Why a Structural Inspection is Crucial Before Building an Extra Storey

If your family is growing or you need extra space in your home, building an extra floor is the best decision. It provides you with the necessary space without taking up your outdoor area. But can your home handle a new floor?  You have to confirm this first, before planning the floor with your construction company.

This is where structural building inspection services come into play, allowing you to know your home’s stability and structural strength. Don’t ignore this inspection, as it may cause significant repair costs and safety risks.

Potential Consequences of Building a New Floor without Inspecting Your Home’s Structural Capabilities

If you add a new floor without inspecting your home’s structural strength, the consequences can be dangerous. Here’s what you may have to deal with:

• Structural Failure: If your new floor’s weight is too high for your home’s existing structure, it may lead to cracking, shifting, and collapse.

• Safety Risks: Building an extra floor on an unstable structure can put your and your family members’ safety at risk.

• Legal Issues: This mistake can lead to potential legal issues. You may have to tear down the additional floor, sell your property, and the authority may sue you after the sale.

• Financial Loss: Last but not least, your local authority may not approve occupancy for the new floor. If you plan to sell it, finding a customer can be so difficult, as no one will buy a property with such problems.

How Structural Building Inspection Can Help

If adding a floor to your home is necessary, a structural inspection before starting your construction is a wise decision. Here’s how the engineers can help:

• Assessing Your Home Thoroughly: This is the first step of your structural building inspection. It is crucial to ensure your home is well-maintained. The structural engineers inspect your home thoroughly to detect any major and minor issues that require urgent repairs. The assessment report will help you understand if your home structure can endure an additional floor or not.

• Detecting the Hidden Issues: All structural issues are easy to find. Structural inspectors have extensive knowledge and skills to find out the hidden issues that can cause potential issues later. This information will help you understand how much you have to invest in repairs before starting your construction.

• Ensuring Structural Stability: How stable is your home structure? Learning this is crucial to add an extra storey. If your structure is not very stable, it may lead to collapse. Structural engineers ensure there are no such issues. If it exists, they include it in their reports so you can make an informed decision.

• Complying with Safety Standards: If your home doesn’t comply with local building codes and regulations, you may have to deal with legal issues later. A structural engineer also saves you from that by informing you about these issues earlier. They will inform you about the affected areas of your home that can pose safety risks if you try to add one more floor.

• Avoiding Unnecessary Costs: Finding structural issues after starting your floor addition can pose work disruption and additional work on your structure. All of this uncertain work comes with extra costs. By opting for structural inspection beforehand, you can eliminate these costs and make your storey addition successful.

•  Increasing Property Value: A flawless property always gets a higher value. A structural building inspection helps you ensure your home is durable and capable of handling critical situations even after adding a new storey. This also ensures a better value for your home if you want to sell it later.

• Offering Peace of Mind: Last but not least, by opting for an inspection session before starting your construction work, you can take the right steps. It will not only help in achieving a successful addition but also provide peace of mind.

Frequently Asked Questions about Structural Building Inspections

Should I Opt for This Inspection for My New Home?

Yes! Your home is new doesn’t mean it is flawless. That’s why opting for a building inspection is more important than you think. It will help you ensure your new building is durable and strong enough.

How Much Does a Structural Building Inspection Cost?

The cost of structural building actually depends on several factors, like the size of your property, inspection complexities, and more. The general cost of an inspection session may be around $350 - $850.

When to Opt for a Building Inspection Session?

It is recommended to opt for a building inspection session before selling or renovating your property. You can also opt for it before purchasing a new one to protect your investment.

Looking for the Best Building Inspection Company?

If you are still scrolling through websites to hire professionals for structural building inspection, your search ends here. AUS Building Inspections has experienced and skilled professionals who can help you get accurate and in-depth inspection reports every time. Please visit them to schedule your inspection session.