Getting your home inspected by a professional has become more common recently and for good reason. Cases of tile “explosion” in Singapore have caused soon-to-be homeowners be more cautious.
If you’re thinking of getting a landed property, having a professional inspect your home is even more crucial. Landed properties require lots of maintenance and are often susceptible to decay. Renovation works to make sure the house is in good shape is pretty common. Here, we’ll talk about some of the most common home defects and what you’ll need to look out for when purchasing a landed property.
Seepage
Wear and tear over the years or poor renovation works done by previous owners can lead to seepage and perhaps even leaking roofs. Signs of seepage can be spotted at the edges of windows. If the problem is left alone, fixing the problem will be costly and it could lead to even more renovation works.
Termite infestation
Wooden floors are beautiful. But they’re also susceptible to termite infestation if they’re not maintained well. Termite infestation comes in various forms but one of the most common signs is when there are blisters in the wooden floorings. Subterranean termites damage your subfloor, which makes it seem as though your property is suffering from water damage. Homeowners who are unable to tell the difference from a glance might instead bring in renovators instead of bringing in termite control. Therefore, getting a professional to correctly “diagnose” your property’s issues is vital.
Illegal renovation works
This is more common than you’d expect. Although renovation requires authorisation from the BCA, there is little to no oversight on these renovation works. Landed property owners need to pay for authorisation themselves and some owners choose to keep it hush hush and go ahead with illegal renovation works.
For the untrained eye, it’s difficult to tell from a glance which parts of the property are renovated and which parts belong to its original structure. Having an experienced professional inspect your home can bring to light poorly renovated structures in the property, which saves you the trouble of possibly having to fix poor workmanship when problems become severe in the future.
Uneven flooring
Uneven flooring is definitely more common in landed properties than HDB flats. Due to the uneven terrain houses are built on, fine, sophisticated workmanship is required to attain an even finish. Poor workmanship can often leave your house lopsided.
Maintaining a landed property well requires care and attentiveness on the homeowners’ part. However, some home defects can be difficult to spot on your own and can easily be dismissed. Since the risk of having costly defects is much higher in landed properties, it’s better to bring in an experienced home inspector right from the start. Not only will it save you lots of problems in the long run, it could also cut down the costs of expensive renovation works in the future.
For professional assistance, feel free to reach out to us at 87480988