A building inspection reports on the condition of a property and its major defects, while a pest inspection looks for termites, borers and wood decay fungi and the conditions that invite them. The two are usually booked together before you buy, but they are separate reports with separate jobs. The NSW Government's guide to buying residential property lists arranging property and pest inspections, and requesting any existing reports, as a step to finish before you make an offer.
What does a building inspection cover?
A pre-purchase building inspection is generally carried out to Australian Standard AS 4349.1. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission's termite management guide describes it as an assessment of the general condition of the property that should discover any major defects. It is not built to find termites. A building inspector may note damaged timber, but tracing live activity, where it came from and how exposed the house is to another attack is the work of a timber pest inspection.
What does a pest inspection cover?
A pre-purchase timber pest inspection is done to AS 4349.3. The QBCC guide explains that this Standard sets minimum requirements for a non-invasive inspection of the house and the surrounding property within 30 metres of the building. It is a visual inspection that includes non-marking sounding of timber and assessment of the moisture content of materials.
The Standard defines timber pests as subterranean and damp wood termites, borers of seasoned timber and wood decay fungi. Drywood termites and mould are excluded. QBCC says the report should comment on:
- evidence of present or past timber pest activity and the damage it caused
- any signs of previous timber pest treatments
- how susceptible the building is to attack
- conditions that could increase the potential for timber pest activity
- recommendations for further investigation or action where needed
A Como buyer looking at a house with a timber subfloor and a garden bed banked up against the brickwork needs both of those conditions assessed, so book a pre-purchase pest inspection in Como before exchange rather than after it.
Do you need both reports?
In most purchases, yes. QBCC recommends a pre-purchase timber pest inspection in addition to the building inspection, because each report covers what the other leaves out. A building report can describe a house as sound while termites are working inside a wall frame, and a pest report says little about a failing roof or a cracked slab.
Ask the agent about earlier reports too. The NSW Government's page on pre-purchase inspection reports explains that agents must keep records of building and pest reports they know about and disclose them when a buyer asks for a copy of the sale contract. An earlier report is worth reading, but it describes the property on the day it was inspected, not today.
What can a pest inspection not see?
A visual inspection has limits, and a good report states them. QBCC lists the usual impediments: deliberate concealment of pest activity, areas or items that cannot be inspected, the weather on the day, and the accuracy of information given by the owner. Stored boxes, fresh paint, a locked roof void or a subfloor with no access panel can all hide activity.
Where the report notes restricted access or recommends further investigation, treat it as unfinished. Ask what was not inspected and why, and whether the inspector can come back once access is cleared.
A Taren Point buyer whose report notes a blocked subfloor and a timber deck fixed to the back of the house should arrange a follow-up termite inspection in Taren Point once those areas can be reached, before relying on the report.
Which findings should you raise before you buy?
Raise these findings with the inspector before you commit:
- live termites, mud tubes or hollow galleries in any timber
- evidence of past termite treatment with no paperwork from the owner
- no termite management notice, which CSIRO notes is usually found in the meter box of modern homes
- paving, turf, paths, garden mulch or a deck built against the walls, which QBCC lists among common practices that raise termite risk
- weep holes buried by soil or paving, which QBCC says need special care
- damp areas near bathrooms, laundries or poorly drained paving
QBCC states that the most frequent cause of termite infestation is a perimeter system that has been bridged or breached, and that the onus is on the buyer to learn the ongoing maintenance needs of the system already installed. Ask the owner which system the house has and when it was installed, because chemical systems have a limited life and need ongoing treatment.
A family buying a waterfront home in Sylvania Waters with timber decking and paving running right up to the walls should book a property pest inspection in Sylvania Waters that covers the whole yard within 30 metres, not only the rooms inside.
When should you book the inspections?
Book both before you exchange contracts where you can. The NSW Government's page on contracts and deposits explains that a residential purchase has a cooling-off period of 5 business days after exchange, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day. Withdrawing in that time costs 0.25% of the purchase price. There is no cooling-off period at auction, or when contracts are exchanged on auction day after the property is passed in. If you plan to bid at auction, the inspections have to be finished before auction day.
If you exchange on a private sale first, the inspection has to fit inside those 5 business days. A Sandy Point buyer who exchanges at 10am on a Tuesday has until 5pm the following Tuesday, so arrange a fast pest inspection in Sandy Point straight away and leave time to read the report before the deadline.
Before you book
Have the property address ready, along with whether the house is on a slab or a timber subfloor, the access arrangements with the agent, your exchange or auction date, and any existing reports or treatment paperwork. Note anything that worried you at the open home, such as soft skirting boards or mud on the brickwork. Send those details when you contact our pest inspectors in the Sutherland Shire, so the inspection can be booked with your deadline in mind.