VG008
Senior Member
Hi
Has anyone done a house inspection before purchasing? If so, can you recommend someone?
Thanks
Has anyone done a house inspection before purchasing? If so, can you recommend someone?
Thanks
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House Inspection
- Thread starter VG008
- Start date
I used someone in 2012 who I found on the internet. It was not a good experience.
Initially the service was excellent, you get a report with some pictures. Problem was that a lot of the stuff in the report was generic - initially I did not think much of it, cause there are only so many ways in which a report can describe that all is in order with the guttering, for example.
However, I am unsure whether the pictures of the heat maps done on the plumbing was of my actual property or generic pictures.
6 months later some problems became apparent that I would have expected the report to show. Issues with some rising damp, the top of the carport being rusted (which I found on Google maps satellite view ), but worst of all the main drain was clogged. I am convinced that the problem existed at the time of the inspection, but was not apparent as the previous owner had made a whole below the gully that drained the water into the flower bed. Hence the drain never overflowed and we assumed the flower bed was wet as a result of the geyser overflow draining in the same place.
And the problem is that you have no recourse to the company that did the inspection to claim for damages and the report then works against you as the seller refers to the report as their defence that you properly inspected the property before transfer.
The report only gave me a false sense of comfort that resulted in me not doing as thorough an inspection myself as I would have likely done if I had not made use of a company.
So, my advice is to tell the seller that you intend to do a thorough inspection yourself and that they should give you a time when they are available for the inspection. Get someone to climb in the roof if you can't yourself and take pictures of the trusses, wiring, light connections etc. Inspect the DB box yourself. Run the water from all taps. Open the manhole cover for the main drain and check that the water runs out in a flow that makes sense. Check the pool for cracks / bubbles. Get onto the roof and inspect valleys and gutters.
Initially the service was excellent, you get a report with some pictures. Problem was that a lot of the stuff in the report was generic - initially I did not think much of it, cause there are only so many ways in which a report can describe that all is in order with the guttering, for example.
However, I am unsure whether the pictures of the heat maps done on the plumbing was of my actual property or generic pictures.
6 months later some problems became apparent that I would have expected the report to show. Issues with some rising damp, the top of the carport being rusted (which I found on Google maps satellite view ), but worst of all the main drain was clogged. I am convinced that the problem existed at the time of the inspection, but was not apparent as the previous owner had made a whole below the gully that drained the water into the flower bed. Hence the drain never overflowed and we assumed the flower bed was wet as a result of the geyser overflow draining in the same place.
And the problem is that you have no recourse to the company that did the inspection to claim for damages and the report then works against you as the seller refers to the report as their defence that you properly inspected the property before transfer.
The report only gave me a false sense of comfort that resulted in me not doing as thorough an inspection myself as I would have likely done if I had not made use of a company.
So, my advice is to tell the seller that you intend to do a thorough inspection yourself and that they should give you a time when they are available for the inspection. Get someone to climb in the roof if you can't yourself and take pictures of the trusses, wiring, light connections etc. Inspect the DB box yourself. Run the water from all taps. Open the manhole cover for the main drain and check that the water runs out in a flow that makes sense. Check the pool for cracks / bubbles. Get onto the roof and inspect valleys and gutters.
VG008
Senior Member
Thanks for the detail response. Much appreciated.
shadow_man
Executive Member
We used housecheck.co.za (in CPT) - great service and very thorough. They picked up several issues and even got on the roof / in the ceiling. They provide a full report with pictures and written explanations. Very impressed and I'd easily use them again.
I also made it a condition of sale that a favourable housecheck was to be conducted (at my expensive) and I could back out if it wasn't favourable.
I also go the seller to fix the small issues they picked up with the geysers.
Last edited:
VG008
Senior Member
shadow_man
Executive Member
+-5k - well worth the money in my mind. Goedkoop is duurkoop.