EVERY BUYER IS DIFFERENT

Last week, during a pre-purchase building inspection of a $2 million home in Coolangatta, we were reminded that people buy properties for various reasons and that every buyer is different.

Sometimes it's about getting the most bang for your buck or else the perfect (defect free) family home. Other times it's about finding a diamond in the rough, and occasionally it's about securing a spot in the best location, even if the house isn't up to par.

Despite its hefty price tag, the Coolangatta property had undergone renovations that clearly hadn't passed the scrutiny of the Building Code of Australia. It seemed like the previous owners had taken some liberties, with little regard for compliance.

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In this instance, our buyer had plans to demolish the house entirely, so the questionable renovations weren't a major concern.

However, if the intention had been to live there and resell the property later on, the lack of approval and compliance would have been a major obstacle.

It was a stark reminder that everyone has a different goal in mind when buying!

Dwell Building Services knows that when buying or selling property, you are relying on our many years of experience to make the best possible decision. Our thorough and accurate building inspection reports are full of important information and we're happy to talk you through it as well, to make sure you understand exactly what's contained in the report!

#BuildingInspector #Invest #Property

Call to book, or reach out online
0424741616
info@dwellbuild.com.au

DE-CLUTTERING - THE PSYCHOLOGY & THE PRE-SALE NECESSITY

In 2019, Marie Kondo took the world by storm - simply by Tidying Up…but we believe minimalism was hot long before the concept of a clutter-free life came to our attention in this format.

It’s no secret that de-cluttering your house is imperative prior to selling it in order to achieve the best possible price. But what are the deeper issues involved here?

The Mayo Clinic classifies hoarding disorder as “a persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. A person with hoarding disorder experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. Excessive accumulation of items, regardless of actual value, occurs”.

You don’t have to have a diagnosable condition - the majority of us keep too many things around! Prior to selling your property, it is important to the bottom line that a serious, almost brutal de-cluttering session takes place.

So what can be done to get through it? Chunk it down in to steps:

1. Go room by room with a set time frame for each area

2. Try to disconnect a little bit beforehand - YOU are not YOUR THINGS

3. Create 3 Categories for your things - (1) Keep, (2) Donate/Give Away and (3) Throw Out

As for Step 3 - the hardest step - you need to be a bit brutal and ask yourself a few questions:

1. Will I miss this object in a years time? (No? Get rid of it!)

2. Am I saving this for a Rainy Day? (Rainy Days never come!)

3. Who would genuinely benefit from this object? (Gift it!)

Our pre-sale building inspection can reveal a lot of important issues with the structure of your house, but in the end, potential buyers need to be able to picture themselves - with their stuff - in your house.

Dwell Building Services believes that knowledge is power! We aim to give you as much information as possible around your property when you're looking at buying or selling. We specialise in:

- pre-purchase building inspections

- pre-sale building inspections

- defect reports

- dilapidation reports

- building consultations

Servicing from Byron Bay to the northern Gold Coast, we pride ourselves on our independent streak, delivering honest and accurate building inspections for over 15 years!

SHOULD I RENOVATE BEFORE I SELL?

The answer depends on the condition of your property, the selling environment that you’re in when you decide to sell and your skill set. There’s a tipping point.

If it’s a “sellers market” and your property is in a reasonable to good condition, then you are in the best position because you will undoubtedly sell for a great price and won’t have to put any money or effort into a renovation. Buyers will be keen and not all that picky.

If your property is in a poor condition and the market is hot, it’s still not necessary to renovate - it likely won’t affect your outcome. What should be done is a lot of cleaning and de-cluttering. A fresh coat of white paint throughout also helps. If the window coverings are old or ripped/broken in any way, they should be removed.

This way, buyers will be able to see your property as a blank slate, a clean canvas for their belongings. If your property is somewhat dated, it is likely that they will have renovation plans of their own so there’s no point guessing what their tastes might be.

It is also worth noting that if your property is in a poor condition, buyers will appreciate being able to see exactly what they are up against, instead of having to guess what’s behind Door #3.

All of this changes if the market conditions aren’t so favourable for sellers. The pendulum swings.

In a “buyers market” it can be challenging to sell a property, even in a fair to good condition. The same things apply - always clean and de-clutter completely and add a fresh coat of paint if necessary. But in a buyers market, take it a step further. Get the gardens done and the edging. Carry out some serious maintenance - clean the gutters and downpipes, get the seals refreshed in all the wet areas.

If your property is in a poor condition in a “buyers market”, you will be better off with a minimalist renovation worth no more than $50,000. To achieve that, you’ll want to engage an interior designer who can help you by making economical choices, improving your floor plan and advising on colour palette.

Make sure any significant work you get done is by a licensed tradesperson. Trust the professionals!

REAL ESTATE STRATEGIES - THERE'S ONE FOR EVERYONE

by Dwell Building Services | Jul 28, 2021 | Invest

Using real estate as a wealth strategy is a well-trod path, and not a particularly new one. Being a land-owner is historically the best method of wealth creation. But if you don’t currently have money literally falling out of your pockets, what are you supposed to do? Where do you start?

There are different strategies associated with real estate investment, and they suit different people with skill sets. The trick is to recognise your skill set and work off that.

Set the Scene for Success

To successfully buy real estate you need a good team around you - by that, I mean a good mortgage broker, conveyancer and accountant. You could even look into engaging a buyer’s agent or making contact with local real estate agents if you know the suburb where you’re keen to invest.

