An inspection is only as good as the access it is given. This checklist walks through what to prepare before the inspector arrives, what to ask when you book, and what to look for when the report lands.
It is a buyer's preparation guide, not a substitute for a professional inspection. If you use it to look over a property yourself, treat anything you notice as a question to raise — not a conclusion.
Before you book
Get the basics right and you avoid the most common delay: a booking that cannot be completed in time.
- Confirm your cooling-off or due-diligence deadline and work backwards from it.
- Ask the agent how access will be arranged, and whether the tenant or owner needs notice.
- Ask whether the roof void and subfloor are accessible — and if not, why.
- Tell the inspector about anything you already know: recent renovations, prior reports, known leaks.
- Book the combined pest and building inspection rather than two separate ones.
What an inspector needs from you
Clear information at booking usually produces a more thorough inspection than a short-notice booking with no context.
- The full property address and property type.
- Approximate age and any additions you are aware of.
- Any areas the agent has said cannot be accessed.
- Your deadline, in writing.
- A phone number you will answer on the day.
Questions worth asking before you book anyone
These are the questions that separate a thorough inspection from a quick walk-through.
- What exactly is included, and what is excluded?
- Will the roof void and subfloor be entered if they are safely accessible?
- Do you carry public liability insurance?
- How are areas that cannot be accessed reported?
- Will I be able to speak to the inspector about the findings afterwards?
- Is the report written in plain language, or is it a standard template?
Reading the report
Start with the scope and the access limitations, then read the significant defects, then the recommendations. The limitations section tells you what the inspection could not cover — read it before you read the conclusions.
- Check which areas were not accessed and why.
- Separate safety items from maintenance items.
- Note anything the report says requires a specialist.
- Identify findings that change your view of value or risk.
- Discuss anything you do not understand with the inspector before your deadline.
Key points
- Book early — deadlines are the most common reason buyers miss an inspection.
- One combined inspection beats two separate reports.
- Access determines coverage; ask about it before you book.
- Read the limitations before the conclusions.
This guide is general information for property buyers in NSW. It is not a building inspection, pest inspection, professional diagnosis or legal advice. A visual inspection cannot guarantee the absence of concealed defects.