When you require a building inspection in Palm Beach, Gold Coast we have noticed bathroom / wet areas often have a big list of defects that can cost buyers much more money than expected if undetected. In this blog we explain the importance of a building and pest inspection in Palm Beach prior to purchase, and what defects we come across in wet areas / bathrooms on the Gold Coast.
Wet areas have the potential to cause several major defects within a property, from failed waterproofing membranes to DIY renovations that cause more damage than they cover up, like timber rot / fungal decay within in walls frames, potential Mould issues and termite infestations, we have seen a lot, Bathrooms are a high-risk area that can cost a bucket load to rectify if not picked up prior to purchase.
During our Building and Pest inspections, we thoroughly check all wet areas by flood testing showers and running all services within the area like baths, basin taps and toilets looking for any leaks, blockages or deteriorated items that may be present.
A small item that can cause a big problem in wets areas are steel flexi hoses. These hose connections are normally installed under basins and toilets attached to your water connections. If showing signs of rust and deterioration, have the potential to burst and flood a property causing extensive damage to wall frames, doors and architraves, floor coverings and more. These are easy to change prior to becoming an issue and frequent maintenance checks are highly recommended to all homeowners.
We check all walls within and adjoining wet areas with a moisture meter after running all services to detect any potential leaks. Leaking pipe work, deteriorated seals and failed waterproofing membranes are a leading factor in major defects we find. These can be concealed and undetected until the correct technology is used in the right areas to uncover. High moisture within timber wall frames has the potential to cause extensive fungal decay and rot damaging the structural stability of wall frames. This can also lead to potential Mould issues within a wall cavity and provide a conducive area to termite infestation that can then lead to further damage within a property.
A lot of bathrooms we come across have been renovated at some stage, unfortunately a lot of people like to give these renovations a go themselves. If done correctly with the help of professional licenced trades this can be achievable to a standard, we like to expect. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Waterproofing is the backbone of a wet area and should always be completed by a licensed tradesmen to ascertain a quality finish, providing the correct waterproofing certificates on completion to not only guarantee the workmanship but warrant the work that has been completed for any potential issues that may occur sooner than expected. We always recommend our clients gather any waterproofing certificates from the vendor if a property has had a recent bathroom renovation.
Another common issue we detect within wet areas are Drummy Tiles. These are tiles that are loose, and the adhesive has failed or not enough was applied to the substrate below, a hollow sound can be heard when those tiles are walked on or tapped on with an object. In wet areas these tiles have the potential to lead to many related issues such as damp, water ingress to other areas and cracked / damage tiles and grout causing further deterioration which can be quite expensive to repair if not completed in early stages.
These are just several defects we have come across when a Building and Pest inspection is completed in Palm Beach and surrounding suburbs on the Gold Coast.
Call us on 0409 693 974 during business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm to speak to Robert.
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