Book a pre-settlement building inspection

A building inspection before you commit to buying is one of the few checks that can save you from an expensive surprise after settlement -- structural issues, moisture, or weathertightness problems are far cheaper to know about (and negotiate on) before the sale goes unconditional than after you own the place.

How to do it

1. Book a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) or a qualified building inspector -- ask your real estate agent or conveyancer for a recommendation, or search the LBP register directly.
2. Time it to fall within your due diligence or building inspection condition period, not after -- once the agreement is unconditional, you've lost your main leverage to renegotiate or walk away over what the inspection finds.
3. Get the report in writing, not just a verbal summary on-site -- you'll want it on file if anything disputed comes up later, and your lawyer may need to see it.
4. Read the whole report, not just the summary page -- a "no major issues" headline can still sit above genuine, specific items worth raising with the seller.
5. Talk to your conveyancer or lawyer about anything the report flags before deciding whether to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away -- they can advise on what's a normal maintenance item versus a real risk.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the inspection on an as-is/as-where-is sale to save money, then finding a costly issue after settlement with no recourse.
• Booking the inspection too late to actually use it as a condition of the agreement.
• Only reading the summary and missing specific, itemised concerns further in the report.

Related tasks

Pairs with confirming your new home is insured from settlement day -- an inspection finding (like an old roof or wiring) can also affect what an insurer is willing to cover.