You also need to have about a year of good income behind you and healthy money habits. If you haven’t started off on the best foot, read a few good books to research the subject (Barefoot Investor, Rich Dad/Poor Dad - there are so many). Then make a realistic budget and stick to it for a year.

No matter what the property market is doing (going up, going down, going nowhere) there will still be properties to buy next year so don’t feel discouraged at the delay, you need the good habits and history more than you need to jump in now.

A fair bit of research can be done while you’re building your financial muscle.

There are a lot of books on property investment which are specific to Australia. There are also a fair few resources that are free online such as podcasts and Facebook Groups. It’s a very good idea to immerse yourself in this sort of property talk before jumping into anything. You don’t know what you don’t know until you’ve had a bit of experience, and these learning opportunities can give you information without having to risk anything yourself.

Work out Your Strengths

Finances:

If you have a consistent and strong income you might want to look into buying a property in a suburb with strong rental prices. Things to consider there are: Can you manage it yourself or do you need a property manager? Do you want to be involved with a body corporate or should you try to buy a freehold property? Have you considered commercial property? If you can find a property with a larger block size, maybe you can get a secondary dwelling/granny flat on there and increase your rental return?

Skills:

Are you handy and to what extent? If you’re very handy or come from a family of tradies, you could look into renovating. Maybe you could invest with a close friend or family member in order to half the costs/efforts?

Do you have experience with paperwork, researching or the ability to wrangle Council Approvals? Maybe subdividing is for you? In that case you’ll need to research the different local area rules, make enquiries with Council and read as much information as possible made available on Council websites.

Depending on who you are and what you’re good at, you will start looking for different types of property.

House Hunting

Once you’ve worked out your strategy based on your strengths and research, let the hunt begin.

Decide on your budget, your suburb, your specifications and then get going. It’s worth mentioning at this point that you’re investing - not falling in love. Don’t get stuck on attractive features or flash suburbs. It’s usually the ugly ducklings that make the best gains over time and if you’re buying in an already popular area, you’re probably not getting a “deal” (see Burleigh Heads and Byron Bay).

This can be a long process with a lot of searches and prospects that go nowhere. If you don’t have much time or get discouraged by dead ends, this is where you would get a buyers agent in. Give them the brief, get quite specific and let them go for it.

Commit

Once you’ve found the property, commit. Don’t get overly emotional about the purchase. Do not pay more than your calculations tell you is your maximum and do the deal.

Congratulations! Your property investment journey has started!

BUYING IN A TOUGH MARKET - A GUIDE

Buying your dream home (or even getting into the property market) can be a tightrope walk at the best of times... add to that recent news headlines like “Buyers are confronting a sense of FOMO: Aussie property prices rise at fastest rate in 17 years” and “House prices surge at fastest rate since 2003” …and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

What is a hopeful home buyer to do? If you go in low, you will lose the property to rival buyers. If you start out too high, you have no room to move in the negotiations…

We suggest you stick to the basics, even when there’s blood in the water and the frenzy is on:

1. Be prepared to decide. It is essential that you know what you want and are not sitting on the fence in any way. Be ready with an offer as soon as you locate the property that is right for you. Go in quick and make a move.

2. Stay on top. Keep abreast of developments in the real estate market where you want to buy. You can select a buyer’s agent or stalk the online listings but whenever a new property hits the market, you need to be there. If a new property becomes available, do whatever you can to get to the viewing.

3. Secure your mortgage. Sellers are spoiled for choice for buyers so negotiating without a finance clause is attractive. The more secure the deal, the better!

4. Offers. Before making an offer, make sure you (or your buyers agent) have compiled all relevant data for the property. When you’re ready to make an offer, be sensible as well as aggressive. Be intelligent.

5. Beware buyer’s frenzy. Especially relevant at the moment…don’t get caught up in the competition - it’s not that sort of contest. Stay objective when you’re viewing property. Take deep breaths. It’ll all work out. There is another property LITERALLY around the corner. The sellers and real estate agents are trying to create a sense of urgency. Don’t. Go. There.

6. Don’t skip home inspections. Due diligence may cost money, but they’ll save you in the long run. You want to ensure that your potential investment is a sound one and not a disaster waiting to happen.

BUYING LAND - THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING

by Dwell Building Services | September 2020 | How to buy land and build

You’re buying land and building a house.  Here are a few things to consider:

Consider your intentions. You can:

1. Buy, build and live there – If this is your Forever Home, you won’t have to consider the future repercussions of selling however in all these scenarios it’s important not to forget stamp duty (unless you’re eligible for a stamp duty concession…your conveyancer will be able to advise) – on a $300,000 block of land it comes to around $9,000.

2. Buy, build and rent it out – If you go down this path you have to start thinking of this property as either a tax deduction (negatively geared – do you have the income to support this scenario?) or an income stream (will this put you over a particular tax threshold and cause your tax bill to go up?). You also have to consider that your investment is subject to future government’s tax policy, the ups and downs of the property market and future interest rates.

3. Buy, build and then sell or buy the land, hold a while then try to on-sell the land at a profit – In this scenario your biggest financial consideration will be capital gains – ask your accountant. Also something to consider is that in the current land market, putting a house on a block of land does not always result in a bigger profit – right now land is at a premium whereas building costs are continually rising. So if you’re just speculating, you may save yourself a LOT of hassle by not taking on a build. There are costs associated with holding the land anyway – Council still charge you rates minus the garbage pickup fee…and of course the interest on your loan if there’s a mortgage on the land. This investment scheme can also sometimes affect where you can buy – some developers have special conditions in their land contracts that try to prevent this exact scenario.

