INFORMED DECISION

Pre Purchase Building Inspection

» Detailed and in-depth structural pre-purchase inspection..
» Analysing structural performance of the building by a senior engineer.
» Identifying major structural defects and site maintenance issues.
» Expert opinion on expected future structural damage to the house.
» Expert recommendation on required site and structural upgrades. 
Pre Purchase Structural Inspection
Before You Invest On A Project Or A Property
Our Report Will Ensure A Sound Investment

Old-school Pre-purchase building inspections

Homebuyers need a building inspection from a structural point of view

Let’s face it! Sellers always try to improve the appeal of their property in several obvious ways. This is to increase its value before you buy it. Therefore, it is fair to say that most of the defects of a house are either fixed or temporarily hidden for you or your Builder to see. Consequently, at MFS we realised that inspecting roofs, windows, decks, verandahs and likes will not lead to ground-breaking discoveries to help new homebuyers having a safe investment. Instead, a competent Pre-purchase Structural Inspector should inspect the building from structural point of view.

Useful Pre-purchase Structural Inspection

Poor footing and structural performance are the main root of most building damages

Are you purchasing a home for your family or a building for your company,? Then you should consider proper due diligence and pre-purchase structural inspection tactics. It is a massive investment and should be handled with attention to detail and expertise. Homebuyers should learn that most serious problems that start showing up after purchase are not due to racked roof tiles or likes.  They must be aware that these damages are rooted in poor footing and structural performance of the building. 

Footing Performance Analysis as part of Pre-purchase Inspection

Analysing the performance of the footing is essential at the time of a property purchase.

Most of the time people are very excited when they’re about to purchase a  property. This excitement leads to neglecting to properly inspect the building from structural point of view. As part of our Forensic Structural inspections of buildings, we have met so many homeowners who’ve become significantly disappointed in their pre-purchase building inspection report years after purchasing the property. They all have one common complaint: no one analysed the performance of the footing. Now they are left with poorly designed or constructed footing that costs thousands of dollars to fix. 

Understand the structure like an Engineer

Let qualified MFS senior structural engineers assess the structural integrity of your property and save money

Before you sign any type of contract, it’s imperative that you are able to make a well-informed decision. Our qualified senior structural engineers assess the structural integrity of your property. Unlike others, they don’t limit their inspection to cosmetic defects. This way, we can save you money, time, and annoyances in the future. Our pre-purchase structural inspection report will allow you to better understand the property. It uncovers any hidden structural or non-structural damages. In the end, It helps you make an informed decision on whether the purchase is a smart choice or not. 

Do I need Pre-purchase Property Inspection?

Many houses and commercial buildings on the market today are beautiful on the inside and outside. However, this beauty can blind homeowners and investors to any structural or cosmetic damages. A forensic building engineer, on the other hand, is highly trained and can pick up on any hidden defects. Without the assistance of a trained structural engineer in Melbourne, you could be scammed into purchasing a building that looks amazing but has significant damage. This would put a serious dent in your bank account to fix. 

MFS Engineering detail any damages, safety, and maintenance issues in a pre-purchase structural inspection report

What is included in MFS Pre-purchase Structural Inspection?

  • A thorough inspection of accessible areas of the building.
  • Assessment of structural stability, water-tightness, and standard of workmanship. 
  • A comprehensive pre-purchase structural inspection report. The report includes the building’s structural integrity and a list of any structural defects to the property detected at the time of the inspection.

« The pre-purchase structural inspection report relates to the current condition of the property. This report is completed to Australian standards by an experienced structural engineer. It will detail any damages, safety, and maintenance issues. From site drainage issues to even trees and vegetation that may cause foundation movements in the future.»

You will be protecting all your assets by insisting on conducting a pre-purchase report before buying a property

Benefits of MFS Pre-purchase Structural Inspection

1. Understand the property you want to buy better.  When you are making as big of an investment as purchasing a home or commercial building, you need to know all the facts.

2. Uncover any hidden structural or non-structural damages.  Don’t be left unaware of significant risks associated with purchasing the property.

3. Make an informed decision.  Make sure that the purchase is a smart choice.

4. Negotiate a lower purchase price.  If there is significant structural damage, but you are still interested in the property, the pre-purchase structural inspection report can help you save thousands of dollars.

5. Ask MFS’s Engineer to focus on specific issues that matter the most to you. For example, Imagine you are thinking of potentially renovating or extending the property. Therefore, you can get a much better idea about your options and the possible extent of structural works. 

6. You Receive a non-computerised report. We do not produce reports within “24 hours”. We inspect properties from the structural point of view. Therefore, we analyse the performance of every structure very carefully. We take our structural inspections and investigations very seriously. That’s why our reports are reliable. However, if you are in hurry, we have enough resources to prioritise your project. We can also arrange to issue your report within 3 business days. 

7. Communicating with us is easier than ever. We’ve designed a customized CRM portal. It engineers and clients to have better and far easier communication. Through our portal, you can get your questions answered by your engineer. You also can upload additional documents to be reviewed for your case. 

« Don’t enter into any contract or purchase agreement blindly. Always seek the help of a trained forensic structural engineer. You will be protecting all your assets by insisting on conducting a pre-purchase report before buying a property. And you can ensure that your investment is profitable.»

Sometimes homebuyers who did not do Pre-purchase Structural Inspection face damages that are costly to fix

Examples of Homebuyers who did not do Pre-purchase Structural Inspection

Significant settlement of concrete waffle slab in Caroline Springs. 

The client engaged MFS to investigate the cause of significant cracking to ceilings and cornices of the house after only 4 years of occupancy. They did an old-school pre-purchase building inspection at the time of purchase. The report included photographs of some existing cracks, but it did not raise any flags about the actual reason behind the damages. If the Owners knew what type of footing they are buying and what are its maintenance requirements, what future movements they should expect and why, then they may not have been as disappointed as they are today!

MFS investigation showed that the house was constructed too close to a sewer easement without proper footing design

Concrete Stiffened Raft Slab near Sewer Easement. 

The Owner who bought the property in less than a year contacted MFS. He asked for a Forensic Structural Investigation of his significantly distressed building. At the time of the inspection, the owner showed us photographs of the house taken at the time of purchase. Obviously, the photos showed a perfect and crack-free house. But now, less than a year later, almost every wall within the house cracks. Some cracks were more significant than others. Our investigation showed that the house was constructed too close to a sewer easement without proper footing design. All cracks were patched by the previous owner. But unfortunately, the owner’s pre-purchase building inspection did not report these. 

MFS experts found a significant settlement of concrete waffle slab in Caroline Springs that wasn't reported in a pre-purchase structural inspection

Recent Posts

The most important characteristic for competent forensic engineering is high ethical standards. Ethical and professional principles are put to the test more often, and to a greater degree, than in any other engineering endeavour.
KENNETH L. CARPER