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Unlocking Peace of Mind: The Invaluable Importance of a Building Report

In the realm of real estate, where transactions involving large investments and dreams of homeownership converge, the value of knowledge cannot be overstated. Among the arsenal of information that safeguards these aspirations, a building report stands tall as a vital document. A building report, often underestimated in its significance, is a repository of insights that can potentially save buyers from unexpected pitfalls and elevate the selling process for homeowners. Let's delve into the profou...

Maintenance Reports: Your Guide to Proactive Home Maintenance

Maintaining a home is an ongoing responsibility that helps preserve its value, prevent costly repairs, and ensure a safe living environment. To stay on top of maintenance tasks and keep your home in excellent condition, utilising maintenance reports can be immensely beneficial. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of maintenance reports, how they can help you stay proactive with home maintenance, and provide guidance on creating an effective maintenance plan.What Are Maintenance Rep...

DIY vs. Professional House Inspections: Pros and Cons

House inspections are a critical step in the home buying or selling process. They provide valuable insights into the condition of a property and help identify potential issues that may require attention. When it comes to house inspections, homeowners often face the choice between conducting a DIY inspection or hiring a professional inspector. In this blog post, we will explore the pros and cons of DIY and professional house inspections to help you make an informed decision.DIY House InspectionsP...

House Maintenance Tips from a Building Inspector

As a building inspector with years of experience, Paul at QSPlus has seen the importance of regular house maintenance to ensure the safety, longevity, and functionality of your home. Here are some essential tips to help you maintain your house effectively:1️⃣ Check your roof: Inspect your roof regularly for any signs of damage, such as missing or damaged shingles. Ensure that the gutters are clear of debris and properly attached. Addressing roof issues promptly can prevent leaks and water da...

Getting it right the first time

When it comes to building projects, accurate estimation of quantities is a critical component of the planning process. A quantity estimator is a tool that can help you accurately determine the amount of materials and resources needed for a construction project. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the benefits of using a quantity estimator for building projects.Saves time and moneyOne of the most significant benefits of using a quantity estimator is that it saves time and money. Estimating t...

10 Reasons You Shouldn't Skip A Home Inspection

After your offer to buy a home enters into contract, the process of near-endless check writing begins. There are many necessary costs, such as realtor and lawyer fees, and the total of these expenses may have you looking for ways to save money elsewhere. You may be tempted to skip the home inspection and save some money, but there are 10 good reasons why you should get one.1. It Provides an "Out"A quality home inspection can reveal critical information about the condition of a home and its syste...

What is a LIM Report?

If you’re thinking of buying a house without getting a LIM report, you might want to reconsider your game plan. The short-term gain on your wallet could lead to long-term pain!It pays to learn all you can about a property you’re keen on. A Land Information Memorandum (LIM) is a report prepared by the local council at your request. It provides a summary of the current property information held by the different departments at council on the day the LIM was produced. However, be aware that it d...

A Guide to Ventilation

Good ventilation in your home is not only important, it's now a legal requirement (if you rent). With good ventilation, your home will be healthier, drier, and a much nicer place to live.What is ventilation?Ventilation is the intentional introduction of outdoor or fresh air into a space. Ventilation is mainly used to control indoor air quality by diluting and displacing indoor pollutants, and creating a drier environment. Why does ventilation matter?Poor ventilation allows moisture and airb...

Five improvements that don’t add resale value to a home

Boosting a property’s worth with home improvement work is the Kiwi dream, but there are some renovation jobs that do not add resale value, experts say.In recent years homeowners unable to travel have spent up large on renovations, with an estimated $2.4 billion paid for consented alterations and additions alone in 2021.Rising interest rates and costs have led to a sharp pullback in renovations this year, tradie job platform Builderscrack says. Despite this, carrying out home improvements remai...

When is a crack in the house a problem?

Most homeowners will spot a crack or two (or more) in their house at some time, even those who don't live in an earthquake zone. But when is a crack something minor or a problem that needs to be tackled on a bigger scale? We've come across this article from www.stuff.co.nz...

What's involved in a pre-purchase home assessment?

It's a common requirement from banks to have a pre-purchase home assessment done on a property you're looking to purchase. We've put together this infographic to help explain what our home assessments cover. Our aim is to give you the most comprehensive report we can to ensure your peace of mind when you purchase your property....

Our New Helping Hands | Deserving Causes!

The Waikato Family Centre was a big one for us - as a small, family business, supporting those who support our local families was important! The Waikato Family Centre is here for you and your baby. Their team of qualified nurses and health professionals provide practical advice and guidance to Waikato families experiencing difficulties with their babies, from breastfeeding to postnatal support....

