We offer maintenance and progressive building pest inspection/ control, Building Inspection , property inspections Sydney  for both domestic and commercial buildings in and around Sydney wide, for all ages and styles of buildings. Which will identify typical defects and remedial repairs on ageing properties such as;

Often the drainage to the exterior of buildings is inadequate resulting in the saturation of the foundations and sub floor area, this does not only increase the risk of timber pest damage/ attack it often affects the stability of the building which will result in cracking of the walls and delamination of wall finishes i.e. plaster, renderwork and tiling to wet areas.

Damp issues:

Rising and lateral damp is also common to older buildings and is often difficult to have rectified, where this cannot be prevented a lot of times it can be reduced with improved drainage and increased ventilation within the sub floor area. It is imperative to have this identified accurately and rectified by a reputable and experienced builder or plumber and drainer. Significant structural defects may occur with simply digging a trench or rubble drain to the exterior of the house resulting in damaged services, movement or undermining of the footings possibly requiring costly underpinning works.

Remedial works for undulated/ and deflection to suspended flooring:

Timber flooring to older houses often require maintenance over long periods and can be rectified, often easily once the defects has been accurately identified. The cause maybe due to movement in the foundations or footings and/ or overloading of the flooring with timber pest damage. If this type of defect is identified early it may save costly repairs at a later date or possible injury due to flooring collapse.

Moisture damage to ceilings to all levels of building:

Moisture damage and mould to ceilings is a common issue due to damaged roof coverings; i.e. ill-fitting or damaged tiles and or flashings and if correctly identified can reduce the repair costs (which may result in damaged ceilings). Ornate, coffered or vaulted ceilings are expensive to have repaired or replaced due to the specialist trades person required for the repair work.

Structural cracks:

Cracking to buildings is often visible to internal and external walls and can be caused by typical settlement; which may have occurred shortly after the building was built (in the first 2-5 years). Movement, especially in masonry walls is common, however if the cracking changes and continues to increase in size then obviously repairs are required which may mean underpinning works are required which is often costly and needs to be addressed sooner than later. Cracking may also be due to poor drainage or local excavation works, either within the property or possibly due to adjoining properties which may be having a new build or landscaping works carried out and identification of the cause should be carried out as a matter of urgency to reduce the cracking and damage to the building/s.

Inspections and advice on services (new or old):

Services require maintenance repairs/ upgrades carrying out especially to older buildings. These would include upgrades of electrical boards, smoke detectors/ alarms, gutters and downpipes, hot water services and loose and poorly secured pipework which may result in water hammer.

Advice on additions or changes to a building:

It is imperative that building design is correct prior to commencing a new build whether an addition or complete new building. Often fundamental defects such as inadequate sub floor ventilation or landscaping above DPC (damp proof course), stained render to masonry walls due to corroded corner beads are identified in houses and unit buildings and can cause significant defects and or timber pest attack. These defects are often visible and easily identified by an experienced inspector who can recommend the correct remedial repairs required.

Prevention of timber pest damage can be identified early significantly reducing repairs costs. The main damage such as decay and termite damage is often found in older buildings but also found in relatively new buildings; often with minor repairs/ maintenance changes required to the buildings and surrounding environments which will solve further damage and maintenance.

Quality assurance inspections of new buildings during construction:

With the shortage of good tradespeople, lack of supervision and stories of legal battles with builders, it makes sense to have independent inspections at various hold points during the construction period. As well as typical pre-purchase, defects or maintenance inspections, Doric property inspections also compile reports for new builds, which include; reports of the placement/ positioning and securing of the steel reinforcement prior to the concrete pour, brick and frame inspections prior to sheeting or finishes, inspection of walls, ceilings post finishes, roof coverings, drainage and services, and finally the inspection of internal and external finishes, including floor finishes, joinery, doors etc prior to handover.

Maintenance Inspections:

Houses; which are starting to show signs of flaking and discoloured  paintwork, decayed woodwork and cracked tiles, are generally at the stage where they are needing maintenance/ repairs. It is advisable to have this work carried out sooner than later to actually save money, i.e. it is often cheaper and less of an inconvenience to have the repairs carried out when they are identified, especially issues such as decayed woodwork, defective waterproofing, drainage or roof coverings.

Doric property inspections can compile reports; which will identify areas where repairs are required, commenting on the extent and severity of the repairs and advising when the repairs need to be rectified. Allowing the owner to set dates and budgets when the work needs to be done, I will also advise on remedial works to prevent repeat defects or reducing future maintenance. Repeat defects are often identified on certain types of buildings, due to lack of feedback from home owners to builders, such as additional drainage to the base of the walls on the high side/s of buildings, sub floor and roof ventilation, incorrect or poor quality materials (especially with a large amount of imported materials and lack of tests, such as durability, fire, compatibility with other materials etc).

Corroded arch bars:

Older structures often have corroded arch bars/ lintels; unmaintained arch bars can cause significant movement to the brickwork requiring costly structural repairs and occasionally resulting in dislodged and unsafe brickwork if not identified at an early stage (typically new houses are constructed with galvanised metal which is resistant to corrosion).

Hazardous materials:

Potential asbestos material (i.e. sheeting, fencing, fire rating cladding, guttering/ downpipes and flues etc.). With advice on the potential risk of the material and what remedial action is required such as removal or sealing/ encapsulating to prevent possible risk or harm.

I also compile reports for new builds from progressive inspections at various hold points; i.e. prior to pouring concrete floor slabs, wall and roof framework prior to sheeting, waterproofing works prior to tiling etc and defects lists on completed works (final inspections of new buildings).

For more information on Building and property pest inspection/ control services in Sydney, call Sean O’Connell (Accredited building consultant in Sydney) on 0418 268 552, 02 9579 1244 or email at seanoc@bigpond.com or simply complete the online enquiry form.