Length of Settlement Period

If you’re buying from a developer and the land is already divided up and build ready, you’ll have to produce the settlement figure very quickly however if you’re buying off the plan and the land isn’t ready yet, you could have a much longer settlement period which can turn out to be a huge advantage.

The Block

The position of your block should be just about the first thing you look at – if the block isn’t good there will be a lot of different future challenges, some you’ll be able to cope with and some will mean huge challenges that might put you off the block altogether.

Is it on a hill?  If so your build costs will go up through earth-works. If this is the case, is the purchase price low enough to cover that? Remember in a future selling scenario, the sale price of your home will not reflect any earthworks or landscaping you had to do in order to build.

If it is on a hill, what side? If you’re on the western side of a hill, your house will tend towards being cool and dark in the morning and really hot and bright in the evening…which is OK you just have to plan for it. Also, there’s an advantage to having a north facing outdoor area.

Do you know the suburb and the area immediately surrounding the block? What is there to recommend it? What is there to detract from it? Is the area a former floor plain? Look for massive TV/Power/Telecom towers nearby. What about busy roads or flight paths? Keep in mind that flight paths can change in some areas although not likely if you’re within 15kms of the airport. Towers and roads are not going anywhere.

The Price

Whatever you do, don’t over-capitalise – unless there’s a freak spike in the market you won’t get your money back for a very long time…possibly decades. Fine if you’re young and in it for the long long long haul but not great if you’re looking at a 10 year relationship with the block.

Work out build costs as much as possible. If the block is sloping you won’t be able to get a volume builder like Metricon or Perry Homes so your build costs will be at least $50,000 more than what they can provide. A 4 bedroom 2 bathroom 1 storey custom home (non-volume builder) on a slight slope averages approximately $300,000. Something to consider here is if the development has a design committee that will have to approve your design. If so, this can affect the cost of the build and also the style of the home.

If this property is going to be an investment, you need to check out the local rental rates for the style of home you’re building. Also make note of the number of comparable homes sitting on realestate.com.au empty. If there are LOADS in the area available, the market may be flooded with rentals. Compare the annual rental income to the current annual mortgage rates to see if you’re likely to be positive, neutral or negatively geared. Keep in mind that a rental property will have constant costs associated with it such as Council Rates, Insurances and if you’re not managing it yourself, property management fees (usually about 8% of the rental income).

Your Team

When buying land off the plan you need either a very experienced conveyancer or solicitor who is very good at reading contracts, especially the Special Conditions.  There is usually a lot of paperwork to read through and understand.  You don’t want to waste your time trying to read it all and try to catch everything yourself, because there is always the chance that you will read right past it in a stupor because you’ve gone to sleep or if you do see it, not even understand the Contract Language and think nothing of it.

You want a mortgage broker/lender who you trust and knows your situation 100%. They will know which lenders are doing the best deals for buying land but also the building loan. Some banks are more painful than others in the building stage. Also, some mortgage brokers are more “creative” than others.

Let your accountant know you’re buying land. Don’t ask them whether or not you should do it because chances are they are not licensed to give you financial planning advice but definitely mention it to them before you go ahead in case there are any direct tax repercussions for you. If you’ve been with the same accountant for a while and they know your finances well, they might have some professional advice that makes a difference to your decision. Also, they will have something to contribute from an investment/tax write-off point of view so it’s always worth it to find that out in advance.

Obviously everyone’s situation is different and we don’t know everything but this is a good jumping off point – good luck buying land!!

HOW DO I READ A PEST AND BUILDING INSPECTION REPORT?

When you get your pest and building inspection report, it’s important to know how to read it. 

You may find yourself getting caught up in the minor issues but it’s the big stuff that you want to focus on. Below, I’ve set out a key to help you get yourself around the pest and building inspection report a bit better.  

Defects that we most commonly find in properties fall in one of the following categories:

Minor and Non-Urgent

These problems are truly appearance issues but don’t affect the stability or functionality of the home. They cause no discomfort to the occupants and are not likely to turn into anything in the future either. All homes have something like it – a chipped bit of paint, a patch in the timber where a glass of water stained it. In fact many pest and building inspection reports don’t mention these. They are nothing to worry about but could go on a maintenance schedule if you wanted to spend a couple hours on a weekend doing odd jobs.

Minor but Urgent

Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!! These are not major defects yet, but given enough time they will turn into something. This is maintenance in its purest form. The actions you can take to stop your home devaluing massively over time. We’re talking preventative measures such as refreshing the sealant in your shower, clearing leaf debris off your roof and out of the guttering. If you just leave this stuff perpetually, something will go wrong. Maybe even years down the road.

Major but In-Expensive

In our world, a major defect is a major defect.  They are classed that way because they are either dangerous to the occupants, or will damage the structure if not taken care of. So a major defect that is in-expensive to clear up is a Get Out of Jail Free pass. Something like replacing the rusted brackets on your first floor balcony – wouldn’t cost more than $100 to fix, but could save a life.

Major and Expensive (and possibly Dangerous)

This is something that could stop you buying a property if you just didn’t have the money to throw at it or the time to deal with it. These defects are The Big Brother of the Minor but Urgent defect.  If the property had been inspected regularly or maintained, this defect could usually have been avoided.

