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Building inspections for old homes

Don’t let an old home become a headache

Why a building inspection is vital – and what to look for to know if an older home is a good buy

There’s no doubt that there’s something charming about old homes – whether it’s a turn of the century villa, a California-inspired bungalow or a relic from the post-war building boom. However, there are certain things you need to consider when purchasing a piece of New Zealand’s building history, especially with any homes that were built pre 1978.

In seeking to avoid a headache later down the line, it pays to get a professional building inspection, however we’ve put together some pointers of some of the key things to be mindful of also.

 

Does it have its coat, hat, and shoes on?

It’s well worth looking at whether the home has the required insulation, or whether this will need to be retrofitted. Not only will you want it to be warm if you’re looking to move in, but if you’re buying the property as an investment and are renting it out, tenancy law changes require you to meet certain standards. In some cases, building consent is required to add insulation into walls, so it’s important to be informed and factor this work into the cost.

 

Is there any scrim in sight?

We’re not talking about a football scrimmage here either! Scrim is an open-weave, coarse fabric (it looks a bit like sacking!) that was popular in old villas and bungalows (before the days of plasterboard) and was often laid straight on top of wall framing. The problem lies in the fact that scrim is highly flammable and many insurance companies may not insure a house with scrim due to the fire risk.

 

Poke around in the plumbing

Too much intimate inspection of our plumbing is often a touchy subject, but when it comes to an old home, it’s more than worth a poke around. They say that prevention is the best medicine – and the thing to watch out for here is the use of dux quest plumbing. This early type of black plastic piping was largely used in houses in the late 70s and early 80s and, as a system, it tends to leak quite a lot and can cause a myriad of issues later on.

 

Don’t forget the foundations

People often think that as long as a house is still standing – and straight! – there’s no need to give much thought to the foundations. However the foundations are the basis on which the entire house is built, so it’s important they’re not overlooked. Lots of old builds were up on piles, as opposed to poured concrete slabs that are often underneath newer homes, so it pays to check what’s going on under there. Don’t just assume it’ll all be alright – one house I inspected had tree stumps as foundations… It’s safe to say this ‘treehouse’ was not overly solid.

 

Is there any asbestos?

Most of us know that this one is a red flag, but where does it really cause challenges? In some places and products, asbestos fibres won’t create problems, but if they are on loose things, like the backing of old vinyl, you’re up for some issues. Not only is asbestos insidious, it can cost a fortune to get rid of, as it requires specialists.

 

A qualified property inspector can help you spot all the issues above, as well as a number of other potential pitfalls that may be present in an old home. By all means, enjoy, invest in and restore these aged beauties but, as with any property purchase, remember it’s best to go in with your eyes open. Not only can this help you avoid later headaches, but it helps with your negotiating power also. Forewarned is fore-armed, after all. Get in touch now for a building inspection to make sure your old home is a good buy.

 

What you can build without consent

What you can build without consent

If you’re looking to extend and expand your home in some way, there can be a heck of a lot of hoops to jump through, depending on what it is that you’re wanting to do.

But some building work can be undertaken without building consent – meaning you’re free to work within the specified boundaries to your heart’s content. So, to help you figure out what you can do without worrying about paperwork, here’s a basic guide to work that’s exempt from building legislation.

(Before starting any new project, though, make sure you’re really confident that you’ve read up and checked in on everything – there may be a hefty fine coming your way if you inadvertently carry out work that does in fact require building consent.)

Getting stuck into fixing things up
Basic house maintenance is in the clear – this can include things like replacing weatherboard in the same position, or replacing roof cladding that has lived out its durability requirement – as long as you’re replacing it with a comparable material. If you’re wanting to replace corrugated iron roofing with concrete tiles, though, that will need consent, as the tiles are heavier and will potentially have a substantial and detrimental effect on the building’s structural integrity.

Over on The Property Inspectors’ website, I’ve gone into more detail about other consent-exempt building projects – from pergolas, to skylights, to sleepouts!

Building something small
There’s an exemption for ‘single-storey detached buildings not exceeding 10 square metres in floor area’ – which basically translates to things like garden sheds or sleepouts. Keep in mind though that if you want to include cooking or sanitary facilities in the new structure, you will need consent.

