We've got our P/S inspection this week and I need as many tips as poss- exp. as the people who we have bought off have made every step of this as painful and difficult as they could-am still not convinced there wont be some sort of sabotage with the house that we dont discover till we have moved in. Have never had to do an inspection before so any advice gratefully recvd on what not to forget to do.

Hi there

We are about to purchase our third home in Perth so we have a little experience in these matters! However, we are generally not that fussy on inspections but my hubby is a great hanydman so if anything untowards shows up he can put it right - or at least will know a man who can!! If you have had a termite inspection and a structural survey (we've never bothered with the latter) at least you've got some comeback if it goes awry. Some of the buyers will turn on every tap, check every electrical socket, pull up every blind, open every cupboard door etc to make sure all is ok because if it isn't they can negotiate a lower price at settlement. When we sold our last home, they paid for a guy to inspection the pool and pump and when he found a minor leak (which could have been fixed with a dab of silicone) we were advised to go 50/50 on the cost of repair and installation, this was deducted at settlement.

So if you are buying its great, find as much as possible wrong with it (especially as you say, if they have been a pain so can you!)!! If you are selling, its a bit nerve wracking!!

Best of luck

MC

Advise i was given. Check everything. Every switch, socket, tv point, gas hob, oven, ac in every room, hot water, etc. Then check the retic. make sure what settings it is on, and make sure they all work. If you have a Bore, then check the pump. Same goes for Pool etc. Little things are can frustrate you when you fisrt move into a house, and trying to get someone out to fix a plug socket is impossible. Also ask the owner if they have a plan of where the retic is burried. This will save you lots of time and frustration if you need to change the flow or add another part. Otherwise you have to dig up half your garden trying to locate the pipes.

Hi,

I would check everything as well. We were a bit slapdash and had a few annoying problems, fan in bathroom didn't work, kitchen drawer front broken, pool light not working, gate from laundry to pool has combination lock on, (we don't know the combination and the bloke was supposed to change the gate for a self closer and didn't). He said he'd leave petrol for the mower (which we bought off him) and he didn't, also some garden chairs. Tight b******!

Check everything!!!

Jo

Leave the inspection as late as possible and tell them you will be bringing around a house inspector to do a full and final check of everything before completion. Then go to the inspection and apolagise profusely that their was a double booking and he cannot make it.

Check everything - our very nice sellers actually turned out to be quite the little con merchants.

Our built in spa outlets had been blocked with plastic bags (hidden inside) and when we went to put the thing on we removed these funny bits of plastic we found and our spa water drained away! Big leaks that meant the ground and patio had to be dug up to fix.

We did do the full pest inspection and structural survey though on the house and I am very glad we did, we negotiated money off based on some work which was required over 5K which would have made a big dent in our fast dwindling funds. One of these items was a tree stump left under the house!!! In country with termites you actually have to wonder.

Anyway my advice is turn it all on and off and even if you think you feel silly DON'T - it is your money and time that will be taken sorting it all out later. Also if your inspection date and settlement are far apart make sure you agree to a decent level of maintenance inbetween, like still doing the pool etc. You do not want to move into a swamp.

Apart from the direc warning enjoy buying your new home

Cheers

In terms of inspections (building and pest) you get what you pay for. Inspection should cover the house, not just a structural 'walk through'

Hidden costs can be drummy bathroom floor tiles, etc.

Dont use the real estate agent's recommendation for building and pest.

Do an inspection prior to hand over. It's not unknown for pool equipment, dishwashers, etc to be swapped for older faulty equipment.

WW

Thanks everyone-some really good advice-esp about the locks and the retic plans.Anymore out there?

Had a thought last night. Also check blinds. Move them backwards and forwards and close and open them. The problem with blinds is, the little plastic bits that join them, togther break all the time, and they are a bugger to fix. I have see a set of blinds and they look great, but when you move them, all the bits fall off. Its an old trick.

Forgive my ignorance but whats a retic?

Retic = reticulation. Garden watering system. Majority of homes have them here. Saves having to stand in your garden with a hose watering all your borders and grass.