With the soaring prices of homes these days, getting into the market can take many years of scrimping and saving, only to leave you with an enormous debt. Of course, owning your own home is a worthwhile investment, however, when you do your inspections on the house before purchasing, there are several hazards that the untrained eye would not be able to see or possibly even take into consideration.

Faulty electrical work can pose some of the greatest dangers in your home (we’ve discussed this more in-depth here), which is why it’s important to request an electrical inspection before you commit to purchasing a house. The safety check needs to be completed by a qualified professional and unfortunately will come out of your pocket, however, this initial, small cost could save you thousands in the long run. Imagine a few months after moving in, needing to call an electrician out for one small job, only to find that some of the works completed on the house were a home job or done by an unlicensed individual, or you have faulty appliances which you’ve inherited from the previous owners. Not only is it frustrating, but adds extra expenses which you won’t have accounted for onto the cost of your home.

In particular, your electrician should be on the lookout for:

• Electrical wiring that isn’t up to code
• Unlicensed works
• Faulty smoke alarms
• Overloaded circuits

If you find any faults with the home, you can also use this as a bargaining tool to score a better deal on the house, which can help to offset the costs of fixing the faulty electricals, so it’s worth checking out! Otherwise, agree with the homeowner on fixing the faults before your settlement.

It’s also important to remember to continue with electrical inspections after purchasing the home. A rough suggestion is to get one every five years, as having these regular inspections will help to ensure that all electrical works and appliances are working as they should, and minimise the risk of incidents happening due to faults. It’s also equally as important for businesses!

If you require an electrical inspection on a home you’re considering purchasing or already own, or your business, feel free to get in touch with us here and we can arrange a time that suits you best.