Popping up a pergola
A pergola has a simple frame and no roof – perfect for integration into garden features. You can build as large a pergola as you want – but it must not have any kind of roof covering, not even plastic sheeting or clear polycarbonate. So if you’re wanting an outdoor installation that’s safe from the elements, you’re safest to check in on whether it’s going to be larger than 10 square metres (as mentioned above) – otherwise (you guessed it!) you’ll be needing to organise building consent.

Outbuilding repair and replacement
You have a little more flexibility with regard to size if you’re working with an existing structure. Maybe your garage is a little worse for wear and you want to replace it with a prefab version, or you decide to downsize your garage from a double to a single to maximise outdoor living space. The general rule of thumb here is that the building must be a comparable structure – so, for example, you couldn’t replace a carport with a fully-fledged garage – and the footprint must not exceed the existing structure.

A little something extra

There is some degree of flexibility around the installation of windows and doors, as long as you work within the limits of the exemption. They’re the sorts of things that make sense, when you think about it. If you’re installing a skylight, be sure to pick its place between the existing roof trusses. If you want to remove a window and replace it with a wall, make sure that you’ll still be meeting all the building code requirements with regard to ventilation and natural light.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment has a thorough guide to the ins and outs of what you can and can’t do – so if you’re looking for any kind of clarification, have a look – or you can always get in touch with me for a little extra advice!

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Insulate yourself from future problems

Insulate yourself from future problems

Cold, damp houses are a serious problem in New Zealand, causing health issues for thousands of people around the country. With new legislation on the horizon (and considering the winter that we’ve been having), insulation is a hot topic in the property world.

There are roughly 450,000 rental properties in Auckland, about 180,000 of which aren’t insulated. Recent policy changes mean that all rental properties will need to adhere to a “warrant of fitness” by 2019. To meet the new standards, all rental properties must be properly insulated, providing a warm, dry environment for their inhabitants.

Installing insulation into rental properties will create a fair bit of work for landlords and property managers, and the change hasn’t been without its naysayers. However, long term, providing proper insulation will have significant health, social and economic benefits, both for those that live in rental properties, and those that own them.

It’s not just renters who benefit from well insulated homes either. Good insulation reduces both dampness and noise, keeps homes cool in summer and costs less to heat, making is essential for a healthy family home. The warm, dry environment provided by a well-insulated home is especially important for kids, who are at increased risk of developing respiratory conditions like asthma when living in damp or cold environments. If left unchecked, these can develop into illnesses like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), so prevention is the best solution.

Many people think insulation only relates to walls and ceilings, but the reality is that full insulation that covers all areas of a home will be much more effective. When installing insulation, it’s worth addressing all of the following areas:

1. Ceiling
2. Underfloor
3. Walls
4. Windows

If your home has no underfloor insulation, it’s best to install some – you’ll really notice the difference. Installing insulation into ceilings and floors can be done without building consent, however, consent is required for the retrofitting of wall insulation.

And if any pre-existing insulation has been damaged, replacing it will make a big difference to the temperature and comfort of your home. While not especially common in New Zealand, double glazing is extremely worthwhile, as it helps to regulate your homes temperature, and keeps out a lot of noise (a huge bonus if you live near the road!)

There’s no denying that installing this kind of full insulation is pricy, but it’s worth the investment too. Your home or rental property will be comfortable and quiet all year round, vastly increasing its market value and making it much more desirable to live in.

2019 may seem like a long time away, but as the date creeps closer, demand for insulation will increase. A lot of housing, especially in Auckland, requires better insulation, and just because a property owner or agent claims that a property is fully insulated, that doesn’t mean that it is. Check all of the areas of the house from the ceiling and underfloor, to the walls and windows. If you’d like a professional assessment, I’m happy to examine insulation (or lack thereof) and provide recommendations, as part of your property inspection.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

The Importance of a Property Inspection

The Importance of a Property Inspection

With so many costs surrounding the purchase of a new home, it’s understandably tempting to cut corners where possible. LIM reports, loan application fees, conveyancing fees, property rates, property insurance – the list goes on. And that’s on top of the more obvious things like deposits and moving costs.

But can you imagine anything worse than going through all of those steps, spending all that money… and then finding out the hard way that there’s something seriously wrong with the property? It’s better to add a little extra to your bills upfront than risk everything falling down around you – possibly in a very real sense. You can’t put a price on peace of mind.

