You need to conduct a building condition assessment of a property that you intend to purchase. It will help you to understand whether you are making the right decision in going ahead with the purchase and problems – if any – that you might face while buying it.
A building condition assessment (BCA) is more like a “check-up” of the property. An ideal BCA informs the existing/prospective owner about the impending repairs – both short-term & long-term and the tentative costs thereon.
Without proper BCA, it becomes difficult for owners to determine whether to repair, replace, or continue with the property and if several restorations are essential, then how to prioritize them.
A reputed building inspection company must carry out the BCA activity so that the results are authentic & reliable. Consider the money you will spend on the building inspection company as an investment & not expenditure, as the following reasons will justify the amount you have spent:
1. BCA Helps To Identify Physical Drawbacks
A BCA must identify all deficiencies – major & minor – that are present in the property. Quite a few property owners feel that they can get away with token maintenance. This misplaced confidence on their property can cause them headaches later on as the condition of the property will be deteriorating with time – because every minor problem would have become a major one by then.
This will mean that the consequent repair costs will be very high. Thus, properties, especially the bigger ones, need regular maintenance. The owner will do good to set aside a part of the earnings from the property (20-25%) for periodical maintenance charges.
The BCA will also disclose structural defects, building rule violations, inferior quality of building materials, etc., should any such drawback exist. All these can cut down the longevity of the property & push repair costs through the roof.
2. BCA Helps To Estimate Costs
This is among the most critical contributions of the BCA. The owner should have full knowledge of how much he/she needs to spend to get an effective repair done & whether he/she can recover that cost from the renovated property. The owner needs to also factor in the estimated periodical repair costs in his/her budget for the property.
3. BCA Helps To Obtain A Grasp On The Technical Details Of The Property
Buying a property isn’t a small matter. You – the prospective buyer – would need to make an informed decision while buying one. A BCA will help you do that. Certain property features may be more vital than others on which you need to focus in more detail. Again, there might be certain parts of the property where the seller isn’t very eager to take you.
Through a properly-done BCA, you will be able to understand the risk factors associated with the technical parameters of the property. In extreme cases, there might be issues that will make you cancel the deal. So, go through the BCA in full detail before completing the purchase.
4. BCA Brings Down The Risk Of Future Liabilities
With BCA, in most cases, you will be aware of any potential hazard to the property, which can cost you later on. However, if the BCA fails to point out any such item that turns hazardous in the future, you can safeguard yourself with the shield that even the expert building inspection company couldn’t identify this item – so you aren’t liable for it either.
5. BCA Helps The Buyer To Negotiate
If the BCA report isn’t up to the mark, then the prospective buyer would pay a lesser price for the property. The buyer can use the less-than-satisfactory BCA report as a bargaining tool with the seller, and the latter won’t mind doling out some concessions to stop the cancellation of the
deal.
6. BCA Helps The Buyer To Obtain Funding
The prospective buyer might want to buy the property after getting a loan for the same from a financial institution. His/her chances of obtaining the loan will be much higher if the BCA report about the property in question is satisfactory.
7. BCA Allows The Seller To Have An Upper Hand
With a satisfactory or higher BCA rating, the seller can remain firm at his/her price point, without needing to bend – as the prospective buyers would be eager to lay their hands on this well-maintained property without bargaining too much on the price aspect.
Thus, building condition assessment is very important for the owner of the property – irrespective of whether he/she wants to continue staying there or to sell it off. The value of the property rises with a good BCA report – and so does the safety aspect, which is of paramount importance.
