House inspections are the wise route to take

Never commit to buying a property before first commissioning a home inspection. Doing otherwise may see you end up carrying heavy repair costs.

Home inspections are not a new concept in South Africa, but property hunters have been relatively unaware of the service.

In many cases home inspections are avoided, but it could save home buyers thousands of rands.

John Graham of home inspection company House Check, says buyers are often pennywise but pound foolish when it comes to home inspections.

“Buyers afterwards regret not having had a home inspection commissioned. The process could highlight problems before they commit to buying the property,” he said.

A home inspection is not the same as a valuation by an estate agent or bank valuer, and serves to provide a detailed inspection report of the condition of all the various components of the property.

A professional home inspection examines:

• The roof and roof cavity
• Walls, floors and ceilings
• Doors, windows and cupboards
• Drainage
• Plumbing, electrical and gas installation systems
• Visible portions of the foundations
• Exterior features such as paving, boundary walls and gates, swimming pools and lapas

“A professional inspector identifies any issues and suggests remedial action, also indicating costs of repairs,” said Graham.

“Obvious building regulations or law violations should also be identified.”

Should problems be revealed, buyers can discuss options for resolving them with the sellers.

A comprehensive report for a typical three-bedroom home with two bathrooms could cost about R4 200.

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