A Pre-Purchase Building and Pest Inspection Checklist

A building and pest inspection is one of the most valuable pieces of due diligence you can do before buying a property, yet it is also one of the steps that gets rushed under time pressure. Structural issues and pest damage are not always visible during a normal walkthrough, and finding out about them after you have exchanged contracts is a far more difficult position than finding out before. This checklist covers how to arrange a proper inspection and what to do with the results.

Arrange the Inspection Early in the Process

Book your building and pest inspection as soon as you are seriously considering a property, rather than waiting until you have already made an offer. In states with a cooling-off period, this window exists specifically to allow time for inspections and finance to be finalised, and the MoneySmart guide to buying a house recommends using this period to get a building and pest report completed. If you are buying at auction, there is no cooling-off period available afterwards, so the inspection needs to happen before auction day.

• Book the inspection as soon as you are seriously interested in a property.
• For auction purchases, complete the inspection before auction day, since there is no cooling-off period afterwards.
• Confirm the inspector is independent and not connected to the selling agent.
• Ask whether building and pest inspections are being done separately or combined.

Choose a Qualified, Independent Inspector

Use a licensed building inspector and, where a separate pest inspector is required in your state, a licensed pest technician, rather than relying on a recommendation from the selling agent, since this can create a conflict of interest. Confirm the inspector carries professional indemnity insurance, and ask to see a sample report before booking so you know what level of detail to expect. A thorough written report with photographs is worth more than a brief verbal summary, particularly if you later need to negotiate based on what is found.

Understand What the Inspection Covers

A building inspection generally examines structural elements including the roof, subfloor, walls and foundations, along with visible issues such as damp, cracking, and general wear consistent with the property's age. A pest inspection focuses specifically on termite activity and damage, along with conditions around the property that make future infestation more likely, such as moisture, timber contact with soil, or poor drainage. Ask your inspector to clarify what falls outside the scope of a standard visual inspection, since areas that are inaccessible, such as under fixed flooring or behind built-in cabinetry, are typically excluded unless a more invasive inspection is arranged separately.

Attend the Inspection If You Can

Being present during the inspection, even for part of it, lets you ask questions directly and see issues in context rather than reading about them cold in a written report afterwards. Inspectors can often explain the practical significance of a finding, such as whether a crack is cosmetic or indicates a more significant structural movement, more effectively in person than in a written summary. If you cannot attend, ask for a phone call to talk through the findings once the report is ready, rather than relying solely on the document.

Read the Report Properly, Not Just the Summary

Many reports include an executive summary or overall rating, but the detail further in the document often contains context that changes how a finding should be interpreted. A "moderate" rating on a specific item might be genuinely minor or could indicate the early stages of a more significant problem, and the surrounding narrative usually clarifies which. If anything in the report is unclear or seems inconsistent, contact the inspector directly to ask for clarification before you decide how to proceed.

Decide How Findings Affect Your Offer or Contract

Significant issues identified in a building or pest report can be used to negotiate a lower price, request repairs before settlement, or in some cases walk away from the purchase entirely if you are still within a cooling-off period or the contract includes a relevant condition. Discuss the findings with your conveyancer before deciding how to respond, since they can advise on whether the contract gives you a formal avenue to act on the report or whether any response needs to happen through negotiation with the vendor directly. For an off-the-plan purchase, a traditional building and pest inspection does not apply in the same way, since the property does not yet exist, but a defects inspection closer to completion serves a similar purpose.

Factor Findings Into Your Broader Due Diligence

A building and pest report is one part of a wider due diligence process that should also include a review of the vendor statement, title searches, and confirmation of any building approvals for existing structures. Issues found in the inspection sometimes prompt further questions for your conveyancer to raise with the vendor's representative, such as whether unapproved building work explains a structural finding. Treating the inspection as one input into a broader picture, rather than a standalone tick-box exercise, gives you a more complete understanding of what you are actually buying before you commit to a residential purchase.

Keep the Report on File for Later

Once you settle, keep the building and pest report together with your contract, vendor statement and other settlement documents rather than discarding it once the purchase is complete. It can be a useful reference point later, whether you are planning renovations, arranging insurance, or eventually selling the property and want to understand what has changed since you bought it. If you engage tradespeople for repairs identified in the report soon after moving in, keeping records of that work alongside the original inspection also helps build a clear maintenance history for the property over time.