Buying a Property? Get the Plumbing Checked Before You Buy

Buying a home or investment property is a significant decision. While a building inspection can identify many potential problems, plumbing issues aren’t always fully assessed as part of a standard building inspection.

A pre purchase plumbing inspection provides a closer look at the property’s accessible plumbing, drainage, sewer and hot water systems before you commit to the purchase.

Better Plumbing Solutions provides pre purchase plumbing inspections across Melbourne, including Berwick, Emerald, Rowville, Ringwood and surrounding suburbs.

Our inspections can help identify existing plumbing problems, potential maintenance issues and areas that may require further investigation.

What Is a Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspection?

A pre purchase plumbing inspection is a plumbing-focused assessment carried out before purchasing a property.

Our plumber checks accessible plumbing fixtures and systems and looks for signs of issues such as:

• Leaking taps and plumbing fixtures
• Leaking pipes and connections
• Drainage problems
• Blocked or slow drains
• Poor water pressure
• Toilet plumbing issues
• Hot water system problems
• Visible signs of water damage
• Plumbing installation issues
• Sewer and drainage concerns
• Stormwater drainage issues where accessible

Where appropriate, further investigation such as a CCTV drain inspection may be recommended.

Why Have a Plumbing Inspection Before Buying?

Plumbing problems can be expensive and disruptive to repair after you’ve purchased a property.

A pre purchase plumbing inspection can give you a better understanding of the condition of the property’s plumbing before you proceed.

It may help you identify:

Existing problems
Issues that may already require repair or maintenance.

Potential future costs
Ageing or deteriorating plumbing systems that may require attention.

Drainage and sewer concerns
Problems that aren’t always obvious during a standard property inspection.

Hot water system issues
Leaks, poor performance, ageing equipment or a system that may need replacement.

Plumbing maintenance requirements
Areas that may need attention shortly after purchasing the property.

The inspection is designed to give you additional information to consider when making your property purchase decision.

What Do We Check?

The exact inspection will depend on the property and what is accessible at the time.

Plumbing Fixtures

We can inspect accessible plumbing fixtures including:

• Taps
• Toilets
• Sinks
• Basins
• Showers
• Baths
• Laundry plumbing
• External taps

We look for visible leaks, poor operation and other obvious plumbing concerns.

Water Supply

We can assess accessible aspects of the property’s water supply and look for signs of:

• Leaks
• Poor water pressure
• Faulty fixtures
• Deteriorated pipework
• Plumbing connection issues

Drainage

Drainage problems can sometimes be difficult to identify during a normal property inspection.

We can look for signs such as:

• Slow-draining fixtures
• Repeated blockages
• Overflowing drains
• Unusual drainage smells
• Gurgling drains
• Visible drainage defects

Where there are concerns about underground drainage, a CCTV drain camera inspection may be recommended.

Sewer

The condition of underground sewer pipework isn’t always visible from inside a property.

If there are signs of a potential sewer problem or you want additional information about the property’s drainage, CCTV inspection can be used to investigate accessible sewer and drainage lines.

This can help identify issues such as:

• Tree root intrusion
• Cracked pipes
• Broken pipes
• Displaced or misaligned pipework
• Build-up inside pipes
• Other visible drainage defects

A CCTV inspection is an additional investigation and may not be required for every property.

Hot Water System

The hot water system is an important part of a pre purchase plumbing inspection.

We can inspect the accessible system and look for obvious signs of:

• Leaks
• Corrosion
• Poor condition
• Faults
• Age-related issues
• Inadequate performance

If the hot water system appears to be approaching the end of its useful life, we can discuss potential replacement or upgrade considerations.

Pre Purchase Sewer & CCTV Drain Inspections

One of the most valuable additional plumbing investigations for some properties is a CCTV drain inspection.

Underground drainage and sewer pipes can deteriorate over time, and some problems may not become obvious until a blockage or failure occurs.

A CCTV drain camera allows the plumber to inspect the inside of accessible drainage and sewer pipework.

Depending on the property, this can help identify problems such as tree roots, cracks, breaks, displaced joints and other defects.

If you’re purchasing an older property or there are signs of existing drainage problems, ask whether a CCTV inspection should be included.

Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspections for Older Homes

Older properties can have plumbing systems that require closer attention.

Depending on the age and history of the property, there may be ageing pipework, older drainage systems, outdated fixtures or hot water equipment approaching replacement age.

This doesn’t automatically mean the plumbing is defective. However, understanding the condition of the plumbing can help you make a more informed decision.

Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspections for Investment Properties

If you’re purchasing an investment property, plumbing problems can become ongoing maintenance costs.

A plumbing inspection can help identify existing issues before settlement and give you a clearer picture of the property’s plumbing condition.

We inspect investment properties, houses, units and other residential properties where the plumbing systems are accessible.

Building Inspection vs Plumbing Inspection

A building inspection and a plumbing inspection serve different purposes.

A building inspection looks at the general condition of the building and identifies building-related defects.

A pre purchase plumbing inspection focuses specifically on the property’s plumbing systems.

For a major property purchase, buyers may choose to arrange a building inspection, pest inspection and plumbing inspection so that different aspects of the property are assessed by the appropriate professionals.

When Should You Arrange a Plumbing Inspection?

Ideally, arrange your plumbing inspection before you are committed to purchasing the property.

This gives you an opportunity to understand potential plumbing issues before making your final decision.

For properties being purchased at auction, it’s particularly important to organise inspections and obtain the information you need before auction day, as your options after a successful bid can be limited.

Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspections Across Melbourne

Better Plumbing Solutions provides pre purchase plumbing inspections throughout Melbourne, with a strong service area across Melbourne’s south-east and eastern suburbs.

We service areas including:

Berwick
Narre Warren
Clyde North
Officer
Beaconsfield
Pakenham
Cranbourne
Hallam
Dandenong
Hampton Park
Lynbrook
Lyndhurst
Rowville
Wantirna
Wantirna South
Glen Waverley
Wheelers Hill
Knoxfield
Scoresby
Ferntree Gully
Boronia
Bayswater
Ringwood
Croydon
Emerald
and surrounding Melbourne suburbs.

Why Choose Better Plumbing Solutions?

When you’re purchasing a property, you want practical information from an experienced plumber.

Better Plumbing Solutions provides:

✔ Pre purchase plumbing inspections
✔ Residential plumbing inspections
✔ Drain and sewer inspections
✔ CCTV drain camera inspections where required
✔ Hot water system inspections
✔ Plumbing fault identification
✔ Professional plumbing advice
✔ Residential, commercial and industrial plumbing services

We provide straightforward advice about any plumbing issues identified during the inspection and can recommend further investigation where necessary.

Buying a Property in Melbourne?

Don’t overlook the plumbing.

A pre purchase plumbing inspection in Melbourne can provide valuable information about the condition of the property’s plumbing, drainage, sewer and hot water systems before you buy.

Whether you’re purchasing in Berwick, Emerald, Rowville, Ringwood or elsewhere across Melbourne, Better Plumbing Solutions can help you investigate the property’s plumbing before you commit.

Book a Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspection

Call Better Plumbing Solutions on 0468 582 686

Pre Purchase Plumbing Inspections | Melbourne | Berwick | Emerald | Rowville | Ringwood