Search Articles Local Directory Product Directory Name Search

Building Inspection Reports

A building inspection report should be obtained for your property on a regular basis to ensure that there are no significant problems within your building that may require costly repairs, and to identify problems before they worsen.  Read on to find out more about building inspection reports.

The Purpose of a Building Inspection Report

The purpose of a building inspection report is to give the client information on the condition of all the accessible areas of the property, as well as notify them of any defects.  The inspection is carried out by a certified professional. 

A building inspection report can be used on buildings of different ages.  For example, a 100 year old building would generally not meet the building standards of today, but with proper repairs and maintenance, it may last for another 100 years.  A building inspection report can determine the adequacy of the building, report on its condition, and recommend suitable repairs and/or maintenance.

The Format of a Building Inspection Report

The format of the building inspection report and the amount of detail that it contains will depend on what type of property is being inspected, its size and age, its condition, and the reporting process that is used by the professional that is writing the report.  Some reports will use a standardised format while others will be tailored for the property.  Photographs may or may not be included.  However, it is vital that the report that you obtain complies with Australian Standard AS 4349.1.

What Is and Is Not Included in a Building Inspection Report

The building inspection report covers all accessible aspects of the property and should include the interior and exterior of the building, the roof space, the underfloor space, the roof exterior, and the site itself.  A building inspection report will normally include the garage, carport, shed, separate laundry or toilet, small retaining walls, steps, fencing, surface water drainage, stormwater runoff, and paths and driveways.  If there is a specific area of the property that you want inspected, you will have to tell the professional to include this in their report.  As well as information on the former, the report should contain your name, the address of the property to be inspected, the reason for the inspection, the date of the inspection, the scope of the inspection, a list of any areas that weren’t inspected as well as the reasons why, a summary of the property’s overall condition, a list of problems that need fixing, and any further recommendations by the professional.

Usually, the building inspection report will not include parts of the property that couldn’t be inspected, matters outside the professional’s area of expertise, an estimate of repair costs, minor defects, and termite detection.  Do not look at the building inspection report as a report that deals with every single aspect of the property.  Rather, it is to be used as a tool to identify any major problems at the time of the inspection.