A pre-purchase building inspection is the most common reason Australians hire an inspector. It is a visual report, usually written against AS 4349.1, prepared so a buyer can decide whether to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away.
It is not a warranty, a valuation, or a certificate that the house complies with the National Construction Code. Used properly, it is still one of the few independent records of the dwelling you will hold before you are bound to settle.
This hub gathers our reporting on what an inspection actually covers, how to read the PDF that arrives that evening, contract clauses and cooling-off, the difference between new builds and established stock, and how to choose an inspector who will still be answerable if something is missed.