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Melbourne man discovers extensive model train network underneath house

(www.sbs.com.au)
402 points cfcfcf | 16 comments | 30 Jun 25 23:53 UTC | HN request time: 2.324s | source | bottom
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brunker2 ◴[01 Jul 25 00:13 UTC] No.44429301[source]▶
How? It was accessible through a door. Nobody - not the seller, agent, himself or any other prospective buyers, or the building inspector he presumably engaged to check the place over before signing contracts - thought to look behind the door?

How can you buy a house without checking out the foundations/basement yourself or by a pro?

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1. paranoidrobot ◴[01 Jul 25 00:24 UTC] No.44429360[source]▶
All the home inspectors I looked at (Victoria, where this house is, plus Tasmania) were all quite clear that they would only access areas they could find a way in. Closed up areas, wouldn't be inspected by default.
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2. bluGill ◴[01 Jul 25 01:06 UTC] No.44429572[source]▶
In fact things like attic hatches are supposed to be sealed ane so even though seen the inspector is not allowed in the attic. (Unless there is other evedence of a problem, though they need to repair the seal in that case.
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3. jfengel ◴[01 Jul 25 01:21 UTC] No.44429678[source]▶
Why is that? That seems odd.
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4. viraptor ◴[01 Jul 25 01:56 UTC] No.44429856[source]▶
It's that something regional for specific access type? My Victorian houses always had the roof hatch accessible - it's just another storage area and needs to be available if you want to rewire something.
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5. brunker2 ◴[01 Jul 25 02:39 UTC] No.44430070[source]▶
Incidentally, I'm in Victoria myself. When I bought my house, the inspector did the works. Multiple roof spaces, got under the house and had a look, full report with photos, phone call consultation to explain everything he saw to me. He even notified the sellers of an urgent issue and they had it fixed that afternoon.

I guess it depends who you hire (and whether or not you want to know about any issues, which is the most compelling reason I've seen in the replies so far for why this was "missed").

6. NL807 ◴[01 Jul 25 02:42 UTC] No.44430085[source]▶
Nonsense. Every house built in Victoria has an accessible hatch to the roof space. The hatches are not sealed either, it's just a lid resting over the opening, which can be pushed upward. Some have hinges, etc.
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7. bluGill ◴[01 Jul 25 03:41 UTC] No.44430355{3}[source]▶
It is fairly new, strarted inithe late 1990s. It doesn't apply to old houses.
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8. aussieguy1234 ◴[01 Jul 25 03:56 UTC] No.44430450{3}[source]▶
My house is in Victoria and I can confirm there is no roof hatch. Its a 3 story house. No access or crawl space between the floors either.
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9. nandomrumber ◴[01 Jul 25 07:22 UTC] No.44431440{4}[source]▶
Skillion roof? Probably doesn’t have a roof space.
10. viraptor ◴[01 Jul 25 07:34 UTC] No.44431514{4}[source]▶
No, a completely new house. No access is sealed/blocked in any way. If you know the specific regulation, please post it.
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11. bluGill ◴[01 Jul 25 11:26 UTC] No.44432775{5}[source]▶
Codes are very regional, and I'm no longer in construction where I have the code handy.applies in Minnesota anyway
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12. bluGill ◴[01 Jul 25 11:26 UTC] No.44432782{3}[source]▶
Air seal. If the hetch can open it leaks unconditioned air and the house is less energy efficient.
13. bombcar ◴[01 Jul 25 12:20 UTC] No.44433155{6}[source]▶
https://structuretech.com/attic-inspections-sealed-access-pa... Is a MN inspector and they cover it.

Attic access has to be weatherstripped - cheap ass builders just seal it.

I ain’t buying’ no pig in a poke. If it’s new construction I can inspect before completion (and you should); if it’s used, I am breaking the seal and crossing the streams. Attics got way too much “fun” to discover.

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14. viraptor ◴[01 Jul 25 12:22 UTC] No.44433174{6}[source]▶
Cool... The thread is about Victoria, Australia.
15. bluGill ◴[01 Jul 25 13:50 UTC] No.44433920{7}[source]▶
> Attic access has to be weatherstripped - cheap ass builders just seal it.

True.

> If it’s new construction I can inspect before completion (and you should); if it’s used, I am breaking the seal and crossing the streams. Attics got way too much “fun” to discover.

Don't do this! you can't see much anyway. At least not without walking up there and that disturbs your insulation. Everything you care about is about the roof working, so look at the roof from the outside. Keep the roof in good shape and you don't need to go in the attic.

Also until the house is yours you are not allowed to break that seal. Once it is your house you can do whatever you want, but it is too late.

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16. throwaway173738 ◴[01 Jul 25 21:44 UTC] No.44438275{8}[source]▶
Things like rodents entering the house are a big problem and will only be evident by inspecting spaces people don’t clean.