Buying a house: The outside of the house – Part 1

When buying a house, one should not only look at the inside of the house but also the outside. Take a walk around the outside and look around and inspect. When you apply for a loan, your bank will sent out their own assessor/building inspector, but it’s always good to do you own inspections.
The Roof

1. Check the roof. Stand back and see if everything looks fine. Do you see any loose or missing tiles. Is the roof dirty (moss growing) and would it need to be cleaned?
2. If the roof line is uneven or sagging, it could be a number of things like: rotting of the beams/frame, the roof is settling (if newly built), termite activity, etc.
3. If the roof is not tiled but has metal sheeting, check for rust.
4. Check the guttering and down pipes for cracks. If it’s metal, check for rust. If it’s plastic, check if it’s broken and if it needs to be replaced. The older type of homes usually have asbestos guttering which might need some screws replaced to prevent leaking.
5. Some people don’t clean their gutters and their might have a little “garden” growing which just needs cleaning out.
6. If the house hasn’t been well cared for, a pit of paint would nicely spruce up the outside of the house.
7. Check the fascia boards as the ends do tend to get damaged from the weather if not cared for properly. Usually minor damage can be repaired but if it’s in a bad condition (rotten), then it would need to be replaced.

The Paint
If a house has been newly painted and is up for sale, I get suspicious and wonder what the owners are trying to hide. There might of course be nothing wrong at all as most people do tend to make their homes a bit nice looking, hoping to get a better price for the house.

The Wall and Brickwork
Check the walls for cracks. Many homes have minor (hairline) cracks to some extent. If there are big cracks, or even little gaps between walls it is advisable to get a professional opinion.

Some people prefer face-brick houses as it’s considered to be less maintenance than having to paint the house every few years (depending on the quality of paint). Face-brick walls has it’s own form of maintenance as it needs to be oiled every few years or so. If the brickwork was not properly cared for, then it could show signs of erosion and would crumble away due to moisture and salt or chemical attacks. If you see any of these signs, get a professional opinion.