Building Inspections
Which Inspection Report Do You Actually Need?
Condition, status, pest, pool, plumbing or electrical — a plain comparison of what each report answers, so you book the right one.
People often book the wrong report, or book one when they needed two. The reports are not tiers of thoroughness — they answer genuinely different questions.
Building condition report
Answers: what physical condition is this property in? A visual assessment of accessible areas, documented and photographed. Ours includes a remediation report with estimated costs at no extra charge. This is the one most buyers mean when they say 'building inspection'. From $455.
Building status report
Answers: is everything on this property legally approved? A file review of the official building records against what is physically on site, identifying unapproved structures and expired permits. It says nothing about condition. From $325.
Pre-sale property inspection
Answers: what will a buyer's inspector find? Same visual assessment, framed for a seller preparing to list, so you can fix or disclose on your own timetable instead of theirs.
Pest report
Answers: is anything eating this property right now, and what is the risk? Delivered through qualified partners. In the Top End this is not optional for a purchase. From $325.
Pool remediation report
Answers: would this pool barrier pass? A pre-check against the requirements, identifying what would fail and what it costs to fix, before the official compliance inspection. From $260.
Plumbing and electrical reports
Answers: what is the condition of the services specifically? Plumbing from $520, electrical from $585 through our qualified partners. Worth adding where the property is older, has been extended, or where the condition report flags something in either system.
Buying, with a shed and a pool, in Darwin? That is a condition report, a status report, a pest report and a pool check. Booked together it is cheaper than booked separately, and it arrives as one picture rather than four.
The common combinations
- Buyer, standard house: condition report + pest report.
- Buyer, property with added structures: condition + pest + status report.
- Buyer, property with a pool: add the pool remediation report.
- Seller preparing to list: pre-sale inspection, plus a pool check and a status report if either applies.
- Owner, no transaction: pest report annually; condition report if you are planning works or have noticed something.
Common questions
- What is the difference between a building condition report and a building status report?
- A condition report assesses the physical state of the property. A status report reviews the official building records to confirm whether the structures on site were properly approved. They answer different questions and are often booked together.
- Do I need a pest report as well as a building inspection?
- In the Top End, yes. A building inspection assesses condition; a pest report identifies active termite activity and risk. Darwin's year-round termite pressure makes the pest report essential on any purchase.
- Can I book multiple reports at once?
- Yes, and it is cheaper than booking them separately. It also means you receive one coherent picture of the property rather than several unconnected documents.
Need an inspection in the Top End?
Flat rate from $260 incl. GST. Digital report within 72 hours.