There’s not much to do, right. Those little things, they’ll be ok. What if I get an inspection done and they find something? I love this home. I don’t want to have to find another one!”
How many times have we heard this?
The real question is; Can I afford NOT to have an inspection?
Emotions aside let’s look at the home purchase from another angle.
How much would this place cost if I needed to do a lot of repairs? Let’s look at some simple examples:
What if the bathroom shower is leaking? This usually requires the replacement of waterproofing. That’s a big job. The average bathroom shower repair turns into a bathroom replacement. This can be from $1,200 to 12,000.
Now this shower leak has attracted termites into the home. What will that cost? Well, trying to determine the cost to repair a termite damaged home is a lottery. If the damage is limited to the areas around the bathroom, then there may be some structural framing replacement costing less that a few thousand.
If the termites have gone to the roof frame, then that can be a major cost. In fact, knowing about this termite damage before you buy would be a great reason to not proceed with the purchase.
It’s a good idea to think about when you may want to sell the property, in 5 or 10 years? What would the next purchaser think? To know the issues before you buy now can help you plan.
Understanding the big and small issues and what is a deal closer or a deal breaker.
An inspection also gives a bigger picture of the property. Have there been any changes or additions affecting the structure?
The price of an expert building inspection is not much to pay to ensure it’s a solid structure you’re buying, a home that can be handed down to family in the future if needed.
This may be the one big decision you will make earlier on in life and will affect you later.
Will this property gain in value or become a money pit? A professional building and pest inspection small price to pay for ‘peace of mind’.