Leaking shower recesses are a common defect found when conducting a Pre-Purchase Building Inspection in Perth. So it makes sense to ensure an inspection of the shower recess walls are not only included in the scope of your building inspection, but also written into your Offer and Acceptance so action can be taken by the seller to make repairs.
How to Tell if the Shower Might be Leaking?
Damage from a leaking shower may present visually in rooms adjacent to the shower recess in one or several ways: water staining, bubbling paint, flaking / soft plaster, water damaged skirting and/or floor treatments.
Common causes of shower recess leaks are cracked wall or floor tiles, deteriorated or missing grout, breaches/failure in the waterproofing system or occasionally from the tap sets or plumbing pipes.
Specialized moisture detection equipment is helpful in identifying high moisture content to walls adjacent shower recesses that have been recently patched over or are yet to present as visual damage.
Water Leaks are More Common in Older Homes
More commonly discovered in older homes, and occasionally in newly built homes, a leaking shower recess may develop into a health hazard for occupants, and if left unattended cause thousands of dollars in damage to surrounding finishes and building elements.
Repairing a leaking shower recess largely depends on the source and severity of the leak. Most leaking showers can be repaired by re-grouting / sealing the shower recess for less than $1000.
But if a more invasive repair to plumbing pipes is required involving the removal of tiles, repairs can run into the thousands of dollars.
The Standard REIWA Building Inspection Annexure will not cover buyers for issues like a leaking shower recess. Section 9.4 of the REIWA annexure excludes non-structural damp related defects as the Annexure only obligates the seller to attend to Major Structural Defects.
Protect Yourself from Costly Repairs When You Move In
The best way to ensure you are not left with costly repair works associated with a leaking shower recess is first to ensure your offer includes a condition that allows for proper due diligence of the property and obligates the seller to remedy issues found. Secondly include an assessment of the shower recesses of the home into the scope of the Building Inspection.
I am so glad I chose Home Integrity to complete my structural inspection. They provided a detailed report including photos of the problem areas. The seller couldn’t dispute the findings and I was able to use this report to ensure everything was fixed before the final inspection. Peta, Connolly
Both the Structural Plus and Structural Premium Inspections from Home Integrity include an assessment of the shower recesses to bathroom wet areas utilising specialised testing equipment.
If you would like a Structural Plus or a Structural Premium Inspection, we can take care of everything fast. Email us on [email protected], or call the team on 08 6184 5624 or book instantly here.