Major Defect – directly from a pest and building inspection report – rusted brackets under a deck

Disclaimers

Our least favourite type of copy contained in our building inspection reports. We can’t do anything about it, the insurance company requires it. If you’ve got a pest and building inspection report in your hand that contained no disclaimers, you should be worried because the inspector is probably not insured. The disclaimers are inserted by the insurance company because they’ve had a past claim relating to that particular thing. Disclaimers are cautionary in nature – always call us if you’re concerned.

When you read our reports, don’t get too stuck on the little stuff…all houses have “little stuff”.  It’s there for your future reference after you’ve moved in.  

We write our pest and building inspection report as if a dear friend is buying the house…we want you to have all the information at hand. And if you have questions, always call us to ask!!!

HOW DO I ORGANISE A BUILDING AND PEST INSPECTION?

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Frequently Asked Questions Building Inspections

At some point in the property purchasing process, you’ve got a lot of the hard things behind you. 

You’ve located it and then negotiated the price of your dream property. You’ve got your finance half sorted and now you need a pest and building inspection. To do that all you need to do is call Cassandra. You can also make contact via our website on the Contact Page but probably easiest to give us a call.

At that point Cassandra will take all your details, the property address, the agent you’re dealing with. She’ll also ask you a few questions like:

• Do you want to come to the inspection (we recommend yes)

• Do you need both pest and building or is it building only?

• Do you know if the property is tenanted?

All these things are factors that go into making the appointment.

As far as timing goes, you’ll want to budget three days. Two days to get the inspection organised and 24 hours to get the report finished and back to you.  If you have a very specific time and day that you want it done, maybe give us some extra wiggle room to make sure everyone can make the appointment.

And that’s all, it’s just that easy!
Cassandra Dodds – 0424 741 616

OUR TOP 4 REASONS YOU NEED A BUILDING AND PEST INSPECTION

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspections Gold Coast and Tweed Coast

Here are our 4 top reasons to get a pest and building inspection prior to investing in your future…in no particular order (they’re all important!)

1. It’s too late once settlement has come and gone. There’s no extended warranty on houses. Home buying is 100% “buyer beware” and the pest and building inspection stage is the cornerstone of this. If your roof leaks you can’t go back to the real estate agent or former owner after purchase to complain. Right now we are on your side and we’re here to help you make the best decision you can make prior to the contract going unconditional.

2. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A house is probably the most expensive thing you’ll buy and even though you are probably strapped for cash at this point, the cost of a building inspection is typically less than 0.01% of the cost of the home. If there are defects in the property that you didn’t see yourself, a pest and building inspection can save you thousands.

3. You may be renovating, you may do that for a living. But even if you are handy or a qualified tradesperson, it is important to have ‘a second opinion’ and a fresh set of eyes to look at the property. Our pest and building inspection could help you avoid a financial black hole…you want to renovate, not rebuild!

4. There is more to be had from your pest and building inspection than just confirmation that the house won’t fall down. Our inspector is a licensed builder and can give you insight into things you could do to the property in future. If you come along to the inspection and ask the right questions, you can learn more than what is contained in the report. Use this appointment as an opportunity to gather information.

The decision of whether or not to buy a house is up to you, but we can provide you with the best possible information available at the time. Call Cassandra on 0424741616 to discuss your upcoming building and pest inspection - knowledgeable and friendly, she can answer all the questions you may have at this busy time!

INDEPENDENCE IN BUILDING INSPECTIONS

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspections Gold Coast and Tweed Coast

Independence in building inspections doesn’t get talked about much but we can’t stress the point enough: The integrity of your due-diligence when buying a property is imperative. If your building and pest inspection team is not fully independent of influence from the real estate transaction, you can’t be sure you’re getting the truth.

It’s all well and good to get building and pest inspectors who are licensed and insured…it’s even more important than getting one who is experienced and accurate. But none of that matters if they are in the real estate agent’s pocket. At best you’ll get a watered-down version of the truth. At worst, you’ll get outright lies and fairy tales.

Some buyers feel that the real estate agent has something to lose if they sell you a dodgy property. Not so! It’s a bad look, but they aren’t remotely responsible if slack or misleading reporting causes you to buy a house you would not buy if you were aware of it’s true condition. So don’t get sucked in – you are responsible for the way your due diligence plays out.

Most real estate agents are lovely people. Of course they are. But they are human and they can’t help wanting your purchase to go through – that’s their pay day. You might well ask, “So how do I know who is honest?” Do your own research. If you’re looking for a referral, ask a friend/relative you know who has bought recently. Or ask Google and look for reviews.

Dwell Building Services is a fully independent building inspection service which looks clearly at the structure with no bias in any direction.  If you’re spending the money to get a pest and building inspection done, it is worth your while to make sure you are buying good quality un-biased information.

USE YOUR BUILDING INSPECTOR

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspection Gold Coast

This doesn’t apply to all building inspectors, but we are special. We believe you get better value when you come along to your building inspection.  While you’re there, ask us questions about your new property.

Some people have big plans and know what they want immediately, but in case you’re not that person, here are our top 5 things that you can ask about that will add A LOT of value to your building inspection.

Jason Dodds, our helpful building inspector is also a licensed builder - so ask him what he thinks.

1. Can I knock out this wall? ~ saves you getting someone in later, saves you finding out later that no, you can’t or that it’ll be very difficult. Could save you $$$

2. Is it expensive to fix..? ~ we won’t be able to give you a fixed-price quote on the spot, but given that the building inspector will be able to see the size of the kitchen/bathroom etc you’re planning on renovating, he’ll be able to give you a realistic idea of ballpark renovation costs. It won’t be down to the cent of course, because you might want to install a golden toilet, or custom shelving but he can give you an idea about how much you need to save up.

