Understand the property’s condition before you commit to one of life’s biggest financial decisions.
2020+
Building Inspections
AS 4349.1
Australian Standard
Same Day
Fast Report Delivery
10+ years
Adelaide experience
Buying a home is a huge decision, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time home buyer or an experienced investor. Over the last decade, our clients have varied as much as the homes we inspect for them, but they all ask the same question:
We have inspected thousands of homes from out-houses and settler cottages to ultra-modern off-grid rural properties (and pretty much everything in between). Just like people, each home has its own character, its own story and purpose, and our role is to help our clients decide if this home is right for them.
For many people, purchasing a property is the largest financial commitment they will ever make. A professional building inspection provides valuable information about the property’s current condition before contracts become commitments and before unexpected repair costs become your responsibility.
While we have clients who are builders, engineers, real estate agents, and architects, we understand that most of our customers don’t have construction expertise. You’ll receive a clear, easy-to-read report that highlights any significant concerns, provides photographs for context, and explains if there were any areas we could not access.
Our inspections follow the nationally recognised Australian Standard for building inspections (AS 4349.1-2007), which is designed to identify defects, safety concerns, and maintenance issues while ensuring a thorough and consistent assessment of the property.
Buyers are often surprised to learn that most homes don’t meet current standards. This is because building codes are regularly updated and amended, so we report compliance issues only when there are potential safety concerns.
At Prescan, our goal is simple:
To give you a clear, honest picture of what you’re buying.
The report is intended to document the current state of the property. It is a snapshot of the home on the day of inspection. It provides advance notice of any required repairs and maintenance, so you can budget accordingly. We have found that many purchasers focus on the cost of buying a home and forget about the ongoing cost of owning it.
A Pre-Purchase Building Inspection is a visual assessment of the accessible areas of a property conducted in accordance with Australian Standard AS 4349.1-2007.
Major defects
Safety concerns
Minor defects
Maintenance issues
Areas that may require further investigation
This section outlines key details about the property, including:
Where possible, Prescan will check whether fixtures such as:
appear operational. We look for damage and wear and note whether the device powers up.
Where access allows, we will assess the following areas and report on their current observable condition, including signs of damage, wear or operational concerns.
Smoke alarms are noted for their presence but are not tested.
Major and minor defect summaries
Detailed descriptions of identified issues
Photographic evidence
Notes on limitations or inaccessible areas
The report is designed to provide both a high-level summary and detailed observations, allowing purchasers to quickly identify significant issues while reviewing supporting information and photographs where required.
The report is a snapshot of the property’s condition at the time of inspection and reflects observations made on the day.
The report includes a final assessment of the property, comparing its condition to similar properties of the same age and type.
You’ll often see the term:
Serviceable
Meaning the item was inspected and found to be functioning as expected.
The overall assessment provides context regarding the property’s condition relative to other properties of similar age, construction type and general use. This helps purchasers understand whether observed defects are unusual or consistent with what may reasonably be expected for a property of that age.
To set clear expectations:
A Pre-Purchase Building Inspection helps you:
Negotiate price or contract terms where appropriate
Adelaide’s housing stock ranges from historic stone cottages and character homes through to modern developments and investment properties.
Depending on the age, location and construction type of the property, inspections may identify issues such as:
Understanding these issues before purchasing can help buyers make informed decisions and buy with confidence.
While a Building Inspection provides valuable information about the property’s condition, many purchasers choose to combine it with a Timber Pest Inspection to gain a more complete understanding of the property.
Building defects and maintenance concerns
Termite activity or damage
Conditions conducive to termite attack
Potential future risks
For most buyers, a combined inspection provides the most comprehensive pre-purchase assessment available.
1
Fast availability · Same-week bookings
2
1–2 hours · You can attend at the end
3
Clear, detailed, photographed findings
Typically able to attend within 24–48 hours, subject to property access and availability.
Typically, between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the size and complexity of the property.
The report provides the information you need to make a decision. It highlights defects and risks so you can determine whether the property suits your expectations, risk tolerance and budget.
A major defect is something that significantly affects the structure, safety or usability of the property and may require urgent repair.
Major defects are clearly documented within the report along with supporting photographs and observations. Depending on the findings, purchasers may choose to seek specialist advice, negotiate repairs or reconsider the purchase.
Yes. We are happy to meet with you at the end of the inspection (subject to the agreement of the agent and vendor) to discuss any significant findings.
Reports are typically emailed later the same day as the inspection.
Building inspections are limited to areas that are safely and reasonably accessible at the time of inspection. Locked, obstructed, concealed, or unsafe areas may be inaccessible and will be noted in the report.
A standard Building Inspection is separate from a Timber Pest Inspection. While obvious signs of termite damage may sometimes be observed, a dedicated Timber Pest Inspection provides a more thorough assessment of termite activity, damage and risk factors.
Many purchasers use the information in the report to better understand future repair costs and, where appropriate, negotiate pricing or contract terms with the vendor.
For most purchasers, yes. A Building Inspection focuses on the property’s condition, defects and maintenance concerns, while a Timber Pest Inspection assesses termite activity, timber damage and conditions that may increase future risk.
