Hawthorn buyers often face a mix of Victorian terraces, older weatherboards and renovated apartments—our inspection focuses on hidden movement, damp risks and renovation workmanship before you commit.
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Our comprehensive service includes everything you need to make an informed decision about your property.
We assess stumps, bearers and joists for signs of moisture damage, decay, and movement, and we look at ventilation and ground moisture that can drive cupping floors and musty odours—common issues under older Hawthorn homes.
We inspect the roof void (access permitting) for leaks, staining, insulation issues and framing concerns, then check gutters, downpipes and overflow paths. Poor drainage can lead to ceiling damage and hidden rot, especially after heavy rainfall.
We document cracks, unevenness and sticking doors/windows to help you distinguish cosmetic plaster issues from signs of ongoing movement. This is critical in older brick and timber construction where repairs can be more involved than they first appear.
We examine bathrooms, laundries and kitchens for waterproofing red flags such as swelling skirtings, silicone band-aids, drummy tiles and moisture readings where appropriate. In apartments and renovated homes, balconies and showers are frequent sources of costly leaks.
We focus on junctions where new meets old—flashings, roof line changes, external cladding transitions and internal wall alterations—because shortcuts here can create water ingress and cracking that won’t be obvious during a quick open-for-inspection.
We check external structures and site grading for leaning, cracking, and drainage problems. These items are often excluded from vendor discussions but can still mean significant rectification costs and neighbour disputes if they fail.
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Professional inspections with attention to every detail. Here's a glimpse of our work.
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Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our inspection service.
In Hawthorn, older homes can hide subfloor moisture and poor ventilation under suspended floors, cracking from age or movement, and roof drainage problems that lead to ceiling staining. Renovations can also conceal shortcuts—especially around flashings, box gutters, and wet areas. A pre purchase inspection identifies these risks, explains likely causes, and helps you understand whether fixes are minor maintenance or a larger repair program.
Yes, we can inspect within the access available and document any areas we couldn’t reach, such as tight subfloors, locked roof spaces or blocked side paths. We’ll focus on high-risk zones visible during the inspection and provide practical guidance on what to ask the agent or vendor for next. If further access becomes available, a follow-up inspection can fill the gaps before you commit.
Yes. We examine wet areas and balconies for visual red flags and use moisture assessment where appropriate to highlight elevated readings and likely leak pathways. We look for failing silicone, loose or drummy tiles, swollen cabinetry, staining, and poor falls to drains. These issues matter because repairs can involve re-waterproofing, tiling and potentially rectifying damage to adjoining rooms or strata elements.
For Hawthorn apartments, we inspect the internal unit and accessible areas, then highlight items that may involve the owners corporation, such as balcony edges, window leakage, and signs of water ingress affecting common property. We’ll recommend reviewing the strata records for maintenance history, waterproofing works and recurring complaints. This helps you separate internal repairs you control from building-wide issues that can lead to special levies.
You’ll receive a structured report with photos, clear defect descriptions, and practical priorities so you can act on the information quickly. We separate major defects from maintenance items and note access limitations so there are no surprises. If anything is unclear, we’ll talk you through the key findings and likely next steps, including when to seek a specialist trade for quotes or further invasive assessment.
Still have questions?
Get in TouchACE Building and Pest Inspections focuses on the risks common in Hawthorn homes—older subfloors, drainage, movement and renovation junctions. Call 0413 163 187 to arrange an inspection and get a report you can negotiate with.