Five essential checks before buying a home

Last updated on 12th December, 2017 at 04:27 pm

We talked to expert builder Marc Kilner of Kilner Construction who shared five essential (but not always obvious) checks you need to do before signing on the dotted line.

1. Roof tiles / asbestos sheets: how old are they?

“A lot of older houses have oven-baked roof tiles which, as they age, or if they are disturbed, can break easily,” explains Marc. “These are almost impossible to find these days, so you may have to replace the entire roof if there are issues. Ask to look inside the ceiling and touch the tiles. Look for white flaking – that means they have started to disintegrate.” If the house has an asbestos roof there will be challenges due to new compliance regulations which have special requirements regarding any repairs and disposal of damaged asbestos roof sheets. These requirements will have a drastic effect on the total cost.

2. Ceiling: what’s hiding behind it?

“Look up, a ceiling can reveal a lot of secrets. Are there darker paint spots? That could mean leaking or mould. Remember, ceilings carry an immense amount of black dust. If you are an allergy sufferer, you definitely want to have a look and see what’s between you and the roof!”

3. Garden: a bit too green?

Owners often water gardens a lot before a sale to get it to tip-top condition. “Take a close look at the irrigation system and ask how much water the garden needs to stay in pristine condition. Are you up for the additional costs of maintaining it?” In the Western Cape severe droughts have caused the implementation of extreme water restrictions that prohibit any watering of gardens.

4. Geyser: size matters

“Ask about the size, age and type (regular or solar) of the geysers and consider whether it will be sufficient to accommodate your family’s hot water needs.”

5. The sun: direction the house is facing

“This is one of the most important considerations – ask where the sun rises and sets. Picture yourself in areas of the house at different times of day. For example, that lovely pool might always be in the shade or that bedroom could see full summer sun at 6am!”