My sister tried selling her place in Merivale last year without getting an electrical inspection first. Big mistake. The buyers building inspector found dodgy wiring in the garage and old fuses in the switchboard. Deal nearly fell through and she had to drop the price by 15 grand to get them to stay interested. Could of avoided all that stress if she'd just got a sparky to check everything before listing.
When your selling a house in Christchurch, an electrical inspection before you list saves you heaps of headaches. Buyers are getting smarter and they all get building inspections done now. If the inspector finds electrical problems your gonna have to fix them anyway, but now your negotiating from a weak position and the buyer knows they got you over a barrel.
Why You Need a Pre-Sale Electrical Check
Think about it like this. Your selling your car and you know theres a weird noise from the engine. You can ignore it and hope the buyer doesnt notice, or you can get it fixed before anyone test drives it. Same thing with houses.
Electrical problems are one of the biggest deal breakers for home sales round here. Buyers get freaked out when they hear words like "fire hazard" or "non-compliant wiring" in the inspection report. And they should be worried cause bad electrical work is dangerous.
My mate runs a real estate agency in Fendalton and he reckons about 40% of sales hit problems cause of electrical issues that pop up in building inspections. Old switchboards, missing RCD protection, dodgy DIY work, uncertified renovations. All stuff that could of been sorted before listing.
Getting your own electrical inspection before you sell means you control the situation. You find out whats wrong, you get it fixed properly, and you can tell buyers with confidence that the electricals are all good. No surprises, no renegotiating the price after they find problems.
What the Inspection Actually Covers
A proper pre-sale electrical inspection checks everything in your house thats electrical. The sparky starts at your switchboard and works through every circuit, outlet, light fitting, and appliance connection.
They check your switchboard first cause thats where most problems are. Old boards with ceramic fuses need replacing. Even boards from the 80s and 90s often dont have proper RCD protection on all circuits like they should. RCDs are those switches that cut the power in milliseconds if theres a fault - they save lives but heaps of older houses dont have them installed right.
Then they test all your power points to make sure they're wired correctly and earthed properly. You'd be surprised how many houses have power points wired backwards or not earthed at all. Looks fine but its dangerous.
Light switches and fittings get checked too. Old ceiling roses, loose connections, lights that flicker - all of it gets noted. Same with outdoor lighting and power points which often have problems from weather damage.
The electrician also checks if previous electrical work was done legally and if theres certificates for it. Did someone add a new circuit for a heat pump? Theres supposed to be paperwork. Renovated the kitchen? Should be certificates for any new wiring. Missing certificates are a red flag for buyers.
Common Problems Found in Christchurch Homes
Round here, certain problems come up all the time. Houses built before 1980 often still have old rubber or fabric wiring that should of been replaced years ago. This stuffs brittle and dangerous cause the insulation falls apart.
Villas and bungalows in areas like Addington and Linwood still have knob and tube wiring sometimes. Insurance companies hate this and some wont even cover houses with it. Banks get funny about mortgages too.
Earthquake damage is another big one. Houses in the eastern suburbs or anywhere that got shook up bad in 2010 and 2011 sometimes have loose connections in walls and ceilings. You cant see it but it causes intermittent faults that are hard to track down.
DIY electrical work is everywhere. Someone added an extra power point here, extended a circuit there, all done without permits or certificates. Looks alright until a registered electrician actually checks it and finds its not up to code.
Hot water cylinder wiring is often wrong too. People replace their cylinder but dont get the electrical connection certified. Or the old wiring to the cylinder is undersized for the new unit. Causes problems and needs fixing.
Getting Your Electrical Certificate
When the electrician finishes the inspection they give you a report listing everything they found. If your house passes and meets current standards you get a certificate of compliance. This is gold when your selling cause you can show it to potential buyers.
If there are problems the report tells you exactly whats wrong and what needs fixing. Then you decide whether to fix it before listing or just disclose it and adjust your price. My opinion? Fix it. Costs less to fix problems when your not under pressure from a buyer whos threatening to walk away.
The certificate you get is official documentation that your houses electrical system is safe and compliant. Real estate agents love having this cause it removes one of the biggest objections buyers have. Building inspectors still check everything but they're way less likely to find issues if a registered electrician already went through the place.
Certificates only last so long though. If you do any electrical work after getting certified you need new certificates for that work. And if you wait too long before selling the certificate might not be accepted anymore. Usually they're good for a few years but check with your electrician.
