Ready to buy a property in Hastings? With more than 5000 happy customers, we’ve been providing Building and Pest Inspections to home buyers in Hastings since 2010. We deliver affordable, detailed pre-purchase Building and Pest inspection reports by a licenced builder – with a 3 day turnaround. Our customer reviews show what Building and Pest Inspection Melbourne customers love the most.
Keep reading to find out what we inspect and why our comprehensive Building and Pest Inspection reports are the best.
We promise to have your building and pest report within a maximum of 3 business days from the time you book with us.
Your comprehensive building and pest report with photos is emailed on the same day as your inspection.
We'll follow up with a no-nonsense breakdown of the findings of your report to ensure you understand the report's findings
Your Inspector is an experienced, fully insured and licensed building and pest inspector.
Our inspectors are limited to a maximum 3 inspections per day for quality control.
Very reasonable prices keep us constantly in demand with new customers and referrals.
Many of our customers are referred by buyer’s agents, mortgage brokers & conveyancers.
Our experienced staff go beyond your expectations and provide valuable advice on if the property is likely to contain asbestos, estimated cost of repairs and even building advice if you are considering renovating.
If you’re buying a property, there are generally two experts on your side, your conveyancer and your Building and Pest Inspector. Conveyancers trust our reports and refer their clients to our inspection service because it has been refined over the years to deliver all you need, plus anything else you desire, for complete peace of mind, BEFORE you make an unconditional offer on a house.
To book we just need your first name, mobile & email, inspection address, agent name & number.
We contact the agent to arrange access then we email you the confirmation details.
Our Building Inspectors are experienced & fully insured Licenced Builders.
Our Building Inspection is a visual inspection of all accessible areas of the interior, roof void, sub-floor & exterior of the property to detect safety hazards, major defects, minor defects & general maintenance.
Our Pest Inspectors are qualified with full Professional Indemnity insurance.
We do a thorough visual inspection of all accessible areas including the interior, roof void, sub-floor, & exterior of the property for termites & termite damage using state of the art Termite Detection technology, including a moisture meter and a thermal tool to detect termite movement in the walls.
NOTE: Moisture is the cause of ALL termite problems. We apply our Moisture Meter extensively to identify leaks and dampness issues, commonly found in the wet areas.
We take time to explain our findings clearly and simply. Your inspector will speak directly with you after the inspection in person or by phone. You are welcome to call the inspector back after reading your reports.
We will discuss any MAJOR ISSUES with you to help you make any important decisions such as negotiating on price, asking for defects to be repaired or terminating the contract.
Our comprehensive Building & Pest Inspection report gives you the Peace of Mind and knowledge you need to complete, renegotiate, or terminate, this property purchase with confidence. One or more photos are included to highlight each defect.
WATER IS, hands down, the #1 CAUSE OF COSTLY Building Defects and ALL Termite Problems. We heavily utilize our moisture meters to identify problems relating to leaking and dampness issues, most commonly found in wet areas.
We conduct the electrical checks that we can by law, including turning on light switches to check for flickering; the condition of the meter box; plus the presence of smoke alarms and safety switches.
Our plumbing checks include flushing toilets to check function and drainage; plus the gutters and downpipes for rust, damage and blockages. We also turn on taps to check for hammering and poor drainage.
In the yard we note defects to boundary fences and gates, the clothesline, garden shed, paths, driveways and retaining walls. The yard is more often less well maintained with more major defects and safety hazards found.
On the roof exterior we check the condition of cladding, fascia/barge boards, flashings, gutters and downpipes, the soffit/eaves and valleys. Broken tiles, rust and water damage are noted. Fungal growth is a sign that water is pooling
Masonry walls are closely examined for defects such as bricks fretting, cracking, damp damage, differential damage, inadequate joint sealant, mortar eroding, blocked vents, visible flashings and weep hole ventilation.
In the exterior, we note the condition of paint, any damp damage or cladding defects; maintenance items for outdoor structures including decks, balconies, patios, verandahs or pergolas; plus defects and safety hazards relating to handrails, steps, stairs and ramps.
In the interior, all rooms are inspected for building defects to the ceiling, doors, floor, painting, walls and windows. We carefully check if the floors are levels, windows and doors function normally and other signs of movement relating to major structural defects.
In the laundry and kitchen, we also note visible defects to bench tops, doors, drawers and cabinets; sinks, splashbacks, taps and waste traps. The range hood fan is tested for function. Common defects include failed or inadequate waterproofing plus leaking taps and pipes.
Built elements that commonly have defects due to wear and tear in bathrooms include the vanity, basin, bath, mirror, shower, shower screen, splashbacks, taps, waste traps, toilet cistern and pan. Ventilation, and exhaust fan function, is noted.
In the roof space we identify any issues relating to coverage, framing, insulation, parti wall and sarking. We commonly find insufficient insulation, even in new homes. Even when there is sufficient insulation we try our best to enter the roof void to traverse all accessible areas.
For structural reasons, it is very important to check the condition of bearers, joists, piers or stumps; note any cracked or leaking pipes, dampness, ventilation or drainage issues. We recommend removal of debris or stored items that encourage termites and other pests including rodents!
Our pre purchase Pest Inspection investigates for signs of termite damage, live termites and conducive conditions that could lead to termite attack. We report on whether the property has a current termite management system and we advise what you can do to reduce the risk of termite attack to protect your valuable asset
In Hastings, your Council may designate areas within the municipality in which buildings are likely to be subject to attack by termites.
The Regulations require all new buildings, including alterations and extensions, built within designated termite-infested areas, to have management against termite attack.
So when you buy a well-established home in a declared termite area does it increase your risk of having termites attack?
The short answer is no, because Building and Pest Inspection Melbourne have found termites in suburbs all over Melbourne. Yes, all of Melbourne is at risk of termite attack IF conducive conditions exist at your property.
For many property owners, termites are their worst nightmare. They can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage and decrease the value of your property.
One of the most common species of termites that causes major damage in the Hastings area is Coptotermes. This species can search for food for up to 50 metres from their nest and are attracted to wet timber.
Coptotermes can be found nesting at the base of trees, but have also been known to build nests in sub-floors or other areas that have poor ventilation or drainage.
To help a termite inspector locate possible termite infestation, it’s important to remove any obstructions surrounding the sub-floor, slab edge or weep holes. It’s also important to remove any vegetation before the inspection. The inspector will inspect the full exterior and interior perimeters of your property for any termites crawling up stumps, external walls or over the edge of the slab into weep holes.
Building and Pest inspectors can also locate termites using more non-invasive techniques. These include our moisture meter and Termatrac with thermal radar. If a damp area in your property is identified, we use the Termatrac to find out if there are termites present inside the walls.
When you buy a home, a Building and Pest clause should be in place as a condition of the contract. This clause enables you to employ a qualified building and pest inspector to generate a report within a time period and avoid purchasing a property with significant building defects or termite infestation.
With standard contracts you also have a three day cooling off period. At Building and Pest Inspection Melbourne we guarantee that your report will be completed within three days of booking your inspection, so reach out to us as soon as your offer is accepted by the vendor.
If the property is going to auction, your only option is to inspect PRIOR to making a BID. Some buyers and vendors prefer to do the Building and Pest inspection before signing any contracts to avoid the need for a subject to Building and Pest clause in the contract. If conditional finance is also approved or it is a cash sale, this removes contract risk.
