Things you need to consider when moving to a brand new home

Moving to your brand new home

Being the first homeowner of a brand new house is very exciting, isn’t it?

You’ve finally finished the arduous task of making all those decisions during the construction phase or you bought an off the plan home. Buying a brand new home is a great opportunity for a fresh start.  But there are some things that you need to consider. 

Below is a checklist to make your life easier when moving to a brand new home.

Did you know that you can get a discount when ordering security screens for a brand new home? Call 07 3272 2974 or send your house plans to contact@starlinesecurity.com.au to get a quote!

Checklist

• Pre-purchase inspection and rectification

One thing you can do to avoid any costly surprises is hiring a qualified and professional handover building inspector to conduct a Pre-Purchase inspection. These types of inspections differ from normal building inspections as they are more detailed and identify issues or areas the builder is obligated to rectify. Your new house will be under warranty and a specialist handover building inspector can find all the little things that need to be fixed by the builder.  

You need to do this immediately after signing the contract and we would strongly advise that this clause be included as a condition of the purchase contract. If the builder refuses to agree to rectify issues found by a qualified handover building inspector, then you have a problem. If they refuse, how likely will it be that you will be able to get serious problems fixed later on? It begs the questions: How well has your new home been built? What else is wrong that you can’t see? Don’t rely on inspection reports unless you have paid for them to be done.

• Seal the floors

One suggestion is sealing the tiles in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry before you move in. This will increase their longevity since these areas of the house are constantly in contact with water and can deteriorate over the years.

• Install security screens

Of course, we are going to suggest this. We are a security screen company. However, no one can deny that security screens are great for keeping intruders, as well as insects, out. In our opinion, there is nothing better for keeping your family safe and secure. 

The best time to get security screens installed in your windows and doors is when you haven’t moved in yet. The windows/doors frames are new and the way is clear for installation, making the process simpler and cheaper! After you have moved in, and there is furniture everywhere, the task of installing screens and doors takes longer. This additional installation time will be factored in by all who quote you for screens after you have moved in. Send us your house plans for a quote.

• Child Fall from height safety screens

If you are moving to a new two-storey or higher home, you will have opening restrictors installed in windows with a fall height over 2 metres (read this post to understand why). These restrictors severely reduce window ventilation which is causing mould and mildew problems.  By having safety screens installed we can legally remove the window restrictors resulting in substantially increased airflow throughout your home. Avoiding this kind of problem is easy when you install an AS 5203:2016 compliant safety screens to all second floor or multi-story apartment windows.

NOTE: Do not remove any window opening restrictors without installing a compliant safety grade window screen in its place or your home will be in breach of the building code and you could find yourself legally liable for any injuries or death sustained as a result of a fall from an unprotected open window.  

Please contact us for an inspection if you are unsure if your new home is compliant and safe. We are qualified to advise and can identify any windows you have in your new home that are non-compliant.

• Reduce your power bill

Installing security screens reduces your air conditioner electricity bill. The increased ventilation provided by installing screens means many people do not turn on the air conditioner when they otherwise would. Homes become hot boxes when all the windows are closed during the summer months. When you come home to this there is a significantly increased tendency to immediately decide to turn on the air conditioners.

Many clients, who have central air conditioning systems installed, tell us their power bill went from over $1500 per quarter to less than $750 per quarter after they installed security screens throughout. An annual saving of approximately $2000. The payback period on installing good quality security screens throughout is often less than 5yrs.  Making installing security screens a better power-saving solution than solar panels in many real-life situations.

Did you know you can get a good discount from Starline Security when having security or insect screens installed in a brand new home? You can send us your house plans or book a free quote to discuss all the screen options we have available. Learn more about security screen ratings here.

• Clean

Before bringing all your belongings inside the house make sure your new home is clean. Construction staff and technicians have been in and out of the property and the floor, walls and cabinetry may be dusty because of that, so it’s important your new home is clean before you start moving in or the handover building inspector arrives.

• Test smoke detectors

Smoke detectors are great for warning you of any fire and protecting your family, so it’s fundamental that they work. Make sure that all smoke detectors in your housework properly before moving in and keep your loved ones safe.

• Transfer utilities

Don’t forget to call your water, gas, electricity and internet providers before you move. You need to have these things available when you are in your new house and while you are moving. Contact them to know if they provide the service to your new location. If they don’t you will have to cancel the service with your previous property and contact and hire a new company that will provide these to your new home.

There are many tasks you need to do before you move to a new home, but it’s always good to have a fresh start in a new place!