What Happens If Problems Are Found
Finding problems during your pre-sale inspection is actually good news cause now you can deal with them properly. The electrician will tell you what needs fixing and give you a quote.
Some problems are cheap and easy. Adding RCD protection to circuits might only cost a few hundred. Replacing damaged power points or fixing loose connections is quick work. The sparky can often do minor fixes the same day as the inspection.
Bigger problems like replacing the whole switchboard or rewiring parts of the house cost more and take longer. A switchboard upgrade in a standard house usually runs between two and four thousand depending whats involved. Full rewiring is obviously way more but if your houses wiring is that bad you probably already knew it needed work.
My neighbor in Somerfield had to replace his switchboard before selling. Cost him three grand but he got 12 grand more for the house than similar places on his street cause buyers knew the electricals were sorted. Money well spent.
Sometimes you find problems that are too expensive to fix before selling. Fair enough - just disclose them properly. Get quotes for the work and show buyers what it'll cost. They'll factor it into their offer but at least everyones on the same page and the deals less likely to fall apart later.
Timing Your Inspection Right
Best time to get your pre-sale electrical inspection is before you even talk to real estate agents. That way you know exactly what your dealing with and can plan accordingly.
If you find problems that need fixing you want time to get them sorted without rushing. Electricians get busy especially in summer and if your trying to fix stuff after youve already listed and have buyers coming through, your stressed and might make bad decisions.
Give yourself at least a month before you want to list. That gives you two weeks to get the inspection done, another two weeks to get any repairs completed and certified. Then you list knowing everything's sweet.
Some people get the inspection done six months before selling. Thats fine but remember if you do any electrical work during that time you need new certificates. Also building codes change so really old inspection reports might not cut it with modern buyers.
What Buyers Actually Care About
Buyers want to know the house is safe and they wont have to spend thousands fixing dangerous electrical problems straight after moving in. Thats it really.
They dont need every power point to be brand new or the latest fancy smart switches. But they do need to know the switchboard is modern and safe, the wiring isnt going to cause fires, and everything works properly.
Young buyers especially get nervous about old electrical systems cause they've heard horror stories. If you can hand them an electrical certificate showing everythings been checked by a registered electrician, thats huge for their peace of mind.
First home buyers are using mortgages and banks look at building inspection reports. If the report says the electrical system needs major work the bank might not lend the full amount. Suddenly your buyer cant afford your place anymore and the deals dead.
Even investors who buy rental properties care about electricals cause they have to meet healthy homes standards now. Rentals need proper heating which means heat pumps which means upgraded switchboards. If your selling to an investor and your electricals are already sorted thats a big plus.
How Much a Pre-Sale Inspection Costs
Round Christchurch a basic pre-sale electrical inspection for a normal three bedroom house costs between 300 and 600 dollars. Bigger houses cost more cause theres more to check. Takes about two to four hours depending on the size of your place.
Thats cheap insurance when you think about it. Pay a few hundred now to find problems before buyers do, or risk losing thousands when they negotiate down after finding issues themselves.
Some electricians include basic testing and a written report. Others charge extra for detailed reports with photos. Ask upfront whats included so you dont get surprised by the bill.
If problems are found and need fixing, thats separate. The inspection is just the check up. Repairs are quoted separately and you decide what to do.
My advice is dont cheap out on the inspection. Pay for a proper registered electrician who does thorough work and gives you a detailed report. Dodgy inspections that miss problems are worse than useless cause you think your sorted when your not.
Choosing the Right Electrician
Not all electricians do pre-sale inspections so check before you book. You want someone whos familiar with building inspection standards and knows what buyers building inspectors will be looking for.
Make sure they're registered. You can check this on the Electrical Workers Registration Board website. Registered electricians can issue proper certificates which you need for the sale.
Ask if they've done pre-sale inspections before and how many. Experience matters cause they'll know what problems commonly cause issues in sales and can give you good advice about what to fix.
Get a quote in writing before they start. Should tell you how long the inspection takes, what it includes, and how much the report costs. Good electricians explain their process and answer your questions.
Check reviews from other people who've used them for pre-sale work. You want someone reliable who shows up on time and does thorough work. Last thing you need is an electrician who misses problems that the buyers inspector finds later.
The Inspection Report Explained
After the inspection you get a written report. This lists everything the electrician checked and what they found. Good reports have photos showing problems so buyers can see exactly whats wrong.
The report usually has three sections. First part says whats working fine and meets code. Second part lists minor issues that should be fixed but arent immediately dangerous. Third part is urgent problems that need fixing before you sell.
