Builder License No:
512166802
512166802
Imagine you’ve just bought a home. Your building and pest report arrives, and it’s full of photos, moisture readings and jargon. You start wondering whether you’ve made a terrible mistake.
That’s exactly how one Reddit user felt. They’d already committed to the purchase, and they were most worried about a note about possible rising damp. “We’re super stressed now at the possibility of making a mistake,” they wrote.
Andy from Swell Building Inspections went through the photos they shared with host Jordan in our Pro Insights series.
Here’s the short answer: from the photos, these are minor defects, not major problems. Cracked roof pointing, possible damp in a garage wall and a worn shower seal are all fixable, with a best-case total of around $1,500. The bigger lesson is that a building report shouldn’t leave you panicking. If it does, talk to your inspector.
Andy’s first observation wasn’t about the house at all. “If a client of a building inspector is concerned and unsure, it’s probably a good indicator that their building inspector hasn’t had a phone conversation with them after giving them a report,” Andy says.
It happens all the time. People see a list of defects and assume the house is about to fall down, when really it’s a couple of minor things that are easy to fix.
His advice when booking an inspection is to ask whether you’ll be able to speak with the inspector afterwards. If the answer is no, find another inspector.
At Swell, the policy is simple: you can keep talking to us until you understand your report.
Andy is careful to say he hasn’t seen the property in person. Based on the photos, though, here’s how he reads the main items.
The tiled roof showed cracking in the pointing, the mortar that holds the ridge and hip capping in place. This was letting a little moisture into the roof space and possibly into one ceiling.
Verdict: minor defect, but fix it. It’s not a structural problem and the roof isn’t going to collapse. Andy treats it as a maintenance item, much like exterior painting. It needs regular upkeep, and if it’s ignored, water will keep finding its way in.
Andy recommends a specialist tile roofer to repoint it.
The report recommended further investigation of salt and damp on an exposed brick wall that appeared to be in a garage.
Verdict: get a specialist to look at it. It isn’t a structural emergency. It might be rising damp. But Andy points out that soil or a garden bed built up against the outside of the wall is a common cause of exactly this kind of damp and salt staining, and it’s a much simpler fix.
If it is rising damp, have it assessed by a rising damp specialist.
The shower was an enclosed unit with a preformed base rather than a tiled floor. There was a high moisture reading outside it.
Verdict: minor defect, cheap to fix now and expensive if you leave it. Nine times out of ten, Andy says, this comes down to worn sealant where the floor meets the walls. Replace the sealant, then check whether the moisture goes away.
The photos didn’t show damage to the wall lining, so it looks like it was caught in time. Andy has seen plenty of cases where this was left too long, leading to rotten substrate and mould under the shower.
Indicative cost: around $300 to $500 for a shower reseal from a specialist, depending on the company and whether grout work is also needed.
Assuming the damp turns out not to be a major issue, Andy’s rough best-case estimate for resealing the shower and repointing part of the roof is about $1,500.
On a property worth $700,000 to $900,000, that’s a small amount. “A house is no different to owning a vehicle,” Andy says. “If you didn’t get your car serviced, it would fall apart.” Every homeowner should budget for ongoing maintenance.
This estimate is a best case based only on the photos. Every property is different.
Andy found this particular report confusing, “even to me, and I’m a building inspector.” It relied on jargon and pre-written comments dropped into tables.
A good report should:
Cost estimates matter even more in Tasmania, where purchase contracts commonly set a defect cost limit. If the cost of defects goes over that limit, you may have the option to withdraw. Your conveyancer can confirm how your contract works.
A minor defect is usually a maintenance or cosmetic issue that doesn’t threaten the structure, such as worn shower sealant or cracked roof pointing. A major defect affects the structure, safety or serviceability of the home and generally needs prompt, often costly, repair.
It usually isn’t an immediate structural threat, but it should be assessed. Before assuming it’s rising damp, check whether soil or garden beds are piled against the outside of the wall.
Usually around $300 to $500 for a straightforward reseal by a specialist. More if grout repairs or sealing are needed.
Absolutely. If an inspector won’t discuss the findings with you, choose a different one.
Most reports include a mix of minor maintenance items and, sometimes, a few bigger issues. What matters is knowing which is which. A Swell report is laid out room by room, includes repair recommendations and cost estimates for significant defects, and comes with a conversation, because a report you can’t understand isn’t much use to you.
Andy is a licensed builder with over 15 years of hands-on experience. Every Swell inspection comes with a plain-English report, usually within 24 hours, and a follow-up call to walk you through the findings. Not sure which kind of inspection you need? Our guide to the different types of pre-purchase inspections explains them.
Ready to book? Book your pre-purchase inspection or call 0483 935 688.
