Let’s face it, the building industry as a whole has a bad reputation. There are too many people out there who have suffered not only financially but emotionally as well. It is unfortunate because the really great and honest people involved in the industry get painted with the same brush. The reason for writing this post is to give you an idea as to why you need a home inspection done.

Firstly it’s a well-known fact in South Africa that we will pay greater attention to the detail of a second hand car than the condition of a home or property we want to purchase, this is absolutely ridiculous! If you consider the amount of capital required to buy, build or maintain a home, or the fact that property is an actual asset, why on earth would you not consider having an inspection done?

Now I know what you are thinking, the laws have changed with the new consumer protection act which basically states the seller/agent is obligated to disclose any defects, but let’s get real, a seller or agent is not going to climb up on the roof or in the ceiling to check for defects, and even if they did they don’t have the necessary background or training to give any opinion on the condition of any structure or system in the home.

As a buyer you could save a lot of time and money finding out the true condition of your prospective new home, you could use the reports to make an informed decision, you could even use the report to negotiate with the seller. As a seller it will give you the opportunity to repair any defects you can and a chance to determine any larger issues to be disclosed upfront, you will basically have a reference point by which to compare any other reports done by the buyer, which could prevent the loss of any sale.

Who should I get to do the inspection? That decision is basically up to you, however don’t just pay the first bloke you find in the paper to do it, do your homework people! I get really frustrated when I hear someone hired a contractor to do a job and the contractor was rubbish, if you don’t get references or ask for proof of certificates, there is no way of knowing who you are hiring. When you think you have found the right man for the job, go one step further, ask him what the inspection entails, how long it will take, what the costs involved are, what his experience is , has he got any certificates from a registered training authority. Make sure the contract you sign with him is up to scratch, any decent inspector should answer all your questions without hesitation because they want you as a client.

If you have an inspection done and no defects are found at least you will have peace of mind, which is all anybody really wants.