What Really Happens During A Home Building Inspection?

Have you ever wondered what happens after you book a pest and building inspection for a house you wish to buy?

Most purchasers don't get to be present on site when the inspection is taking place, because some inspectors (like the one we used) like to get on with their work without nosy people standing around asking questions.

I was fortunate that Buy-Wise is cool about these things.

On Wed, I had the opportunity to be a fly on the wall while they went about their inspection of a 30 y.o. house in our neighbourhood.

Even though I had permission to hang around and take photos, I still felt like I was being a bit of a nuisance/trespasser.

Thankfully, the lady who owns the house with her hubby was the chatty sort. She's Yugoslavian and doesn't speak much English, but we got on well enough.



That cute beagle you see is trained to sniff out termites.

His owner tells me the dog's more accurate than the latest thermal imaging technology, and gets it right more than 96% of the time.

Pity I arrived just after the dog had done its round of the interior of the house.

Look at this very tiny, very narrow cavity under the house.



Now watch what the inspector did.



Pest inspection is not a job for just anyone. You have to be

• slim of build
• not claustrophobic and
• not squeamish. Think of spiders, ants and other vermin getting in your hair. Eeewww.

I hope pest inspectors get paid well!

When the inspector reappeared (very slowly and carefully), he dusted his hair and work clothes off vigorously, and made his pronouncement: "No termites. But there is an ants' nest in there."

The house owner asked the very question I had in mind.

Why didn't the inspector send the dog into the cavity instead of himself? After all, the dog is the perfect size for crawling into tight spaces.

The inspector explained that owners sometimes put rat poison into these cavities, and that could harm the dog if it ate the poison.

I watched both inspectors take turns to climb into the roof cavity.



That's where the central heating and hot water pipes usually are.

I know ours conceals our central heating gas ducts (if that's the right word), because we once had our gas supply disconnected and the technician had to climb into the cavity to turn it back on.

The building inspector said the hot water system is really old and ready to give up the ghost, and recommended that the purchaser install an outdoor gas hot water tank.

At the end of the inspection, which took about 45 minutes, the inspectors gave their verbal assessment.

• No major structural defects
• No termite infestation, although there are borers*.

As a purchaser, that's what you want to hear before you pay your 10% deposit.

So, all's well for the would-be purchaser of this house.

*Borers are a type of beetle. Most houses in Aus (even new ones) are vulnerable to borer activity. It's something people put up with, because trying to identify every spot in the house where the borers are and removing them would be an impossible task.