Under the floor of an old Ballarat weatherboard: what a buyer's inspection looks at
Timber stumps, bearers, damp and airflow beneath Victorian and Edwardian Ballarat houses, and how far a visual pre-purchase inspection can go.
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Tiles, valleys and gutters on older Ballarat homes
What a pre-purchase inspection finds on roofs that have seen a century of Ballarat winters, from broken tiles to gutters that hold water.
Timing a pre-purchase inspection around a Ballarat auction or private sale
How to fit a building inspection in before auction day or inside a cooling off period on a Ballarat house, and what to send us so it runs on time.
Do termites bother Ballarat homes in a cold climate?
Cooler winters slow termites but do not stop them. What a timber pest inspection under AS 4349.3 looks for in Ballarat and why the garden matters.
Wood rot or termites? Telling timber damage apart on a Ballarat house
Fungal decay is the timber pest most often found on weathered Ballarat homes. How it differs from termite damage and why both belong in the same report.
Garden beds, downpipes and damp ground: the pest risks around a Ballarat home
Soil heaped against brickwork, ground falling toward the house and trees touching the roof all feature in our Ballarat area building and pest reports.
Mould in the roof space of a near-new home near Ballarat
A defect investigation in Winter Valley found mould on roof trusses and eaves linings, a cooler drain inside the roof and open valley boards. What causes moisture to collect above the ceiling.
Gaps on a bushfire rated house: what a Winter Valley investigation found
Missing sealant at junctions, doors and service penetrations, and gaps in the roof's fire resistant blanket. Why sealing matters on a BAL rated home.
Cracks in brick veneer around Ballarat: measuring them before worrying
Hairline or something more? How we measure and categorise cracks in brick veneer on Ballarat area homes, and what different crack widths suggest.
Flashings and seals at handover on a new home west of Melbourne
Unsealed flashings, broken sealant and gaps in external walls from a Bacchus Marsh handover, and what Ballarat owners in Lucas or Alfredton should look for before the final payment.
Roof sheets, downpipes and stormwater at handover
Debris on a new roof, sheets overhanging the gutter, loose downpipes and a broken stormwater pipe: the drainage items a pre-handover inspection catches.
You have the handover report. What now?
How to send a pre-handover report to your builder, agree a fix list, book a reinspection and keep the paper trail if items are not resolved.
The vapour barrier and steel cover under a new slab
A Maddingley pre-pour inspection found the vapour barrier stopping short of edge beams and steel without enough cover. Why it matters on cold, wet ground.
Frame overhang, truss grips and loads on the wrong wall
Bottom plates hanging off the slab, trusses without tie-down grips and roof load sitting on a non-loadbearing wall, from a Maddingley frame inspection.
Insulation, wrap and noggings before the plasterer arrives
Lock-up is the last look inside the walls. A Maddingley inspection found insulation not yet in, wall wrap missing and bracing cut. Why that matters in a cold climate home.
Heating and the rental minimum standards in a Ballarat winter
Victoria's rental standards require a fixed heater in the main living area. What a pre-listing check looks at in a cold Ballarat rental, plus draughts and doors.
Mould, damp and ventilation in Ballarat rentals
The mould and damp standard and the ventilation standard, and why cold, wet weather makes them the ones Ballarat rentals most often struggle with.
Locks, latches and doors in a Ballarat rental
What the locks standard requires, and the door and hardware faults we find on older Ballarat area houses before they are let.