If you are in the process of buying a home, then congratulations! This is a momentous and exciting life occasion we wish you the best of luck and success in. As you will know by now, buying a home – be it a flat or a house – can be a complex and time-consuming procedure. From working with a mortgage advisor, conveyancer, or solicitor, there are any number of tasks you must complete before exchanging and moving into your new home. One of these should always be having a plumbing inspection. This is simply good practice, and can lead to significant financial savings in the longer term if properly carried out.
For a moment, consider all the thought and attention to detail that goes into a house or flat viewing. You will likely spend considerable amounts of time inspecting kitchen surfaces, flooring, paintwork, and room sizings and dimensions. If you do not like something, then you will either find a way to change it in a way that suits your tastes, or discount the property as a whole. If wallpaper or carpets can make or break a property deal when they are so superficial, how much more important are the systems that provide you with running water and keep you warm?
The condition a house’s plumbing is in can impact its value, and it is not unheard of for unscrupulous sellers to lie about this to inflate the value of their property. This is particularly common when plumbing systems are in a very poor condition, and repairs would be expensive for the next owner.
By having a plumbing inspection before buying a home, you will be able to partially validate whether it is being sold at an accurate price, as well as whether or not you will have to undertake any works on it if you decide to make a purchase. This may also have duty of care implications if you are buying to let to commercial tenants.
Having a plumbing inspection does not need to be a difficult process. It will be carried out by a qualified plumber who will provide you with a full report about your potential property’s plumbing that goes into far more detail than a usual builder’s report. This will also include a cost analysis of any potential repairs, but these will often be covered by the seller’s insurance meaning you do not need to pay for them yourself.
Our plumbers have extensive experience in conducing these surveys. For more information on how we can help survey a property’s plumbing, please email office@0800homefix.com.