Every month HomeInspectr will profile a one of the popular suburbs around Australia and take you through the major issues to look out for. Here is our next Hot Suburb, Surry Hills, NSW!
Hot Suburb: Surry Hills, NSW, 2010
Types of Homes: Victorian terraced homes and apartment complexes
Major Issues Found: Foundation Stumps, Roofs, Rising Damp, Plumbing, Electrical & Balconies
Surrey Hills located just east of Sydney and is a popular inner city suburb due to its close proximity to the Sydney CBD. The first Villa’s were built in the 1820’s and it has been a favoured town to live in for families after the 2nd World War. Surry Hills now has a mixture of residential, commercial and light industrial areas but it remains Sydney’s main centre for fashion wholesale activities, particularly on the western side. Surrey Hills has a mixture of affluent newcomers and long-time residents and is mainly units or apartments than individual buildings. The town has many historical buildings along with popular cafe’s, restaurants, shops and pubs.
Surrey Hills is largely composed of victorian terraced houses and large complexes of public housing units and apartments. As Surrey Hills varies from old victorian terraced homes to unit complexes, there are a range of potential issues to look for especially for the older homes.
The victorian terraced homes do need to be thoroughly checked over for the following:
* Foundation stumps of the homes in Surry Hills are usually built on stumps so you will need to check that the flooring in the home is not uneven. If possible check the stumps underneath the home are not damaged or leaning over, this is important. Always ask if the home has been restumped and if so how long ago did the works take place.
* Roofs on older homes can have problems so check for issues by standing outside the home and looking at the roof line from a distance to ensure there are no signs of sagging in the roof.
* Rising damp can occur if the underfloor area doesn’t have enough ventilation or if the soil is high in moisture. Be sure to check for any paint that maybe bubbling or a damp musty smell in any of the rooms.
* Plumbing and electrical issues are common in older homes so it is recommended that an electrical and plumbing inspection are completed to ensure the wiring and plumbing is in good order. Then any remediation costs can be factored into your budget when purchasing the home.
Its important to remember that the older style victorian terraced homes do require regular maintenance and this should always be considered before purchasing.
As Surrey Hills also comprises of many units and apartment complexes that need the following checked:
* Balcony problems may be covered by the buildings body corporate but issues with them can quickly consume any available sinking funds. Be sure to look for water stains on any plasterboard or cement sheeting underneath the balcony. If it’s been freshly painted have a close look to ensure they haven’t tried to cover an issue up. Check the balcony has a slight fall away from the apartment or falls into a drainage system so that water doesn’t pool on the balcony.
* Rising damp can be a problem in units and apartments due to the lack of ventilation in rooms like the bathroom or laundry. Be sure to check for any water stains on the walls or a damp musty smell in any of the rooms.
Surry Hills is a very popular suburb for renovations due to home owners wanting to keep the style of the older homes and apartment complexes but also bring them upto date with current trends so ensure you thoroughly inspect for these issues and ensure any recent renovation is not hiding a larger issue. If you keep these HomeInspectr tips in mind, you won’t go wrong when purchasing a home in Surry Hills.
We hope you found this post useful, but if you have any questions or hot suburb suggestions, we would be happy to hear from you! Just Contact Us here.
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