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Expert insights, industry updates, and practical guides to help you make informed decisions about building inspections in Australia.
Buying a Home with Soakwells: What Should You Check During a Property Inspection?
Buying a home with a soakwell? Learn what visible drainage signs to check before settlement, including downpipes, pooling water, sinking pavers, damp walls and termite-conducive moisture. This buyer-focused guide explains what a property inspector can assess, what may need specialist drainage review and how to reduce hidden property risks.
Why Steel Reinforcement Matters in Pre-Slab Inspections
Side-by-side example of correct and poor pre-slab reinforcement setup, showing how mesh support, vapour barrier condition and site preparation can affect inspection outcomes.
Can a Builder Refuse an Independent Inspector in Queensland?
Builders in Queensland cannot legally refuse access to an independent building inspector appointed by the homeowner. Learn the laws that protect your right to independent oversight during construction.
Can a Builder Refuse an Independent Inspector in Victoria?
Builders in Victoria cannot legally refuse access to an independent building inspector appointed by the homeowner. Learn the laws that protect your right to independent oversight during construction.
What Hidden Commercial Building Defects Do Inspections Miss?
Hidden commercial building defects can sit behind clean finishes, roof spaces and exterior surfaces. A detailed inspection helps buyers, owners and managers understand risk before small issues turn into major repair costs.
Moving Interstate? Things to Know Before Moving Into Your Dream Home
Things to Know Before Moving Into Your Dream Home
Air Conditioning Installation in New Builds: What to Check Before Handover
Before accepting practical completion, your air conditioning installation in new build should do more than turn on. This guide explains what Australian homeowners should check before handover, including cooling, heating, zoning, airflow, condensate drainage, outdoor unit placement, noise, warranty paperwork, ARC licence details, and common HVAC defects hidden inside ceilings, walls, and roof spaces.
What Your Property Inspection Results Mean for Equity
Property inspection results can affect buyer confidence, repair decisions and negotiation risk. Learn how a pre-sale inspection can help protect home equity before selling in Australia.
How to Use Your Home’s Equity to Renovate
Learn how Australian homeowners can use home equity to fund renovations, including usable equity, LVR, refinancing, redraw, top-ups and key repayment risks. This guide also explains why a building inspection should come before major renovation spending, helping identify moisture, pest, roofing, drainage and structural issues before the budget is locked in.
How Do You Choose a Pest Control Company After a Building Inspection
A practical guide for Australian property buyers on choosing a licensed pest control company after a building and pest inspection identifies termite activity, pest damage, or moisture risks.
What Costs Beyond the Mortgage Catch Buyers Out in Australia?
Buying a property costs more than the loan itself. This guide helps Australian buyers understand the extra costs beyond the mortgage, from inspections and legal fees to insurance, rates and repair buffers.
How Poor Ventilation Causes Mould, Condensation and Hidden Defects
Poor ventilation can do more than leave a home feeling stuffy. It can trap moisture, cause condensation and mould, and contribute to hidden defects in roof spaces, wall cavities and subfloors. This guide explains the warning signs, likely causes, and when an inspection is the right next step.
6 Hidden Home Issues to Check Before Replacing Your Living Room Furniture
Before replacing your living room furniture, check whether the real problem is hidden in the room itself. This guide explains how to spot damp, mould, cracks, uneven floors, leaks and termite damage, then decide whether you need an inspection, a repair, or simply a better furniture plan.
Pest Inspection Clues Buyers Miss When Buying a Home
Pest inspections help buyers spot termite and borer risk that open homes often hide. A pre-purchase pest inspection is a non-invasive visual check of accessible areas, so blocked roof or subfloor access and covered slab edges can limit what’s found.
Rising Oil Prices and the Impact on Building Costs and Delays
Rising oil prices are pushing up building costs across Australia by lifting diesel, freight and material prices at the same time. For homebuyers, homeowners and investors, that can mean higher repair bills, longer lead times and more pressure on renovation or building budgets. This article explains how global oil benchmarks flow through to local fuel costs, why materials like PVC and bitumen are exposed, and what practical steps property owners can take to reduce risk before they buy, build or renovate.
What Poor Polished Concrete Floors Look Like
Poor polished concrete isn’t about the floor having a bit of natural colour variation. It’s when the finish looks uneven, distracting, or starts failing. The biggest red flags are patchy gloss, swirl or trowel marks that jump out under sunlight or downlights, cloudy haze, random aggregate exposure, and stains sealed into the surface. White salt deposits near joints or external walls can point to moisture moving through the slab, and peeling sealer, trip edges at joints, or slippery wet entries turn it from ugly into a functional or safety issue. The key is working out whether you’re seeing a light-and-shadow effect, a surface defect, or a moisture-related problem, because the realistic fix and the likely cost depend on what’s actually causing it.
Showing 1-16 of 308 articles
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Nathisha Paramasivam
5 months ago
We are ex-Porter Davis clients now getting our property finished with Simonds Property, and the build has been delayed and stressful. When you have no idea what you’re looking for and start to feel ga...
Savali Ng Shiu
2 months ago
I spoke with Dan and was genuinely impressed by his level of honesty and integrity, especially given that I am currently in a very vulnerable position following recent renovation works. He took the ti...
Gopal Katwal
a year ago
I recently used Owner Inspection for a pre-slab inspection, and I couldn't be more pleased with the service. Babak Nasirpour was the inspector assigned to my property, and he was thorough, professiona...
Simone Maiolo
3 months ago
I recently used Owner Inspections for a property inspection, and I was extremely impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. The inspector arrived on time, conducted a very thorough ...
Anuradha Edirisuriya
a month ago
I had a great experience with Owner Inspections from start to finish. The team was professional, punctual, and very easy to deal with. Communication was clear throughout the process, and the inspectio...
Rsvn_ GG
10 months ago
The inspector arrived on time and conducted a very thorough evaluation. He took the time to walk us through every detail, pointing out potential problem areas and providing sound advice for future mai...