Pre-purchase building and pest inspection
The standard inspection for Ipswich house buyers: building condition and timber pests in one visit and one report, timed to land before your contract inspection date.
Independent building and pest inspections in Ipswich
Signed a contract on a Queenslander in Brassall or a new home in Springfield Lakes? Send the address and your REIQ inspection date and an independent local inspector will contact you with a price and availability.
- Building and pest, house inspections, termite inspections and new home stage inspections
- Building reports to AS 4349.1 and timber pest reports to AS 4349.3
- Ipswich, Springfield, Ripley, Redbank Plains, Rosewood and surrounds
Inspections we can arrange in Ipswich
Building inspection
A house inspection on the building's condition only, without the timber pest report. Often used for units and townhouses or where pests are inspected separately.
Termite and timber pest inspection
A termite and timber pest inspection with a written report. This is an inspection, not a treatment: if termites are found, a licensed pest manager quotes separately.
New home stage inspections
Your own inspector at slab, frame, enclosed, fixing and practical completion, so defects are raised before you pay the builder for each stage.
Why inspect before you commit
In Queensland, the date that matters most is usually not settlement. It is the inspection date in your contract.
The standard REIQ contract only makes the sale subject to a building and pest inspection if an Inspection Date is filled in on the Reference Schedule, and your notice is due by 5pm on that date (Queensland Law Handbook). The Queensland Government also tells buyers to check that the building and pest condition is actually in the contract when they sign (Queensland Government: contract of sale).
Your REIQ inspection date is the real deadline. Book as soon as the contract is signed, so you have the report in hand and time to speak to your solicitor before 5pm on that date.
There is also a five business day cooling-off period on most contracts, but withdrawing under it can cost up to 0.25% of the price, and it does not apply at auction (Queensland Government: cooling-off period). The full set of Queensland deadline rules is on the checklist page.
Ipswich homes and what inspectors look for
Ipswich's mayor has called it "Queensland's oldest provincial city", and its streets still show it, with timber Queenslanders among the city's showcase homes (City of Ipswich, 2023). Newer suburbs like Springfield Lakes, Augustine Heights and Ripley are a different world of slab-on-ground brick and render. A useful house inspection in Ipswich adapts to both:
- Raised timber homes put the stumps, subfloor, verandahs, roof and timber pest checks at the centre of the inspection. Ask for full access under the house.
- Termites are a problem throughout Queensland, and the QBCC recommends an inspection every year, or more often in high-hazard areas (QBCC).
- Flood history varies street by street. Council's historical flood mapping shows the estimated 1974 and 2011 flood extents and the February 2022 flood levels (City of Ipswich flood map). A building and pest report is not a flood assessment, but the inspector can note visible signs of past water damage.
- New builds in growth areas are worth checking at each stage. See new home stage inspections.
What the report tells you
A report gives you a ranked record of what the inspector could see, so you can decide whether to proceed, negotiate or walk away before your inspection date:
- Major defects in the structure, roof, stumps, floors and wet areas.
- Safety hazards such as unsafe stairs and balustrades, which matter on high-set homes.
- Timber pest activity and conducive conditions: live termites, damage, borers, wood decay and the moisture that invites them.
Read what the report covers. Then choose between a pre-purchase building and pest inspection, a building inspection in Ipswich on its own, or a termite and timber pest inspection, and check published inspection price ranges and the areas covered.
How it works
- Send the quote form. Tell us what you need and where.
- We pass your enquiry to an independent local inspector who services your area.
- They contact you directly to confirm details, price and timing.
What does it cost?
What's the Damage publishes Brisbane figures of about $450 to $850 for a combined building and pest inspection on a standard house, more for large or older homes. See the ranges and what changes the price.
Common questions
When should I book under an REIQ contract?
The day the contract is signed. In the REIQ contract the building and pest clause operates only if an Inspection Date is entered, and your notice is due by 5pm on that date (Queensland Law Handbook). Leave time to read the report and talk to your solicitor before then.
How do I check whether an Ipswich property has flooded?
Use council's historical flood mapping tool, which shows estimated 1974 and 2011 flood extents and February 2022 flood levels, and the flood overlay in the Ipswich Plan 2025 interactive map (City of Ipswich: flood mapping). Ask the inspector to note any visible signs of water damage. A building and pest report is not a flood assessment.
Do Queenslanders need a different inspection?
The same standards apply, but raised timber homes need full access under the house to the stumps, bearers and joists, and careful checks of verandahs, stairs and timber pests. Termites are a problem throughout Queensland (QBCC).
Areas covered
25 Ipswich suburbs, from North Ipswich and Booval to Springfield Lakes, Ripley and Rosewood. Towns further out can usually be covered for a travel fee.