Adelaide Pre-purchase Inspections, a division of Nat Murray & Associates - Consulting Engineers ©
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 | to be informed on likely problems |
| to get information to improve negotiating power |
| for professional advice and guidance on any particular concerns and advice generally to preserve the condition & structural performance of the building |
| to get a professional opinion on ideas for extensions and renovations |
| for peace of mind |
| for qualified and independent advice to verify claims in relation to the condition of the building made by the vendor or by the agent who works for the vendor (the agent is NOT independent and will tell you things to help close the sale and to get the best price for the vendor) |
| to make a better, informed decision, on a property purchase |
| Yes, where adequate roof access is available. Our inspections also include getting onto the roof, where safe to do so. |
| Yes, where adequate under-floor access is available. |
| Each inspection may carry its unique set of limitations depending on the circumstances. The extent and thoroughness of our inspections is limited by access and our reading of what is reasonable by way of time, intrusion and risk of doing physical damage to the property being inspected. We do not inspect parts of the structure or building which are covered, unexposed or inaccessible and we are therefore unable to report that any such part of a building is free from defect. |
| Identification of hazardous materials or situations that may be in the building or on or near the property is outside the scope of our inspections. However, we may incidentally include comment on such or other matters. |
| Some minor items may be noted but the inspection report does not include every matter of a minor nature. |
| Outbuildings are not covered unless specifically included and then would incur an additional charge. |
| The inspections are also limited by the scope of inspection undertaken - for example, termite damage or termite risk factors would not be covered in our Standard inspection but are covered in our Premium inspection. |
| Home inspections can be done prior to making an offer, or with the exception of sale by auction, during the two working day "cooling-off" period, or as a condition of contract, by a date agreed with the vendor. |
| The most common approach is for the inspection to be done during the "cooling-off" period. |
| With respect to sale by auction, the inspection needs to be done prior to the auction date. |
| When considering purchase of a strata title home, we recommend obtaining from the vendor or real estate agent a copy of at least the past two years annual general meeting minutes and financial statements and to have them available for our perusal at the time of the inspection, if possible. |
| The on-site time varies depending on the Level of the pre-purchase inspection, the size, type and age of the home, and whether the purchaser is present (highly recommended). The on-site time range is usually between 1.5 and 2 hours. In addition, the time to key up the report following the inspection is between 50 and 90 minutes. Contact us to get a more specific time estimate for your particular requirements and circumstances. |
| An inspection can usually be booked within 24 to 48 hours. To be sure, book as early as possible and have a better chance of a time slot that suits you if you wish to be present during the inspection. It can be useful to book in your inspection before you sign the Form1 (Cooling-Off Rights) so as to be sure that the inspection is scheduled during the Cooling-Off period if that is what you want. Reports are keyed up immediately after the inspection. If you are not present for the inspection, we can fax the report, e-mail it to you as a .pdf file, post it or in convenient situations, drop it off for you. |
| We check that pool access controls comply with AS 1926.1 as required under South Australian Legislation and where that is not the case, we can provide recommendations to achieve compliance. David Murray has undertaken the SA Government Planning SA course on swimming pool safety and was the first to have passed their exam for swimming pool safety consultants. David uses equipment including a force gauge and attachments to assess strength & rigidity of gates, fencing & components as required under the Australian Standard AS 1926.1 and can issue a Certificate of Compliance if all the access requirements have been met. Legal advice provided to the Association of Building Consultants and confirmed by Planning SA is that all swimming pool consultants should be undertaking the tests required under the Australian Standard as part of their Duty of Care in assessing swimming pool access safety compliance. |
| We are flexible and will abort an inspection at your request if you are present. This may result in a saving depending on the level of the inspection and the time already spent before it is aborted. |
Fees for aborted inspections are based on a charge-out rate of A$250* per hour (inclusive of GST for inspection, any report writing & consultation time). There is a minimum fee of A$400*. Travel charge would be added if it was to apply to the inspection.
* A 25% surcharge applies for inspections on weekends, public holidays & after normal working hours.
Fees are current till 30th September 2010
| If a confirmed inspection is cancelled less than 24 hours prior to the booked start time for the inspection, a cancellation fee may apply. |
| Yes, we provide this assistance as an integral part of our service. |
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Adelaide Pre-purchase Inspections, a division of Nat Murray & Associates - Consulting Engineers ©