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Home Inspections and Caveat Emptor. What's the Connection?

You've probably heard of the Latin term Caveat Emptor or "buyer beware"... but what exactly does it mean and how does it affect you?

According to Cornell University Law School, it’s “a doctrine that often places on buyers the burden to reasonably examine property before purchase and take responsibility for its condition, especially applicable to items that are not covered under a strict warranty.” It has been consistently applied in the property industry right across Australia.

Building Your New Home... Good News!

Up until now, the quality of your build has often been negatively affected by subcontractors employed and supervised by your builder not being incentivised to deliver the quality both you and your builder require. Only the principal contractor and not their subcontractors were held to be responsible for work. Disputes involving untradesmanlike work and unmet schedules have become rife within the residential building industry .

Home Buyer Beware

Understandably, many vendors are anxious to sell so that they can get on with the next phase in their lives, perhaps even on to their next home, pending the sale of their current property. Unfortunately, in their eagerness to sell, vendors may behave rashly in an attempt to present their property in its best possible light. As a buyer then, you need to be constantly on your guard for these tricks including:

The Building & Pest Inspection Clause in the New REIQ Houses & Land Contract

There is a popular misconception that getting a Building and Pest Inspection on the property you're buying is mandatory.

Quite to the contrary, just because there is clause 4.1 under Terms of the REIQ Houses and Land Contract, doesn't necessarily mean that you are obliged to follow through or even take it up. However, you would be extremely foolish not to.

A Building and Pest Inspection Doesn't Include a Pool Safety Inspection

If you've just purchased a property, no doubt you're nervously awaiting the results of your building and pest inspection. But there may be yet another inspection you need to have done particularly if the property has a pool or spa, a pool safety inspection is not normally included as part of a pre-purchase building and pest inspection as it must be conducted by a specialist licensed pool safety inspector.

Pre-Purchase checks for Potential Flooding when Buying a home

When purchasing a property you need to be mindful that severe weather events are becoming a fact of life in Brisbane which, being built upon a flood plain is prone to flooding especially during the summer storm season from November through to March. 

While you're doing your pre-purchase due diligence you might also like to consider Brisbane City Council's range of free tools and information to help you understand the property's potential flood risk.

Rectification of Building Work Change from 6 Month to 12 Months

According to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, on "20 June 2014, the Queensland Building and Construction Board made the Rectification of Building Work Policy which replaced the 6 month building inspection report.

If your building contractor has carried out defective building work they may be required to rectify that work irrespective of whether they did or did not comply with the contracted plans and specifications for your work.

The Importance of 11 month Warranty Inspections

According to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, on "20 June 2014, the Queensland Building and Construction Board made the Rectification of Building Work Policy.

For you, this means that if your building contractor has carried out defective building work they should be required to rectify that work irrespective of whether they did or did not comply with the contracted plans and specifications for your work.

Storm Affected Houses in Brisbane

A good time to have your building inspection conducted is a day or two after a storm has passed.  For Brisbane property - after the recent supercell storm in November that had hail and cyclonic winds it will give you a good idea about the structure of a house.  It will also allow our building inspectors to view any issues the house may have with:

Improve the Energy Efficiency In Your House

Home Owners are encouraged today to improve your energy efficiency through passive design.  This is possible through good ventilation in the warmer climates and insulation in the cooler climates. 

Air Flow

To improve air flow and air quality you should consider cross ventilation by having windows strategically placed in a home, within one room and from room to room.  As well, louver windows encourage ventilation by capturing any air flow around you house.  If ventilation isn't possible, consider installing ceiling fans to help with the air flow.

G20 To Affect Building Inspections in Brisbane City Council Area

Brisbane City Council has declared Friday 14th November a public holiday for the G20.  If your work place is located in the Brisbane City Council region (similar to the Ekka), then you are requested not to go to work.  The reason for this is to keep the roads clearer and help with security during the G20.

As well as the area around Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC) being restricted (including the hotel and restaurants and a large part of the CBD) – the RNA showgrounds and Suncorp Stadium will be restricted in the week leading up to 14 November.

Do The Block Contestants Order a Building Inspection?

With only a few weeks left on Channel 9's The Block, we've been wondering whether the amateur renovators are worried about getting their building & pest inspections.  We don't think it will be a problem as they've had qualified tradies helping them out and Keith overseeing all the structural work, but still, you'd hate to have to justify anything that's not up to scratch just before you go to Auction.

Building Renovations - Legal Ceiling Heights Can Affect Designs

When you're looking to purchase a home in Brisbane or other Queensland areas, one of the considerations is - can I extend or build-in underneath the house?  Many of the older style homes have what was originally a breeze way to allow better air ventilation for cooling as well as to keep termites away.  The structures didn't take into cosideration that you'd want to enclose the area for living space and therefore more often than not it is not the legal height.

Will Baby Boomers Affect the Property Market

RealestateVIEW recently conducted a study of how baby boomers think about the property market.  Only 34.4% of baby boomers think they can afford to stay in their own home.  This will result in many larger houses coming onto the market and smaller houses / town houses and units being bought quicker, thereby increasing the prices in the lower range.

The reasons given by baby boomers to move from their family home include:

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