3. What is that? ~ This won’t apply to a lot of properties, but some have “unexplained features” like cables going in/out of walls or cut holes in places where you wouldn’t expect. We take heaps of pictures throughout the inspection to give you a good overall picture of things but if there is something unusual to see and we take a picture of it, that might not be enough.  There is nothing better than seeing it for yourself with us, and getting the explanation there in person.

4. So is that a defect? ~ There are circumstances where the property you are buying might be old enough that building code has changed since it was built, and a particular aspect of it is “wrong”. For example a few years ago, the building code was changed so that internal stairs bounded by walls are now required to be built with handrails. This wasn’t the case until just recently, so it comes up a bit. There’s also the matter of balustrade heights and sill heights to windows.

5. What (in terms of maintenance) is going to “go” first? ~ This is not a question that gets asked enough during the purchase process but we get it from friends/family who already own homes. It could be an important question at time of purchase, since there’s only a limited amount of money at any one time to maintain your property…so where is it best spent?? A builder can tell you!

And lastly, The Bonus Question:

6. How much to fix termite damage? ~ The answer is always “how long is a piece of string” – unless all the sheeting has been taken off the walls, the bad news is that termite damage to wall framing can go and go and go…around corners, up to the roof and into the garage…the framing is all connected and so the termites get around.

These are just a few ways you can use your building inspection as a building consultation!

HOME MAINTENANCE MADE EASY - THE BUILDING INTERIOR

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building Inspections Tweed and Gold Coast

Once you’ve gone around outside of your property the natural thing to do is go on in. The main things we building inspectors look for inside the property are MOISTURE and MOVEMENT related.

MOVEMENT: Movement is common to most buildings – you hear people call it “settling” and it happens over time with the changing of the seasons. Slowly. Where you’re looking for movement is to the plasterboard walls around the door and window frames in the form of cracking. Sometimes it also affects the ability for your sliding doors or windows to close properly (adjust with a screw driver and some WD40). Some cracking is OK, but if the cracks get to be around 3mm+ wide you should think about getting a structural engineer in to let you know if your walls have become un-stable. Some cracking is natural – but more than a hairline crack is not. The fix for cracked plasterboard is easy – re-seal and paint over and it’s dealt with, but a word to the wise – get a plasterer. Doing it yourself does not usually yield the result you want.

It’s important with home maintenance to remember that you want to avoid “defacing” your own house – it’s no big deal to live with a bodged up fix yourself (everyone’s done it), but if you go to sell or rent your house, you’ll get some raised eyebrows for sure. Ensure your maintenance actually improves your property and if you’re thinking about moving on, it’s not a bad idea to get a building inspector or trusted builder in to give you a few pointers, for example what you could improve to achieve the best price at the lowest cost to yourself. There is no point in carrying out cosmetic fixes that cost a lot if there are underlying structural issues that could potentially cost you a sale.

The flexible sealant in your bathroom can wear out within a few years. You don’t need a whole new bathroom, just refresh your seals!

MOISTURE: As mentioned before, moisture is your houses’ #1 enemy and can do more damage quicker than anything else. Moisture comes from 2 main sources, of course – the outside and the internal pipework.

Checking around for moisture coming in from the outside would have already been started by your external inspection. You might have noticed a cracked window pane, cracking to a roof tile etc. but having another look from the inside can give you a heads up to serious leaks. If the moisture has made it inside and in such quantities as to have caused damage to walls or the base of doors, you’re dealing with a major or re-occurring leak.  Checking your pipework for leaks is easy enough on a superficial level however, be mindful that there is plenty of pipework behind walls and out of view which a building inspector might be able to help you with. Have a look under your kitchen and bathroom cabinets for drips.

While you’re in the bathroom, take a good close look at the sealant around your shower base, basin and tub. If it’s looking ratty and you can’t remember when it was originally applied (or you don’t know when it was applied because it was before you owned your house), this is a good cue to strip it back and refresh it.

And remember that if you’re ever in doubt, call in the experts.  Remember, building inspectors see these issues every day and know what they are looking for!

HOME MAINTENANCE MADE EASY - THE BUILDING EXTERIOR

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building Inspections Tweed and Gold Coast

Onwards and upwards (or should we say outwards?)

Now that you’ve had a look around your property and make sure there’s nothing amiss with the site, move on to the house exterior. This bit is important, building inspection specialists would agree, because your homes’ #1 enemy is the environment.

This means having a close look at:

External Walls – If you’ve got a brick home, check for large cracks.  Smaller ones don’t usually mean anything – all houses “settle” but note where they are and keep an eye on them.  If they grow too much (10mm is too much) you need to take action.  Also, check the bottom of your walls to make sure none of your weep holes or inspection points are covered by garden beds – this is a beautiful way for termites to get in and an expensive lesson to learn.

Doors and Windows – The most common problem here are ripped and torn insect screens which are easy fixed with a kit from Bunnings.  It’s also common for the bottoms of timber doors to deteriorate as they catch more of the ‘weather’ than the tops of the doors do – they get the splash back from the rain and then get cooked in the sun as well, so if you can get to them before the paint’s all peeled off and the door has begun to separate, all the better.  If you’ve got timber surrounds to your windows, the same can happen to them.  If the paint has started to peel, do the same – sand it back and apply a fresh coat of weather resistant paint to stop the downward slide.

