What Does a Building Inspection Cover in Adelaide?
An Adelaide AS 4349.1 building inspection covers six main areas: structural elements (foundations, framing, roof structure), weatherproofing (roof, walls, windows, doors), wet areas (bathrooms, kitchens, laundries), sub-floor and roof void (where accessible), drainage and site, and any ancillary buildings. The inspector delivers a written, photographic report within 48 hours.
Structural elements
Foundations, footings, slab condition, framing (timber or steel), roof structure (trusses, rafters, battens), and any structural walls. The inspector flags movement, cracking, settlement, and any defects that compromise structural integrity.
Adelaide-specific: reactive clay soils mean seasonal foundation movement is common. Inspectors distinguish between active cracking and historic, settled movement.
Roof, walls, ceilings, floors
External cladding (brick, weatherboard, render, fibro), roof covering (tile, metal, membrane), internal walls (plaster, lining boards), ceilings, and floor coverings or sub-floor.
Weatherproofing is the priority - any water entry path, signs of past water damage, paint or cover-up over symptoms.
Wet areas
Bathrooms, kitchens, laundries: tile lippage, grout integrity, waterproofing membrane visibility, silicone sealing, drain falls, leak signs around taps and shower bases.
Adelaide-specific: bathroom retrofits to heritage homes are a common defect source. Sub-floor moisture from leaking wet areas is the most common 'invisible' damage in inspections.
Sub-floor and roof void
Where accessible. Sub-floor: ventilation, dampness, framing condition, vermin. Roof void: insulation completion, water entry signs, structural integrity of trusses or rafters, sarking condition.
Inaccessible areas are explicitly noted in the report under 'limitations' as required by AS 4349.1.
Drainage and site
Stormwater drainage, gutter and downpipe function, paths and driveways, retaining walls, site falls (does water drain away from the building or towards it?).
Adelaide reactive clay soils make site drainage critical - poor drainage causes the soil movement that cracks footings.
Ancillary buildings and fencing
Garages, sheds, granny flats, pergolas, decking, retaining walls, fencing condition. Inspector notes any visible defects but full structural assessment of ancillary buildings is often outside the standard scope.
What's NOT covered
Full electrical compliance test (separate electrician inspection required), full gas compliance test (separate plumber inspection), pool and pool fencing compliance (separate Pool Safety Inspector), strata documents (separate strata search), legal title issues (separate conveyancer), pest unless combo booking (separate AS 4349.3 inspection), and any inaccessible or concealed area.
Reports explicitly list limitations so you know exactly what was and wasn't inspected.