Much of the same logic applies when you’re selling your house. To ensure that you and the buyer have a streamlined sale, it’s good to either fix up any problems before you put your property on the market, or to be upfront about any aspects of the home that need a little attention. Keeping yourself in the dark when you know that there may be problems just means that you’re likely to complicate things down the track when buyers back out because they’ve baulked at the report that’s come back.

Dealing with established professionals in any field is important. When it comes to housing, though, that importance is even greater. Whether it’s somewhere you and your family will be living or an investment property, you need that assurance that the home’s inhabitants are safe and secure.

At The Property Inspectors, our core value is to continuously improve our knowledge – and as such, we’re always up-to-date on new issues arising in the building industry and any changing legislation or guidelines established by regulatory bodies. Don’t forget, you can check out a sample building report on our website – so you can see just how thorough an inspection we perform.

Working with seasoned professionals also means tapping into networks that they create. An established property inspection company is going to have a whole lot of recommendations for who you can trust when it comes to repairs.

So whether you’re buying or selling, make sure you’ve got the peace of mind you need to take the next step – and get in touch for a property inspection from professionals that you can trust.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Why you need to look – and inspect – before you take the plunge

Why you need to look – and inspect – before you take the plunge

If you’ve been on The Property Inspectors mailing list for a while, you may remember that a couple of years ago I talked about the Auckland housing market. And while time has passed, properties are in just as hot demand as they have ever been (if not even more). It can be a bumpy road to home ownership, but here are a few things to remember when you’re on the hunt for a new house – whether it’s an investment property or somewhere you want to call home.

I stressed this last time, and I’ll stress it again – don’t buy sight unseen. While purchasing a house is seen a rite of passage of sorts, it’s important to remember that it’s a really big financial decision. Just because a home is within your budget and looks lovely in all the photos doesn’t mean that you should jump on it as soon as it pops up on your radar.

And when you’re looking, you need to really look. That means more than just a cursory tour – it means examining it thoroughly yourself, and enlisting the help of a property inspector to ensure that there aren’t any nasty surprises hidden in a home that looks just fine to the untrained eye.

So, since you’re making sure to have a proactive look at the property before making any decisions, there are some crucial things to keep in mind – things that are all about your needs and wants, rather than the attention to detail that an inspection will provide.

  1. Where it is. It may seem obvious, but there’s a lot more to a suburb than a good school or a nice set of shops. Be sure to consider your transportation options – just because it’s handy to your current job, is it going to be a nightmare of a commute if you get relocated to another area of the city? With lots of companies shifting some or all operations from the CBD to areas like Rosedale and East Tamaki, what may be a quick run into town can turn into something rather different if you’re going into a different flow of traffic.
  2. Natural light and airflow. Ventilation has come up as a talking point in previous months – so if you’re buying a home, it pays to make sure that the property in question has decent airflow and windows. And natural sunlight isn’t just a pleasant extra; it can go a long way to keeping rooms more inhabitable in colder months.
  3. Storage space. What’s the cupboard and cabinet situation like? While plenty of modern houses will have adequate built-in wardrobes and storage spaces, some older homes won’t be so well fitted out. Take into account how much stuff you have that will need stashing – because if it doesn’t fit into the existing facilities, you’re going to have some serious extra carpentry or furniture bills to take care of down the track.
  4. Layout. Make sure that the house’s layout suits your needs. Have you got a toddler that needs a room next door to the master bedroom? Or do you have wayward teens whose racket could do with a staircase between them and the rest of the house? Things can look great, but if they don’t function in harmony with your lifestyle, you’re not going last long there.
  5. Privacy. Does the master bedroom look right into the neighbours’ bathroom? Will your kids be able to run amok in the backyard without parenting evaluations from the woman from next-door’s deckchair? Some privacy issues can be rectified with fences and hedges – but as we’ll have all seen in the media, there are lots of neighbourly and council-related issues that can come up.

It may seem like a wild housing market world out there, but there are plenty of opportunities for the dedicated house-hunter. And once you’ve found one that seems to tick all of the boxes, give me a call – I’ll make sure that it ticks all of the official ones too.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Getting good guttering

Getting good guttering

It’s been a little barmy just how balmy this autumn has been – but while the temperatures have been staying summery, rain has still been on the rise. So, with rain in mind, May’s focus is on guttering. It’s been quite a while since I last talked about the importance of quality gutter construction, so it seemed high time to revisit things and remind you of some of the ins and outs of taking care of your pipes.