Our building inspection specialist identifies a damaged balustrade that could, if not repaired, cause someone to fall off an elevated veranda!

External Stairs – Steel stringer and timber tread stairs can suffer from weather damage – check the steel stringers for rusting and the treads for moisture damage.  Oil or stain your timber stairs to keep weather damage at bay.  If your stringers have just a bit of surface rusting, you can treat that with a paint, however if there’s serious rust damage you might need to replace the stringer.

Veranda/Patio & Balustrades – Decks fall victim to the same things as external stairs and for the sake of safety, need to be well maintained. You don’t want to realise that there was something wrong after someone goes through the deck or stair tread!  Oiling or staining your deck annually is a good thing just to maintain freshness and weather-proof it for longer.  Make sure the deck boards haven’t come loose from their nails and if they have re-nail them to keep them from popping up and tripping people.  Balustrades should be solid and able to take a person’s weight. If they’re starting to get wobbly, they need to be shored up as a matter of safety.

The outside of your house is your home’s first defense against the weather and also timber pest invasion, so it should be your priority.

The only thing that comes close to the sort of damage the weather can cause your home is the damage done by leaky wet areas inside – so next, we’re going in!

HOME MAINTENANCE MADE EASY - THE SITE

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building Inspections Tweed and Gold Coast

Because we’re passionate about property we believe maintaining your asset is the name of the game!!

Your property is always in need of TLC. But don’t get discouraged by the on-going nature of home maintenance. It’s easy to prevent your home from deteriorating slowly over time. It’s about more than just the aesthetics - really looking after the bricks and mortar, keeping an eye on the actual condition of things. Doing the preventative stuff instead of the repair work.

Friends have asked us before – How would I know if my house was about to fall down around me? The easy answer is call us in, we’ll tell you. The DIY answer is also easy – follow our home maintenance check list, put time aside to complete tasks that need to be done, then do them!

The professionals start with the site, and so should you:

Driveways and Paths – Most concrete driveways and paths show cracking over time, and there’s not much you need to do about this, just keep an eye on it to make sure the cracks don’t become a trip hazard.  If it’s beyond that point and they are currently a trip hazard, you can grind the lifted concrete back to make the crack even, or you could think about re-concreting the area.

Don’t fret about this kind of cracking, almost all driveways have it

Retaining Walls – Over time, timber retaining walls experience slumping from the pressure behind them.  The only real way to fix a retaining wall is to dig out the material that is being retained, repair the wall and replace the back fill.  This should be undertaken if the retaining wall is near collapse.  Slow deterioration of timber retaining walls is normal and a well-built retaining wall should only be expected to last between 10-20 years.  Rock walls don’t experience this and have a much longer life span, but can be subject to erosion to the soil behind if the water drainage system behind the rocks has worn away.

Surface Water Drainage – It’s so important to the interior of your property that you make sure that water can get away from your house.  Water is the enemy of any property from within and without so in any home maintenance situation, if there’s stray water anywhere, alarm bells should be ringing. If there are any spots in your yard, especially near the exterior walls, where rain water pools it’s a good idea to make a drainage ditch or re-plane the ground to slope away from your house.  This also applies to balconies that angle slightly back towards the property – they should be re-covered to drain away from the exterior wall, as water always finds a way in.

Garden Sheds – Most garden sheds are pre-fabricated metal sheet constructions set either on a timber or concrete slab.  If your metal has started to rust around the edges, you can grind the rust back then apply an anti-corrosive agent to stop further rusting.  If the shed is sitting on a timber base, check it to make sure it’s not been eaten out by termites – look for termite mudding, tap it firmly and listen for flaking timber/mud.  If it has been damaged, you’re better off removing the timber and replacing it with a concrete slab to prevent someone falling through deteriorated timber sheeting.

Fencing – Timber fencing requires regular maintenance.  If it’s starting to look “tired”, check along your fence with your hammer and nails, reinstating any palings that have detached.   Check for moisture damage, and if you see any, sand back the damaged timber – it should be relatively fresh underneath depending on how long the damage has been there.   Replace any palings that are too far gone.  Then paint or stain the fence.  This prolongs the life of the timber, preventing future moisture damage.  Ideally, a timber fence should be protected against the weather biannually.  Check all moving parts on gates to make sure they are working – DW40 is your friend.

If any particular element listed above is too far gone for your to tackle, or you think you need some outside help, call us and we’ll point you in the direction of a good local maintenance guy.

That’s it for your yard – next we’ll talk about the outside of the building.

BEFORE YOU SELL GET A PRE-SALE BUILDING AND PEST INSPECTION

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspections Gold Coast

Before you go to sell a property, you do a lot of different things in preparation: you declutter your house and maybe tidy things up, you get a few different agents in to give you an idea of price and how they plan to market the home, you talk to your solicitor/conveyancer and probably even your accountant. So why not also talk to a building inspector about getting a pre-sale inspection done?

Getting a pre-sale inspection will make selling a less stressful exercise and set you up for success.

The “satisfactory pest and building inspection” clause is very common in sales contracts, so you can be pretty sure that your house will, at some stage be subject to a pest and building inspection – so why not get a pre-sale inspection and find out what your purchaser will know eventually? That way, you can decide whether or not you’re going to fix potential issues, decide to sell “as is”, tell prospective buyers all, or leave them to their own due diligence.

It comes down to one thing – If you’re armed with the information in advance, you can make better decisions about how you’re going to proceed.