Doing it yourself? Tips from a Building Assessor on renovating your own home for resale value.

Trust us, we've been in your boat. We, too, have experienced the rollercoaster world of DIY renovations. And now that we're on the other side, we're here to give you a few tips on what a home assessor looks for when it comes to selling your home....

It's time to do those low-risk reno's!

With council consents relaxing for many low-risk jobs, people are getting ready to fix those front porches and build those backyard studios. The building work that comes under these new exemptions means homeowners are saving up to $18 million a year and reduces the number of consents councils have to approve by around 9,000....

Need Protection? The Facts About Meth Testing

If you're about to take the plunge and either step onto or step up the property-market ladder, you're probably feeling a slight twinge of nerve and wondering what to about it. Doing your Due Diligence To ensure your peace of mind throughout the process, you'll take the steps in ensuring your due diligence is done. This could include those pre-purchase home assessments and building reports, LIM reports and council plans if they're required. However, something is missing from your checklist that c...

Now that you've had your home inspection...

Now that you've brought your new home and had your inspection, you may still have some questions about your new house and the items revealed in your report....

Our Helping Hands | Deserving Causes initiative is spreading!​

We’re excited to see word spreading of our Helping Hands | Deserving Causes initiative! The Te Awamutu Courier has recently published an article about how QSPlus is helping our local community, so have a read of page 6! QSPlus are proud to introduce our Helping Hands | Deserving Causes initiative. As a small, local business we believe it’s important to give back to our community and those in need. So, we commit 2% of the company’s gross income to deserving causes. This means a portion of t...

What is a "Healthy Home"?

With new regulations here to ensure everyone has a safe place to live, and the Winter weather ramping up, we're sure you'll be seeing the term 'Healthy Home' a lot more. But what does it actually mean? The Government have spent a lot of time reviewing legislation to ensure all residential rental properties comply with the Health Home Standards. So what does this mean for you?From July 2020 all new, updated and varied tenancy agreements require a statement for every property that details Insula...

A pre-purchase report for peace of mind!

A pre-purchase/condition report involves the inspection of residential properties to identify and report on the condition of components, finishes, structure, systems and services of a property, as well as identifying defects and problems that might be present in the following areas: Grounds: fences, drives, paths, retaining walls, clothes line.Out buildings: garages, sheds, glasshouses and sleep outs.Exterior: cladding systems, weathertightness, foundations, windows, doors and timber finishings....

This winter, be toasty, but not toast!

Winter brings a unique set of fire dangers that you need to be aware of. Follow these fire safety tips from Fire and Emergency NZ to help keep yourself and your family safe, no matter the season.Heaters and clothes dryers Remember the 'heater metre' rule: keep flammable materials at least one metre away from any heat sources. And it’s one heater or larger appliance per plug – no more.Never cover heating appliances or store objects on top of them.Don't overload clothes dryers and clean t...

How to prevent mould in your home this winter season

Winter is coming, which means the increase in condensation and mould can quickly escalate. We found this great article from HGTV, explaining some simple steps to decrease mould in your home this winter. Anyone involved in the construction, maintenance, selling, insuring or purchasing of a new home (in other words, just about everyone) has probably heard more about the dangers and costs of mould than they care to. But the fundamental risks associated with the potential of a mould problem rem...

An introduction to cladding

Weatherboard, cement, timber, brick... We're sure you've heard these terms in relation to cladding before, but just what do they mean, and how do you choose the best cladding for your home? Or how do you know what these mean for you when you're purchasing a house? In case you aren't familiar with any of this, we'll start at the beginning. Cladding is the material that covers your external walls and roof. It sets the scene for the rest of your building, enhances your street appeal and makes a sta...

Seven essential jobs to get your house ready for winter

It’s hard to believe that autumn’s already here again, and although the days are still mild and sunny, cooler weather lies ahead. So now is the perfect time to attend to odd jobs around the exterior of your home, and the garden, before winter arrives. Kiwi winters can be hard on exterior paintwork so identifying rotten timber, fixing it, then repainting it now will help deflect further deterioration. Checking roofs for missing tiles or potentially destructive leaks is also wise because nobod...

Now that you've had your home inspection...

Now that you've brought your new home and had your inspection, you may still have some questions about your new house and the items revealed in your report....

Introducing the QSPlus Helping Hands | Deserving Causes Initiative

QSPlus are proud to introduce our Helping Hands | Deserving Causes initiative.  As a small, local business we believe it’s important to give back to our community and those in need. So, we commit 2% of the company’s gross income to deserving causes. This means a portion of the cost of your report goes directly to a deserving cause. We love to give locally where we can too, so if you know of a local branch or group that deserves a helping hand, let us know! Here’s how it...