Maintenance

Household maintenance is important in a lot of areas of your home – and gutter maintenance is right up there. If you don’t have gutter protectors installed – and especially if you have tall trees anywhere near your house – then you need to be extra vigilant about debris clogging things up. Be sure to clean things out at least twice year – ideally once in spring, and once in autumn.

Scrubbing up nicely

In terms of what you need to do to get things cleared out, it’s fairly straightforward. Clean out the debris and muck into a bucket – and empty it regularly as you move around the house, so as not to overbalance yourself on the ladder.

Once that’s done, be sure to flush the gutter with a hose – this will not only make sure that things are thoroughly washed away, but will also allow you to check whether the downpipe is blocked at all. If that’s the case, you may need to call in the professionals.

If you encounter any leaks in the pipes when you’re getting things cleaned, you can seal them up by caulking the inside of the problem area with a dedicated gutter sealant.

Taking care

Make sure to take care when you’re doing this, though – ladders need to be in good working order and placed on stable ground. If you’re not confident in your balance and strength when above the ground, it may be best to hire a contractor.

A clean gutter means that water won’t get backed up, and debris won’t wear away at your roof and guttering system. So take the time to keep things tidy, and you’ll thank yourself down the track when you have a functional, trouble-free gutter for a long time!

And as ever, if you need a professional opinion on the gutters or any other part of your home or a house you are potentially buying, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. I’m always happy to investigate and let you know what’s looking good and what may need a little bit of work. We all want to have homes that are safe and healthy for us and our families, after all.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Breathe easy with proper ventilation

Breathe easy with proper ventilation

This month, with temperatures finally starting to cool down, I thought it was a good time to examine the importance of proper ventilation. We’ve touched on it in passing in previous newsletters, but this time, it’s the focus – hopefully you’ll learn something new to help make your home a healthier place for you and your family.

Let’s get down to basics. When people talk about ventilation, what exactly are they talking about? On the most straightforward level, ventilation is the intentional flow of air from outdoors to indoors (and back out). This can be as simple as air coming through a window, or as complex as a gadget-packed whole-house system.

So why is ventilation important? There’s air inside, there’s air outside… what difference does it make? In fact, there’s a whole host of reasons, including:

  • Reduced condensation. Ventilation is a key way to control moisture in the home. And moisture migration can lead to all kinds of nasty things – from aesthetic concerns like peeling wallpaper to more pressing issues like mould and mildew development (which we’ll go into in more detail further down).
  • Getting rid of allergens. If there’s insufficient airflow in your home, things like dust and pollen can get trapped indoors, leading to nasty allergic reactions if anyone in the family has sensitivities. Making sure that living spaces are well-ventilated means the whole family can breathe more easily!
  • Protecting everyone! You don’t have to have allergies to have your health affected by poor ventilation. Everything from smoke to bacteria to carbon dioxide and other gases can build up when they don’t have an easy way to escape, meaning that anyone can be at risk of complications from just breathing the air at home.

The health benefits are reason alone, but even the plain unpleasant effects of poor ventilation can be a real pain. Whether it’s the mirror fogging up after every shower, smoke lingering in the kitchen after a cooking experiment gone awry, or a damp corner of the house starting to take a turn for the worse, you don’t have to put up with it.

There’s one very simple way to make some headway towards better ventilation in your home, and it doesn’t require any fancy gadgets or installations.

Just open your doors and windows! It’s not always possible, of course, when it’s raining or especially windy, but allowing as much natural airflow in from the garden as possible is a great way to encourage air circulation.

Keeping interior doors open also helps – so if your moody teen keeps shutting themselves away in their room, you can use the ‘for the good of your health’ argument to get that door open!

If the weather’s too cold to leave windows open for a long period of time, it’s still worth airing things out for a few minutes at a time.

Keeping windows and doors open isn’t the be all and end all. Make sure that you’ve got extractor fans in your bathroom, laundry and kitchen, even if you’ve got an external window. You don’t want to have to keep the window wide open during your bath through all the winter months…

If you find that your situation still needs some help, it could be worth looking at a home ventilation system – the two main types are positive pressure heat transfer systems and balanced pressure heat recovery systems. Keep in mind that while you might see a small temperature increase, ventilation alone isn’t enough to keep your house warm in winter, and you’ll need to make sure you’ve got a heating solution in place too.

