Buying a property is one of the biggest investments you’ll make — and the last thing you want is unexpected surprises after settlement. That’s where a building and pest inspection becomes essential.
A building and pest inspection is a professional assessment of a property’s structural condition and checks for signs of pest activity, such as termites. It’s usually carried out by a licensed inspector before finalising a property purchase. Many structural or pest problems aren’t visible to the untrained eye. An inspection can identify issues like cracked foundations, water damage, roof problems, or active termite infestations — things that can cost you thousands later..
Ideally, organise your inspection during the cooling-off period or as soon as your offer is accepted. That way, you have time to review the report and make informed decisions.
I’ve personally had many clients who have managed to re-negotiate over $10,000 off their purchase price based on the finding of the building & pest inspection. Given how much you can save a $700 inspection fee isn’t all that bad.
If purchasing at an auction make sure you get your building & pest inspection before auction day. Once the hammer goes down there is no going back. If you are purchasing through a private sale the building & pest inspection is typically done after your offer is successful.
A hot tip is to look for other people who may also be interested in doing an inspection. That way you can all split the cost of 1 inspection instead of doing it individually. So if you find 2 other people, between 3 parties (yourself + 2 other people) you only pay 1/3 of the inspection fee. This reduces the costs on yourself. This typically will only work for homes under auction as for private sales they are typically done after an offer is accepted.
Expect to pay around $700 for a building & pest inspection. But this may vary depending on your area. A good inspector should be insured and registered with their local building authority. Make sure to ask for their building license details and verify it against the public available registrar for your state or territory building authority.
There are many types of building inspections. They start with a basic building inspection all the way up to a comprehensive which typically include checking appliances and water fittings such as taps. I always recommend getting a comprehensive building inspection. A comprehensive inspection includes
- assessing the structure of the property
- checking appliances such as stoves work
- checking all the fixtures and fittings such as taps, switches, etc
- ensuring termite checks have been routinely conducted
- checking local council permits to see if there have been any building works done since the home was constructed OR works done without a building permit
- checking boundary lines
- checking to if there are maintenance issues that look to be a a strong possibility in the near future
- checking inside the roof & in the sub-floor
- conducting leak and waterproofing tests
- looking for mould
I story I have is a client who got the basic building and pest inspection, only to find an oven not to be working in their pre-settlement walkthrough. So I strongly suggest to get a comprehensive inspection to ensure you have a detailed understanding of the homes characteristics.
In conclusion a building & pest inspection will typically save you more than the $700 it will cost. It is a worthwhile investment.
