The excitement of buying a home can often lead to cutting corners and bypassing important steps in the buying process. A home is probably the biggest purchase you will make in your lifetime, and it is important to make sure you get the best deal possible. You should know exactly what to expect — both indoors and out — in terms of needed and future repairs and maintenance.

Obtaining a professional building inspection before purchasing a house is a vital step which is all too often overlooked by prospective buyers.A building inspection will reveal any damage or problems with the property before you buy, saving you a lot of money and stress in the long run.  The main reason to get an inspection is to identify problems and potential problems in a prospective house, so that you can buy your home with confidence.

A building inspector will determine the condition of the building and produce a detailed report on the soundness of the building. Some of the elements which are included inspection are structural elements like the roof, foundation, walls, and garage. Systems such as heating, air-conditioning, insulation, plumbing and electrical systems will also be looked at to ensure they are in good working order. The exterior condition of the house will also be examined. Potential concerns such as fire hazards, electrical safety, mould, moisture damage, asbestos, leaks, cracked masonry, termites, and other pests may also be covered in an inspection.

Another major facet of an inspection is to check the weathertightness of the house; leaky house syndrome is a major problem in New Zealand homes. The New Zealand Standard for Timber Treatment allowed the use of untreated timber in wall framing; this type of timber is vulneralbe to the dampness caused by leaky homes. This can result in extensive damage to the fabric and structure of the house. The mould which grows in dmap condition can prove hazardous to the helath for you and your family. Mould feeds on organic materials such as carpet, wood, wallpaper and eats into plaster and brickwork, and structures with extensive mould damage have even had to be demolished.

It clearly pays to get an inspection to look for signs of a leaky home; early detection can save home buyers a lot of trouble in the future

All of these issues can result in costly repairs in the future.  The trouble these faults bring can be avoided simply by employing a building inspector to investigate the house before you buy.

Article Approved by the Editor of LevelAdvice and Showroom411.com

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