For people on the verge of selling their home, a property inspection report will indicate whether or not your ventilation is up to scratch – and you can sort out whether anything needs sorting out before going to market.

Remember: a ventilated home is a happy, healthy home. So protect your family’s wellbeing this winter and get serious about that airflow.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Eyes out for a hitch in the kitchen

Eyes out for a hitch in the kitchen

Hi there,

Autumn already! How did that happen? It’s still feeling fairly summery at the moment, but as the temperature starts to drop a little it can be the perfect time to do some home checks and maintenance without dropping from the heat. This month, kitchens are the hot topic.

Your kitchen is one of the areas of your house that sees the most use – but it’s also the most expensive room to replace and update. Even a house with a 1960s kitchen can be extremely expensive to bring up to 21st century expectations – so we’ve listed a few things to really look out for.

Appliances

When you’re looking at a property, investigate the appliances. Are they coming with the house, or are you going to need to provide your own? And if they are coming with the house, you’ll need to check them out to make sure that you aren’t getting saddled with shoddy whiteware and gadgets.

  • Is the dishwasher working (does it actually wash the dishes?) and is it hooked up to water supply as it should be?
  • Do the igniters work if there’s a gas hob?
  • Does the range hood vent to the exterior of the building?
  • If there’s a waste disposal, is it all bark and no bite? Make sure that it does actually dispose of waste, rather than just make a lot of noise.

Don’t presume anything based on how new or tidy appliances look – be sure to put them through their paces. While many items may be listed as chattels, inspections can’t always tell you how well any individual appliance works. Things can turn on and appear to be doing the trick, but there’s ‘turning on’ and then there’s ‘actually working’. You don’t want an oven that can’t gauge temperature properly and always burns the pavlova!

When you’re budgeting for your move, it’s always important to have some wriggle room – you might suddenly find yourself forking out for things you didn’t expect. And no one wants to buy a property and then spend more money on replacing appliances that you thought were working when you put the money down!

Plumbing

If plumbing is a problem, you aren’t going to be having a good time in your kitchen. Just because there are no obvious leaks doesn’t mean it isn’t worth having the pipes thoroughly checked out – if you know what sort of state they are in, you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into. It could be that a pricey style of piping has been used, leaving you with a large bill should the worst happen. Or if something cheap and less reliable has been used, knowing that your long-term household budget may need to include major plumbing repairs is equally important.

On the plumbing front, it’s also important to check the bits that aren’t hidden away. Check on the taps in the kitchen to see that everything is flowing properly and hot and cold water is coming out of the appropriate taps. Give the tap a wiggle, and make sure that there’s no leakage through the body of the tap – if there is, it’s often cheaper to replace than repair. Since the kitchen taps are generally where you’ll be getting your drinking water from (more so than bathroom or laundry taps), you want to be sure that there’s no unpleasant taste.

Ventilation

When you cook, the air can get full of steam, smoke, moisture and all sorts of things that can make the air stuffy. Ventilation is really important – you need to know that there are windows that can open or an extractor fan if it’s in an enclosed area.

Your needs

As well as all the practicals that are applicable to everyone, it’s worth thinking hard about exactly what your own needs in a kitchen are. Electric or gas? Amount of counter space? Pantry size? For any element that isn’t quite to your liking, you need to consider just how much it will bother you as time goes by. If it’s going to be a deal breaker, either start looking elsewhere, or work out how you can factor the needed changes into your budget.

Unfortunately, most of us are buying second-hand houses, and nothing lasts forever – no matter how well maintained it is. But if you take that thought – and these tips – into consideration, you’ll have a much happier house-hunting time. And of course, get in touch to book an inspection if you need a professional perspective.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Care for your water systems

Care for your water systems

I hope you’ve had an excellent start to 2016 – and a summer with as few household hiccups as possible. There are always new things to learn about your home – and since I have made a relatively recent shift from the suburbs to a rural property, I’ve found myself finding a few things out the hard way too.

Care for your water systems

Just before going away at the beginning of January, our rainhead was blocked. I thought it was probably just leaves, and figured I’d sort it out when I got back.

