Stump Inspections

Mr Inspector is one of a few actual qualified building inspector in Melbourne. The above photograph was taken by Mr Inspector during a house inspection in Highett and shows a rotten timber stump footing.

You can see that the timber stump footing (that holds up the house) is rotten – see Mr Inspectors Termite Tapping golf ball is under the stump.  Further investigation revealed a leaking plumbing pipe  under the kitchen area and when the owners were told about this they realized why their water bills were so high.  This leak had been occurring for over 12 months and caused rot to the stump footings which required replacement.   This reiterates why it is so important to carry out a building inspection by a qualified building inspector in Melbourne so that you are well informed of any costly building defects before you buy the property.

Roof Inspection of Down Lights


Many house inspections in Melbourne reveal that the roof insulation is too close to, or covering down lights.  During past building inspections we have seen roof frames that at some stage have had a fire through them.   Insulation to close to down lights can be a fire hazard and covers must be placed over them or insulation pulled away.  Also consider, new LED lighting does not heat up as hot as halogen down lights and are far more economical on your power bills.  The above photograph was taken by Mr Inspector during a building inspection in Highett and shows debris and insulation surrounding the down light.  This is a potential fire hazard and requires rectification.

Gutter Rust


The above photograph was taken by Mr Inspector during one of his many building inspections in Highett and shows the importance of having an actual qualified building inspector assess your property in Melbourne before you buy.

Mr Inspector often observes gutter rust which is common in older homes.  The cause of rust is water and air – when gutters get blocked the water remains stagnate and over time causes the rust in the gutters and subsequent penetration.

Many of our building inspections reveal debris in the gutters and water ponding due to blockages from debris, leaves etc.

Depending on the size of the home replacing gutter can be expensive.  Rust is caused by water and air and removing debris so the water can adequately exit the gutters via the down pipes will prevent the rust.   Gutter replacement can range from $1000 to $3000 depending on the size of the home.

Mr Inspectors says that overflowing gutters is also the main cause of timber rot to fascia and eave linings so cleaning regularly is important.