Pre-purchase building and pest inspection in Ballarat

The inspection most Ballarat buyers book: one visit covering the building's condition and timber pests, with one combined written report.

What a combined inspection includes

A combined inspection is one visit and one report covering two things: the condition of the building and the presence of timber pests. The building side follows AS 4349.1, which sets out recommendations for the visual inspection of residential buildings and how the report is prepared (ABLIS: AS 4349.1-2007). The pest side follows AS 4349.3, which sets the minimum requirements for inspecting and reporting on timber pest activity (ABLIS: AS 4349.3-2010; Standards Australia).

Booking both together saves a second visit, gives you one set of findings to read, and means the inspector can connect the dots, for example a damp subfloor that is both a building defect and a termite risk.

Areas the inspector looks at

Everything is checked where it is safe and reasonably accessible on the day:

• Interior: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, kitchen, bathrooms and laundry, looking for cracking, movement, moisture and leaks.
• Exterior: walls and cladding, windows, eaves, gutters and downpipes, and how water drains away from the house.
• Roof exterior: tiles or sheeting, ridge capping, flashings and valleys, from a ladder, the ground or by drone where the roof is unsafe to walk.
• Roof space: framing, sarking, insulation and signs of leaks or pests.
• Subfloor: stumps, bearers, joists, ventilation, ground moisture and stored debris.
• The site: fences, paths, driveways, retaining walls, drainage and outbuildings within the agreed scope.

In an older Ballarat home on timber or concrete stumps, the subfloor deserves particular attention: the crawl space is where decay, damp and termite leads are usually found. If the agent can make sure the subfloor hatch is clear before inspection day, you will get a more useful report.

When to book in Victoria

• Auction: inspect before auction day. There is no cooling-off period at auction, or for a contract signed in the three clear business days before or after it (CAV: buying at auction).
• Private sale: the three business day cooling-off period may apply, but not always (CAV: private sale). A safer path is a building and pest condition in the contract. Under the Law Institute of Victoria general conditions, a GC21 building report must come from a registered building surveyor, building inspector or registered builder (Mondaq summary of the LIV changes). Ask your conveyancer whether the contract includes the condition and what deadline it sets.

How long it takes and when you get the report

Time on site depends on the size, age and access of the home, and report turnaround varies between inspectors. Confirm both with your inspector when you book, especially if an auction date is set. Ask whether they can talk you through the findings by phone once the report is sent.

What it does not cover

The inspection is visual and non-invasive. It usually excludes electrical, plumbing and gas testing, pools, asbestos testing, the inside of wall cavities and anything behind fixed coverings or stored furniture. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests an asbestos assessment for homes built before 1990 (CAV), which is relevant to much of Ballarat's older housing.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which Australian Standards will the report follow?
• Do you carry professional indemnity insurance? CAV recommends an inspector with full PI cover (CAV).
• Is the roof space and subfloor included, and what tools do you use (thermal camera, moisture meter)?
• When will I get the report, and can I call you about it?

CAV also warns against relying on a report supplied by the agent or seller, because it was not prepared for you. Read how to read your report, work through the buyer checklist, or request a quote.

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