When I came back home, everything was unblocked again, which was what I had been hoping for. Until I went to check on the tank itself, and saw – here’s a warning for the squeamish to look away – a dead, rotting possum. It had been raining while we were away, which must have gradually softened things up so it wasn’t stuck where it had been before.

Thankfully, we have filters and purifiers, so nobody got sick as a consequence – but the tanks needed to be cleaned (running up a $600 bill) and we’ve had all the inlets vermin proofed. Not a nice surprise to have to deal with straight after a holiday.

So for those of you on tank water – whether it’s your main home or at a bach – be sure to keep on top of things:

  • Get your tanks checked periodically by by a professional.
  • Protect your inlets from vermin and debris with properly fitted screens and gutter coverings.
  • If things get blocked up, investigate straight away – you could save yourself a large cleaning bill.
  • Seal the tank itself to prevent insects, small animals, birds and sunlight from getting in – it’ll also keep it safer for any children playing nearby.
  • Clear your gutters and roof regularly – especially if there are trees overhanging the area.

And if you don’t have to worry about tank water, thank your lucky stars for the mains keeping your tap water possum-free!

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!

Looking after your home while on holiday

Looking after your home while on holiday

If you are going on holiday and leaving your home unattended, you might have some concerns. As a former police officer and crime scene investigator (and of course someone who is around houses all the time), I’d like to help you keep your home safe these holidays.

Don’t advertise your absence

Think about how your home looks as someone is driving past:

  • Leaving your curtains pulled and lawn unmowed are clear signs to burglars that your home is vacant.
  • Clear debris from gutters, trim your lawn and hedges.
  • Leave curtains the way you would if you were home.

A friend or trusted neighbour may be invaluable. They can imitate all the things that normally change when you are at home by:

  • Checking on your property.
  • Taking letters away.
  • Opening and closing your curtains.
  • Turning your lights on and off and switching around which rooms are lit each night.
  • Don’t leave notes and signs on your door for the mailman. Have the post office hold your packages, and cancel your newspaper deliveries – or better yet, have the person you trust clear them away for you. Having packages delivered can help make it seem like you’re home.
  • When not on holiday, leave your garage door closed so you establish a pattern that won’t change once you’re away and your garage door is closed all the time.
  • Turn the ringer down on your phone so that it can’t be heard from outside the house.
  • Buy timers for your lights to turn them on at night and off during the day.
  • Cue sounds to play to create the impression that people are home.

Most importantly, tell as few people as possible that you will be away from home. Even if it’s just a social media post, break-ins usually happen when the culprit knows the house, what’s in it, and that nobody’s home.

Make it hard for the burglar

Burglars move on to another house if it’s hard to break into or avoid a house altogether if it looks like it will be difficult. Don’t make your house an obvious target and signal that you are a cautious home owner and that yours is a secure house.

  • Make sure you lock doors and windows securely.
  • Remove spare keys.
  • Leave entryways and windows clear of branches and shrubs.
  • Use lights activated by motion sensor so that attention is called to anyone moving around your house when you are not there.
  • Don’t leave ladders, tools and other things that might help someone break in lying around.
  • A thick, imposing door and strong locks make it seem like it’d be harder to break in.

Plan for the worst. Here are our hints for what to do just in case someone does try to break in or succeeds:

  • Check the batteries of your alarm system if you have one. Burglars flick off power at the mains so you need your batteries to work.
  • Make sure valuables are hidden or out of the house.
  • Clean surfaces to make it easier for fingerprints to be left.
  • Check with your insurance company – how long can you be absent before they stop covering you in case of burglary? Especially with houses you have for sale, does it have to look lived-in in order to be covered? You can use these same tips to imitate an occupied house in order to discourage burglars from a staged home.

Don’t forget!

  • Turn your water off to protect your house from potential water damage.
  • Turn down your water heater to save on bills.
  • Unplug your electronics and they’ll be safe from power surges.

You can hire a house-sitter if you want, especially if you have pets or a garden you want taken care of, but it can be hard to find someone you trust and who in turn has the time and inclination to look after your house. Instead, if you play it safe and prepare a little, you can go on your travels with peace of mind and have a great time enjoying yourself.

Needing a Property Inspection?

We offer detailed and thorough property inspections with a same-day turnaround!