Do you really want to spend all the time and effort it takes to get a buyer to contract, just to have it fall over in the final hours because of something you could have prevented? A pre-sale inspection will reveal all sorts of things to you and ultimately can help you (and your agent) negotiate a fair price for your home.

Most people realise your house is not a new car, there are going to be maintenance items for them to deal with when they own it – that’s the nature of property. But how well do you know your home? Obviously it hasn’t fallen down around you so it must be fine, right?  Well maybe not…have you recently been in the roof space or the subfloor? What about on the roof exterior? The “hidden” parts of your home will be inspected upon sale – it might be the first time they’ve been looked at since you did your pre-purchase inspection however many years ago. Who knows what’s living up there, or what’s sagging down there??  It’s better for you, at point of sale, to be the one who knows first.

Our pre-sale inspections are thorough and you get a full consultation on site with our inspector. Your knowledge is our number one priority.

PRE-AUCTION PEST AND BUILDING INSPECTIONS

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspections Gold Coast

Marketing Tool or Waste of Time? Let’s examine the facts:

If the seller of the auction property gets one done, there’s a perceived potential for corruption between the inspector and seller. And if it’s left to the interested buyers to ALL get their own inspection, well. That’s a lot of money down the drain for a property they may not buy on the day.  

Likewise, if inspectors were to go around inspecting every auction property for free hoping that someone would be interested in their independent report, that would be a lot of work for nothing – trust us, as an interested party looking for a solution to this problem, we’ve explored every option. So round and round we go.

What we can say about pre-auction inspection reports is exactly what we would say for pre-sale inspection reports, but with a twist: Do the inspection for your own reasons (and then let the buyers know).

As a vendor going to auction, it is never a waste of time. There is inherent value in knowing the worth of your own property before The Market decides what that is anyway. There might be buyers who won’t trust your report, but you should. And it will tell you if there are any significant issues that need to be sorted out before anyone else gets a report done. Plain and simple, do you want the truth now, or do you want it later? You could live on the hope that no buyer will get a report done, but if you’re holding your breath, a 4 week auction campaign is a long time not to exhale.  It’s nice to feel confident.

And again, as a vendor, if you do get the pre-auction inspection done for your own information, nothing then stops you from mentioning it to potential buyers. Not as evidence that your house is perfect, but evidence that you know what is wrong with it. You can even point out to them what you have fixed and what you didn’t think was important enough to change or even that you didn’t fix anything.

The truth will set you free.

BUILDING INSPECTION SECRETS REVEALED

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building and Pest Inspection

We have a building inspection process. And its followed every single time we do an inspection.

That doesn’t sound like a “Company Secret - Revealed” at first, but if you know what that process is, then realise the importance of following it every single building inspection, it’s the consistency, attention to detail and thoroughness that shine through in the result - the building inspection report.  It’s like a recipe for a secret sauce – no substitutions or short cuts allowed!

1. The 200-Point Check List: It’s followed step by step to the finish line every time.

2. Descriptive photos and detailed recommendations. We give our clients genuine builders advice. Even though this level of detail tends to make our reports longer than the norm, they are far more useful in the long term than your usual building report.

3. Consultation: You’re always encouraged to come along and we’ll do anything to get you there – we’ve even been known to pick up clients on our way to the property just so they could attend. We even do a consultation service with no report attached to just give clients an idea of potential renovations they could carry out to a property. We believe that being flexible and free with our expertise is better for everyone.

4. Clarity: We try to keep our building inspection reports as free from jargon and fuzzy meaning as possible so that you can read it now, then again in 6 months and maybe again in a years time. The insurance companies do require a certain amount of disclaimers and over-cautionary warnings but we do try to explain them in advance. Our building reports are meant to help you with your home in the long run, not just cover our asses.

5. Independent: Dwell Building Services is totally independent from influence either way. We are just interested in the truth about a building. We aren’t going to make things out to be worse or better than they are.  You would be surprised to know how many building inspectors get referrals from agents because they are “soft on property” and equally, how many are overly hard on buildings to look smart in front of their customers.

These five things combine to make up what we believe is the best possible building and pest inspection experience on the Gold Coast and Tweed Shire.

RENOVATE WITH PURPOSE AND CAPITAL GAINS CAN BE YOURS

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Renovation for Profit

Australians are obsessed with real estate – for living in, investing in, and for making money!  The property market gets stronger year after year, however there are still bargains out there to renovate that could represent a brilliant opportunity for the astute investor!

People often don’t know if a well-priced property, given a clever renovation, will be the buy of their lives or a money pit.  The most important tip in this whole blog is: Purchase carefully.

Having a trusted builder and/or building inspector there to give you insight prior to purchase could be the most important thing you do!  With an hour-long consultation on site, the right building inspector can:

• Provide insight into a building’s potential and pitfalls (you can’t polish a turd)

• Help to brainstorm viable options for brilliant renovations that don’t over-capitalise and

• Give rough ideas of costings so you can decide whether or not the property fits your budget and whether the potential profit will yields adequate gains

Once you’ve bought the property that you’re renovating, there are some key things to stick to that will save or make you money:

1. Keep it simple – don’t renovate with crazy embellishments and artistic flourishes unless there’s a specific reason for it.

2. Use existing plumbing waste configurations if possible – even more so if the plumbing is embedded in concrete in a unit or ground floor area. This is a massive labour cost and doesn’t always work out the way you think anyway. For example, turning a bath tub into a shower can backfire with regards to drainage when the waste pipe can’t be altered to handle an increased water flow – you end up with a shower that doesn’t drain as quickly as it should.

