Inspecting a new house for buying?

Buying Property Property Evaluation
#1

I am considering different options to buy a house for my parents. I have a few weeks to complete the whole process and then go back abroad, so construction is not an option. I have a few basic questions which i would really appreciate if I could get them answered.

Back home we have services of property inspectors available who can thoroughly inspect a property for a fee and let you know if its really worth the money. I understand there are no such services available here, which means buyer has to do all that himself.

My question is if I were to inspect a new house for purchase, what kind of quality checks should I perform? What are things to watch out for and any tell tale signs about the construction quality? Thank you.

#2

Sir first of all go for a good society which has some byelaws and checks during construction and that only includes dha and bahria. Secondly keep a structural o rdesign engineer with you to check and observe the technicalities .Btw in which city you are going to buy a house?

#3

Dear Mr Saadi_Acquarius thank you for your reply. I am interested in Islamabad area. Yes dha and bahria are high on my list but I favor bahria more. Particularly Phase 1-6, even though I have come to know of some water shortage issues. Bye laws as I understand only effect the layout of house design. These checks you mentioned are these for compliance with bye laws or for construction quality? If not then how effectively can a structural engineer assess quality of the house?

Having spoken to some friends I have come to know of some serious issues that people encountered on purchasing even newly built houses starting within months of purchase. These included plumbing problems, poor quality plastering, counterfeit & substandard electrical wirings, tiles coming loose within a year or so, leakage developing in underground or overhead water tanks etc. Houses over here are quite expensive already and the last thing I need is to spend big bucks and end up with a lemon.

#4

Sir you are always welcome for any type of queries...You concerns are genuine and one needs to take in into account all the risks before going on with any deal..Sir water shortage is no issue in bahria phases since an immediate water supply on your doorste is available in bahria town..Secondly in bahria and dha, construction standards are followed according to the things recommended with by the structural engineer so quality is usually not a big issue in these societies..Yes you may encounter such problems in other societies such as PWD or soan etc where builders are not bounded by any checks and measures..Staff of dha and bahria, to some extent also focuses on the quality and quantity of steel being used and ensure that the things are going on in accordance with the defined standards but still one needs to be careful..Structural engineer can partially check the construction quality but let me tell you, generally construction standards of already constructed houses are fine in dha and bahria..I would recommend you to visit both the place first i.e dha and bahria, decide where you want to buy and then search for houses. Sir i would recommend you to opt from dha 2 or bahria 1 to 6 as both are best for living where dha 2 is much preferred now a days because of its location,access and investment security.

PS..I have some houses for sale with me within dha and bahria and i can show you multiple options and if you want some good deals, you can freely contact me at 03455370978.

#5

Dear Mr. Imtiaz,

In Bahria Town, there are certain check points during construction of home which are inspected by technical reps of Bahria. You can continue construction only when these points are inspected and declared acceptable by Bahria Town's officials.

I am constructing an 8 Marla Home in Safari Valley. At the moment, grey structure is ready. If you have time, you can visit and check the high quality material used in this home. It can be completed within 2-3 months as per your requirements.

Kindly feel free to contact (0320-5270244)

PS: I am not a builder/dealer.

#6

Mansoor sb is right that these check points are followed but sir even then people suffer as you may know that some houses in rafi block and safari valley are facing cracks in their structure so nothing can be said certainly…Mansoor sir can you plz kindly tell how much per sqft this grey structure costed you and what is the grade of the materials used?

#7

It costed a bit above 1200/sq.ft. Earlier I posted a question on this forum about cost of grey structure to confirm if my cost was correct.

The material being used is of A-I grade and can be verified as construction is still going on. Bricks, steel, electrical/plumbing piping, wires etc. Everything can be checked.

#8

Sir what was the filling level of your plot?Did the construction costed you expensive at the base or raft level?

#9

@Imtiaz. Your concern is very genuine and these issues are a real possibility. However, I don't think one can really "test drive" a house whether new or used. A lot of the trouble points are concealed within walls or under the floor. Why don't you hire some engineering firm (specially if you know the owner personally) and ask them to do a complete inspection for you? They may not be as good as the property inspectors you referred to but because they usually have a complete team from masons to plumbers, their opinion will at least be more informed than that of a layman.

You can be reasonably sure that a house which has purely been built for resale will have some weak points. If not in the structure or fittings, then perhaps in the interior design. It is not uncommon for builders to buy complete residual stock of Bathroom tiles and fixtures at throwaway prices because no one wanted to buy a red sink or a purple commode. You may find such "aesthetic" fixtures in some of these houses. At the end of the day, buying a readymade house will definitely involve a compromise at some level.

#10

Salaam Imtiaz brother i think you have to trust on or find trusty property dealer or realtor because they know there sector houses what is used in construction and what is the purpose like to built and sell it then obviously construction will be bad you have to find ownerz house where they lived or built-up for rental income thats your need and in sector F sector is better than others for many point of views…sending you email if u need Thanks

#21

I would suggest that buying a house made by somebody whom you donot know even in Bahria or DHA will be risky. Best is to go for the houses made by DHA or Bahria like safari villas or DHA homes etc.

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