Urgent stuff is things like exposed live wires, no RCD protection, switchboards overheating, major fire hazards. You have to fix these before listing or disclose them very clearly to buyers. Trying to hide urgent problems is asking for legal trouble later.
Minor issues might be things like old light fittings that still work but are outdated, power points that are a bit loose, stuff that works but could be better. You can fix these or leave them - depends on your budget and timeframe.
The report also notes what certificates are missing. If you had work done years ago but cant find the paperwork the electrician can sometimes re-certify it if its done properly. Or they note it as uncertified which buyers will want fixed.
Dealing With Old Wiring
Old wiring scares buyers more than almost anything else. If your house was built before 1980 and hasnt been rewired, buyers assume the worst.
Sometimes old wiring is still okay if its been maintained well. The electrician tests it and if it passes they can certify it even though its old. That helps a lot with buyer confidence.
Other times old wiring needs replacing. Depending on how bad it is you might need a full rewire or just parts of the house done. Full rewires are expensive - think 10 to 20 thousand for a normal house - but sometimes thats what it takes to sell.
My uncle had a villa in St Albans with original 1920s wiring. Couldnt sell it cause every buyer ran away after the building inspection. Finally bit the bullet and had it fully rewired. Cost 18 grand but he sold it three weeks later for 40 grand more than his previous asking price. Buyers loved that it was a character home with modern wiring.
If you cant afford a full rewire before selling, at least get quotes and tell buyers exactly what needs doing. Some buyers are happy to do the work themselves if they get a fair price reduction. Better than having the place sit on the market forever.
Switchboard Upgrades
Modern switchboards with proper RCD protection are huge selling points. If your place still has an old fuse box or early circuit breaker panel, upgrading it before selling is smart.
New switchboards arent cheap but they're not crazy expensive either. For a standard house expect two to four thousand installed. Takes a day or two and you end up with a modern safe electrical system that makes buyers happy.
The electrician pulls out the old board and installs a new one with RCDs on all the right circuits, proper labeling, maybe some spare ways for future additions. Everything gets tested and certified.
Buyers see that new switchboard and immediately feel better about the house. Shows youve taken care of the place and they wont have to worry about electrical problems for years.
Some areas round Christchurch still have houses on old two-wire systems without proper earthing. These need more work cause you have to run earth wires throughout the house. More expensive but absolutely necessary for safety and selling.
Making Your Place Sale-Ready
Once you've got your electrical inspection done and fixed any problems, your place is way more attractive to buyers. You can advertise it as having a current electrical safety certificate which is a real selling point.
Real estate agents love listings where the electrical work is sorted. Makes their job easier cause they dont have to worry about buyers backing out over electrical issues.
Keep copies of all your electrical certificates in a folder with your other house documents. When buyers ask about electricals you can show them the paperwork straight away. Looks professional and builds trust.
If you did major electrical work like rewiring or switchboard upgrades take photos before walls get closed up. Buyers like seeing that work was done properly even if its hidden now.
Some sellers put together a maintenance log showing all the work they've done on the house including electrical. Not required but it helps buyers see you've looked after the place.
What About Rental Properties
Selling a rental property? Definitely get an electrical inspection first. Rental properties have to meet healthy homes standards which includes electrical safety. If your not compliant the buyer has to fix it before they can rent it out again.
Heat pumps are pretty much required for rentals now which means proper electrical circuits to run them. If your rental doesnt have this buyers factor in the cost of adding it.
Smoke alarms have to be hardwired and photoelectric type. Old battery smoke alarms dont cut it anymore. The electrical inspection checks this.
Investors buying rentals are pretty practical about electrical stuff but they dont want to buy other peoples problems. Show them the place meets standards and they'll pay fair money for it.
Getting Started With Your Inspection
If your thinking about selling in the next few months now's the time to get your electrical inspection sorted. Call a registered electrician who does pre-sale work and book them in.
When the sparky comes be ready to show them everything. Where's the switchboard, where's the hot water cylinder, any work you had done, any problems you've noticed. More information they have the better job they do.
Ask them to explain anything you dont understand in the report. Good electricians are happy to walk you through it and help you figure out what to fix.
Get quotes for any repairs right away so you know what your dealing with. Then make a plan - fix stuff now, or sell as is and disclose everything.
Either way your ahead of the game cause you know what buyers will find and you can deal with it on your terms instead of being surprised during negotiations.