Martin Cherrie is a licensed building inspector with 35 years’ industry experience behind him. To date, he has inspected over 10,000 homes and with no intention of slowing down.
With bucket-loads of experience and a passion for helping homeowners and buyers, Martin is your building & pest inspector in Brisbane’s west. He services clients from Springfield Lakes to Indooroopilly and everywhere in between.
Martin grew up in New Zealand but moved to Melbourne back in 1996 and started his career in building after graduating college. He made the move up to Brisbane some 15 years ago and that’s when he jumped onboard with Inspect My Home.
“I love this job and I love this company. No two days are the same, no two houses are the same.”
Pest Inspections in Brisbane
Having made the move from Victoria to Queensland some years back, Martin explains that the termite problem is more prevalent in his neck of the woods than “down there”.
“The termite problem is totally different in Queensland compared to Victoria.”
“Since the climate is generally cooler and termites loves humidity, Queensland and especially Far North Queensland has far more issues with termites and termite damage than households down in Melbourne,” he explains.
If he does find evidence of termite on a property, he will do a further assessment as best he can without causing any damage to the building. If the issue needs even further investigation, Martin will recommend the client to get an appropriate trade in. “An appropriate trade would be a qualified carpenter or alike – someone who knows what they are doing. We only make the recommendations,” he says.
Read our helpful article: Reduce the risk of timber pests
Rural and Acreage Inspections
“Once I inspected a home so infested with termites, they had basically eaten the whole house from the inside out, that the building had to come down. It was only 18 months old,” tells Martin.
The house had been vacant for some time which is when termites can be at their destructive best. The lack of vibration and disturbance allows them to continue to consume timber without interruption.
Martin says he tends to find more termites out in the suburbs and in acreage home rather than in rural locations like Brisbane’s CBD. However, if you do live in the CBD where the risk of termites is low, he still recommends annual inspections. If you need an inspection every three or six months ultimately comes down to the environment and level of maintenance of the house.
“If you live out in suburbia or on acreage, you should hire in a building and pest inspector more frequently, says Martin.
“Part of why we come out and do the job is so clients can continue to look after their home in the best way and protect it from further damage.”
In need of a pest/termite inspection at your home? Contact Martin today!
Pre-Purchase Building & Timber Pest Inspections
Ever wondered whether to get a pre-purchase inspection before signing the dotted line? Hopefully Martin can convince you…
Some of the most common faults in Brisbane houses, according to Martin, include movements and cracking. He also says structural defects can differ greatly in severity.
“Some defects scare the bejesus out of you, while many others are not too serious. You have to assess what’s what and that’s why we are called in to do the job.”
When talking severe structural defects, Martin says he’s seen some houses with “broken backs”. This means the walls are all cracked and are coming down and the floor is coming down with them.
“I’ve seen this happen to a home that was only six years old. That really emphasises how important it is to have regular inspections done on your home,” he says.
Find out how a Building and Pest Inspection Can Save You Money
Get Peace of Mind With Regular Inspections
But Martin also says he doesn’t want to scare people away from buying a house. Inspect My Home inspects a lot of new apartment blocks in Brisbane’s CBD where they don’t find any faults to report on.
“If we’re talking stand-alone dwellings then sure, you do find more issues but most of them are A-ok and with only minor faults. It all comes down to how well taken care of the home is and the level of maintenance and inspections,” he says.
“The biggest thing when weighing up whether or not to get an inspection, is peace of mind.”
You need to make sure the house you’re buying is not going to fall down as soon as you’ve signed the contract. Find out how much it will cost to inspect your property.
“A pre-purchase inspection will help you sleep at night, knowing your house has been professionally inspected,” adds Martin.
If you are looking to purchase a property in the Brisbane region, call Martin and the team on 07 4034 7777 or book online to save your property from termites or significant structural damage with a professional inspection.