Pre-purchase building and pest inspection in Ipswich

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.

What a combined inspection includes

A combined inspection covers the building and timber pests in one visit, with one report. The building assessment follows AS 4349.1, which sets out recommendations for the visual inspection of residential buildings and for preparing the report (ABLIS: AS 4349.1-2007). The timber pest assessment follows AS 4349.3, the minimum requirements for visual inspection and reporting on timber pest activity (ABLIS: AS 4349.3-2010; Standards Australia).

In Queensland, where termites are a statewide problem (QBCC), almost every house buyer books the two together. It is one appointment to arrange around a tight inspection date, and one report to send your solicitor.

Areas the inspector looks at

The inspector covers everything that is safe and reasonably accessible on the day:

• Interior: ceilings, walls, floors, doors, windows and wet areas, for cracking, movement, moisture and leaks.
• Exterior: weatherboards, cladding or brickwork, verandahs, stairs, eaves, gutters, downpipes and drainage.
• Roof exterior: sheeting or tiles, flashings, ridges and valleys, from a ladder, the ground or by drone.
• Roof space: framing, sarking, insulation, leaks and pest activity.
• Subfloor: stumps, bearers, joists, ant caps, ground moisture and stored items.
• The site: fences, retaining walls, sheds, paths and how stormwater moves around the house.

For a high-set or low-set Queenslander in Brassall, Silkstone or East Ipswich, the area under the house tells a large part of the story. Stumps, bearers, ant caps and any enclosed rooms underneath all need to be seen. If the space under the house has been built in, ask the agent whether the inspector can get behind the linings or into a crawl space.

When to book in Queensland

• Under an REIQ contract with an inspection date: book the day you sign. The building and pest clause only operates if an Inspection Date is entered, and your notice is due by 5pm on that date (Queensland Law Handbook). If you terminate, you must act reasonably, and the seller can ask for a copy of the report (REIQ, 14/10/2025).
• Relying on cooling-off: five business days from the day you receive the contract signed by both parties, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day. The seller can keep up to 0.25% of the price if you withdraw (Queensland Government).
• At auction: there is no cooling-off, so inspect before auction day.

How long it takes and when you get the report

Time on site and report turnaround depend on the house and the inspector. A large high-set Queenslander with a full subfloor takes longer than a three-bedroom slab home in Redbank Plains. Confirm both with your inspector when you book, and give them your inspection date so the report lands with time to spare.

What it does not cover

The inspection is visual and non-invasive. Electrical, plumbing and gas testing, pools, asbestos testing, wall cavities and anything behind fixed linings or stored goods are outside the scope. A building and pest report is also not a flood assessment. Use council's historical flood map for that, and ask the inspector to note any visible water damage.

Questions to ask before you book

• What are your licence details? Check them on the QBCC's online licence search before you book.
• Which Australian Standards does your report follow?
• Will you inspect the full subfloor and roof space, and do you use a moisture meter or thermal camera?
• Can the report reach me, and can I talk it through with you, before my inspection date?

Before inspection day, read how to read your report and the buyer checklist, then request a quote.

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