3. Try to increase sun light into the property – this always increases visual appeal and makes a property seem more modern.

4. Always lighten up the paint job inside any property you buy.

5. Try to increase natural ventilation to increase air flow – if you can, open up or increase the size/number of windows – improved ventilation gives a home a better feel. Because it’s an improved feeling of well-being, people can’t always quantify it but they always notice when a home is dark and pokey – it makes a remarkable difference.

6. Lighting can be an easy path to modernisation for example in a new bathroom, in combination with new tiling concealed LED strip lighting under a wall-mounted vanity looks really nice and provides ideal night lighting which is a great feature and appeals to the masses.

7. Another appealing “comfort” feature is under-floor heating added to a bathroom/toilet.  This is especially good if you are re-doing a tile bed anyway as the heating system can be used as a short term heating solution for our brief Gold Coast winters. If you’re living in the Southern States, it can be a luxury for chilly midnight toilet stops.

8. No matter what, always use licensed trades or a licensed builder. If you don’t, you won’t have the paperwork/guarantees and warranties that a purchaser will be asking for when they buy a newly renovated property…so you won’t get the best return on investment since, in this market, buyers are looking to beat down your price on any excuse.

These are our top tips!

We guarantee that if you’ve been watching a property on the market that teeters on the line between Renovate or Detonate, we can give you guidance and options, ideas and the information you need to make the right decision.

Jason Dodds is the Principal Contractor at Dwell Building Services.
Specialist Builders, Bathroom & Kitchen Renovators and Licensed Building Inspector

WHAT DOES A BUILDING INSPECTOR DO?

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Building Inspections Tweed Coast

Time to get to know your building inspector!! We get this question a lot, so I think it’s worth explaining what building inspections are all about and what you could reasonably expect your building inspector to do for you during a pre-purchase building inspection.

Building inspectors are all bound by the same standards and all building inspections are based upon the Australian Standard 4349.1 Inspection of Buildings Part 1: Pre-purchase Inspections – Residential Buildings – Appendix C.

Sounds like gobbledy-gook and unless you’re a trained professional it kind of is. What the Australian Standard does is set out the ground rules for what a building inspector is going to be doing on site and what they are required to report on, which in turn will affect the report you get.

Some key points to know about the Australian Standard are:

• The building inspection is visual only – we won’t move furniture around, peek into drawers or look behind paintings. We can’t see through walls either, but we have ways and means to figure out whether or not there is a likelihood that there is damage there.

• Some building inspectors don’t get up onto roofs, some do. We do unless it’s dangerous – it’s raining or else the roof is higher than 3.6m or has a dangerous pitch. If that’s the case, we will comment as much as we can.

• If your property is on acreage, the inspection will only cover the site up to 30m away from the main property.

• Building inspectors are looking for structural defects (major) and also maintenance items (minor) – whether or not they mention all the maintenance items is up to their discretion but we believe a complete report should. Within a year or two of owning any home, you will undoubtedly need to do at least some measure of maintenance - wouldn’t it be convenient to have a handy list of what needs doing?

• The building inspection does not cover other trades such as electrical, plumbing, air conditioning or small appliances – for that to even be possible, a building inspector would have to be an expert in all of the above, which won’t happen. An experienced building inspector will notice and comment if he sees something un-usual or irregular with a building’s electrical wiring, a missing safety switch or a leaking tap, but the finer details (does my oven pre-heat to 200 in the correct amount of time?) are left to their respective tradesmen.

If you have any questions about building inspections, what is included and what is not, call us on 0424741616 for a chat.

THINK YOU HAVE TERMITES? IT'S TIME FOR A TIMBER PEST INSPECTION!

by Dwell Building Services | August 2020 | Pest and Building Inspections Tweed Coast and Gold Coast

With termites, as with tooth-decay, it’s cheaper to get a check-up than to fix a problem.

Termite inspections are a hugely important aspect of home maintenance, especially in this part of the world.  The Gold Coast and Tweed Shire are both noted as “Areas Of Concern” for timber pest infestation. Unless you live in a concrete box, an annual pest inspection is vital for all home owners.

To thrive, termites need a food source and a water supply. If those two possibilities are removed, they usually won’t settle in.

From a builders point of view, here are a few things you can do to reduce the likelihood of attracting termites to your home:

1. Make sure you don’t have a lot of timber laying around your property or stored underneath. If the timber is touching the soil, termites can burrow under, have a feast and then use the “cover” to get further.

2. Make sure the drainage away from your house is in good order – that means working out if your plumbing and overflow pipes, taps, drainpipes and guttering are in good order. The more constant water there is near your home, the more at risk you may be.

3. If you have a brick and tile home, check to make sure your weep holes aren’t covered by garden. If they are, it’s just like having a little ramp up into the house that they can use to come and go by.

They are a lot harder to see when your home is a slab on ground brick construction – with pole homes you can see them coming because they have to actually climb to get in – and to do that they have to build a little mud trail (tunnel) which is obvious to the naked eye.  If you see a mud trail, then they have passed that way.  There are other ways to detect them but the best way to work out whether or not you’ve got termites living with you is to organise a pest inspection with a local knowledgeable pest inspector. If you don’t know of one, ask us!

As previously mentioned, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A pest inspection will cost you a couple hundred dollars. Eradicating a colony and fixing timber pest damage can cost thousands!