A standard pre-purchase building inspection is a visual check. Waterproofing failures are, by nature, hidden: under tiles, behind plasterboard, beneath a balcony. The result is that some of the most expensive problems a buyer can inherit pass a routine inspection unnoticed. You cannot see a membrane, but you can learn to spot the signs that one has failed, and the signs that someone has covered them up.
Signs that are easy to miss
- Fresh paint in one room only, especially a laundry, garage or the room beside a bathroom. Ask why.
- New grout or silicone in an otherwise older shower. It is cheap, quick, and the standard cover for a leak.
- Skirting boards that are new, swollen, or pulling away at the bottom.
- A musty smell in a built-in wardrobe or under a stair.
- Tiles that sound hollow when tapped (drummy), or grout lines with a white bloom.
- A ceiling below a balcony or bathroom that has been patched, textured or painted a slightly different shade.
- Garden beds, paving or decking built up against the house above the level of the internal floor.
- Downpipes that discharge onto the ground beside the house rather than into a drain.
Questions to ask the agent, in writing
- Has there been any water leak, damp or flooding in the property, and what was done about it?
- Have any wet areas or balconies been re-waterproofed, and is there a certificate?
- Is there a current or past QBCC complaint or insurance claim relating to water damage?
- For an apartment: are there body corporate minutes or reports mentioning water ingress, and is there a sinking fund item for membranes?
When a visual inspection is not enough
If any of the signs above are present, if the home is on a slope or has a basement or retaining walls, or if it is an apartment with a large balcony, a visual inspection cannot tell you what you are buying. A moisture and thermal survey of the suspect areas takes a few hours, produces readings rather than impressions, and turns "possible damp" into a mapped extent that a contractor can price. Sellers rarely object; a refusal is itself information.
HydroIQ carries out those surveys and reports the findings independently. The report is yours to use in negotiation or to walk away with. If you buy and repairs are needed, our sister company S&S Remedial carries out remedial works and offers a free diagnostic visit to scope them.
Common questions
General information for South East Queensland home owners, not advice about your building or a legal matter. Standards and time limits change; check the current edition or rule before relying on a figure here.