Home inspection across Durban

What inspectors actually find in Durban

Condensation from ambient humidity

Where the air holds this much moisture, any surface below dew point collects water — inside wardrobes, behind headboards, in closed rooms and on the cold side of air-conditioned homes. The building is not leaking at all, and waterproofing it changes nothing.Checked: Relative humidity, surface temperatures, extraction and air movement

Termite and borer activity

Sustained warmth and humidity keep timber under constant pressure. Roof timbers, skirtings, built-in joinery and suspended floors are all at risk, and damage is typically well advanced before it becomes visible.Checked: Roof timbers, skirtings, subfloor and any Oregon pine element

Ageing electrical installations

Pre-1990 installations often carry old wiring, no earth leakage protection, and boards extended piecemeal over decades. A certificate of compliance is a legal requirement on transfer and is frequently the largest unbudgeted cost in an older-suburb purchase.Checked: Distribution board, earth leakage, visible wiring, bonding

Expansive clay heave

Clay soils swell through the rainfall season and shrink through the dry months. Foundations move with them and brickwork cracks where it cannot accommodate the movement. Large trees and slow under-slab leaks turn seasonal movement into differential movement, which is what actually causes damage.Checked: Crack pattern and width, door and window squareness, floor level, tree proximity

Areas we cover

• WestvilleSteep, wooded sites where stormwater management and retaining structures matter as much as the house.
• HillcrestCooler escarpment position where condensation is driven by temperature difference rather than coastal humidity alone.
• KloofHeavy tree cover keeps roofs damp and shaded, accelerating both timber decay and roof-covering failure.
• PinetownEstablished stock where original electrical installations and borer damage commonly appear together.
• GillittsWooded escarpment sites with high rainfall and constant timber pressure.

What it costs

Indicative market ranges for guidance, not quotes. Full cost breakdown →