The home building inspection and report are carried out as per Australian Standard AS4349.1, covering residential buildings, including: · Townhouses or row housing · Freestanding houses · Semi-detached houses, · Multi-unit residential buildings, and · Villas LTAL provides an assessment of the accessible areas of the property, such as the exterior and interior walls, all rooms, and outbuildings, including fences, accessible subfloor areas, roof surfaces within safety guidelines and roof voids. The LTAL home building inspection report covers · Structural issues such as deformation, dampness, timber pest damage or cracking and movement problems · Conditions leading to structural damage, such as trees and shrubs, corrosion, lack of subfloor ventilation, defective plumbing, roof plumbing and flashings, and damage due to inappropriate work carried out by tradesmen. · Property additions and improvements · Serious safety hazards · Major defects in the non-structural elements of the building · Signs of timber pests, including fungal decay and wood borers and termites (evidence of location and extent of activity and damage) · Evidence of existing termite management programs · Conditions that lead to timber pest attacks, such as excessive moisture, untreated or non-durable timber and inadequate subfloor ventilation

A home building inspection is a worthwhile investment in your home-buying process. We recommend you attend the house building inspection and talk to our qualified building inspector once the inspection is finished. We can show you the defects and the background as to why the damage has occurred and how best to overcome and or prevent issues in the future. Written reports can be difficult to grasp whereas an interactive discussion with the defect in sight will be remembered. You might want to ask us some questions such as: · “Is there any pest activity and how serious is the damage?” · “Is there any damage from past pest activity that has not been rectified?” · “What immediate maintenance issues does the property have?” · “What ongoing maintenance issues should I be aware of?” · “How does the building compare with other similar buildings around the same age?” You can also use the time at the home building inspection to inspect some items of interest yourself, such as: · Dishwasher · Airconditioning · Ceiling fans · Stove, oven, and cooktop · Exhaust fans · Water taps and mixers (outside hose taps) · Tap spouts · Water filtration system · Plugs for sinks and basins · Hot water service · Heating unit · Pool pump · Garage door (is there a remote and does the door work?) · Smoke detectors · Rubbish bins (check that they are present and in good condition) · Door locks · Window locks · Curtains and blinds

The short answer is no. This is a timber pest inspection, which means that we are looking for active and past timber pests, such as Subterranean Termites, which cause significant damage to the building structure. We are also looking for leaks and high moisture in and around the building footprint and timber decay all of which attract Termites to the area. All termite management systems are designed and installed to force Termites into locations that their activity can be seen and treated with chemicals, and why we look for areas and locations that termites can conceal there entry points. If you suspect creepy crawly insects to the property once you purchased it, we recommend you engage a pest control service and talk to a qualified building inspector.

We try to establish extent of attack via non-destructive methods and where they are gaining access. For active termites it is important to leave them undisturbed and immediately chemically treat the area to eradicate the active Termites. If large amounts of damage are determined or extent of damage cannot be confirmed we will recommend “further investigation” or destructive inspection methods such as removing roof sheets or wall/ ceiling linings. The less disturbance to the termites activities the better % chance of getting an entire nest eradication exists. Termite activity in trees and gardens also needs to be treated as they are constantly in search of food and moisture and can easily and quickly spread to fences and building structures. Signs of termites include: · Wavy looking and weakened wood · Holes in the wall or furniture · Little spots of ‘mud’ on the wood · Hollow sounds when you knock on the wall

Mechanical and Electrical equipment is not checked/ tested as part of a home building inspection. It is always recommended that a Qualified Electrician check electrical safety for the property to all equipment fittings and fixtures. AC units are specialised equipment that require ongoing maintenance and cleaning and require a complete test and running operation for confirmation of condition. Smoke detectors are installed and maintained by Electricians and also are not checked or tested as part of a Building inspection as per AS4349.1 Before purchasing the property, we recommend that you write a list with items you would like to check, such as: · Dishwasher · Airconditioning · Ceiling fans · Stove, oven, and cooktop · Exhaust fans · Water taps and mixers (outside hose taps) · Tap spouts · Water filtration system · Plugs for sinks and basins · Hot water service · Heating unit · Pool pump · Garage door (is there a remote and does the door work?) · Rubbish bins (check that they are present and in good condition) · Door locks · Window locks · Curtains and blinds You can switch appliances on and off and take a look at the items in general, to form a decision whether you need a professional to take a closer look and determine further action.

We always aim for a quick turnaround time. It generally takes around 24 hours for you to receive your written reports. We can also arrange special requests for tight/ urgent time frames and we always endeavour to get your answers addressed promptly so that you can focus on your purchase without any concern for building and pest worries.

In the first instance call us and talk through your concerns with our qualified building inspector. The reports contain a lot of detailed information, and it is best to talk to us directly, so you fully understand the defect and the ramifications in the future for you as the owner. We are always happy to help explain the contents and take away the fear of the unknown whenever possible.

Under AS4349.1 we cannot offer $ values on work highlighted in the report nor recommend trade contractors to carry out repairs/upgrades. This helps to prevent unprofessional behaviour in the industry. The report will include the trade group needed to be involved in repair including engineers for very serious issues down to landscapers for tree trimming. Depending on the report contents an extension of time can be requested to allow additional time to have contractors review and price options to carry out rectifications so you are not preceding blind into settlement. Alternatively, negotiations with the agent/ seller can resolve cost issues being mindful that the dwellings are used and it is fair wear and tear in some instances.