A building inspection for your unit or apartment is an integral part of effectively managing your investments in the property market.
Through routine inspection and implementation of repairs and other maintenance work, you’ll be able to lessen overhead costs while attracting good tenants and fostering a good relationship with current tenants.
What’s crucial to remember is that each type of unit poses different challenges. Another important factor that affects maintenance, aside from property type, is the age of the property.
Here’s a brief glimpse into the common features and challenges found in unit types built from various eras.
Modern Units
During the last two decades, more and more individuals and families have embraced unit living which can vary from town homes to community title developments.
Among the attractive features of unit living are convenient locations and minimal day-to-day maintenance.
One of the key challenges in maintaining modern units is funding. For community title developments, the regular collection of dues for the maintenance of communal facilities is a common practice.
The problem often lies in works that are beyond general maintenance. Among the most common challenges are the collection of fees from individual owners, the justification of these costs and the definition of the extent of the works.
Another challenge posed by these developments is the need for a team of specialists, including experts in structural design and engineering, electrical works and fire safety to conduct regular inspections.
Pre 1920’s Units
While most buildings and units made before the twenties differ greatly from one another, they do share some common issues that need immediate attention from unit owners.
These include remedies for water entry and the deterioration of building materials. If you own and manage units from this era, it’s also worthwhile to have a look at updating fire provisions for these buildings especially if you are keen on converting these into individual units or if you are upgrading from timber floors.
Units from the 1920’s to 1950’s
One of the key issues with art deco buildings or flats is their age. It is quite common for buildings built within this period to have issues with deteriorating materials.
Special attention should also be placed on fire provisions as many of these units have not been updated to comply with modern fire safety standards.
Units from the 1950’s to 1980’s
While these units have been built recently and do conform to some provisions of modern fire safety, in most cases, these still need to be updated to fully comply with current standards.
Because of their age, these units may display some issues in both internal and external areas, specifically with concrete.
Among the more evident problems related to concrete structures are cracking, spalling and concrete cancer. The good news is that most of these problems are more of a cosmetic, rather than structural nature.
Another key concern for buildings and units built within this period is soundproofing between units and even between rooms inside a single unit. Dampness can also be quite common especially at the lower garage levels.
