What Does a Building Inspector Do?
A building inspector is a licensed professional who assesses a property's condition against Australian Standards (AS 4349.1 for pre-purchase, AS 4349.3 for timber pest, AS 4349.0 for general/handover). They visit the property, identify defects through visual inspection, document findings with photographs, and deliver a written report. They're independent of sellers, agents, and builders.
What they do on site
Inspector arrives with tools (ladder, moisture meter, torch, camera) and works through a systematic checklist covering every accessible area: structural elements, roof, walls, wet areas, sub-floor, roof void, drainage, ancillary buildings.
They photograph defects, note locations on a property plan, take measurements where relevant, and use moisture meters or sound-tap testing for hidden conditions (active termites, hidden damp).
What they do after the site visit
Write a comprehensive report following AS 4349.1 format: executive summary, scope, limitations, defects with photographs, recommendations for further investigation, and any urgent issues flagged separately.
Standard turnaround is 48 hours from inspection to report. Same-day reports usually carry a premium.
Qualifications
Licensed under SA Building Work Contractors Licence (issued by Consumer and Business Services).
Often hold professional memberships: Master Inspectors Association of Australia, Association of Building Consultants, Institute of Building Inspectors.
Hold professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance - verified before they enter the matching network.
Many come from trade backgrounds (carpentry, building, structural engineering) before specialising in inspections.
What they don't do
They don't quote on remediation or do the work themselves - that's a builder or specialist tradesperson's job. Inspectors are inspection-only, which removes the conflict-of-interest of an inspector finding work for themselves.
They don't make legal recommendations or advise on whether to buy or rescind. They document the condition; you and your conveyancer make the call.
They don't have commercial relationships with sellers, agents, or builders. Our network specifically excludes inspectors with those relationships.
How they're different from builders
A builder builds. An inspector inspects. The skill sets overlap - inspectors usually come from building backgrounds - but the roles are distinct.
Builders often offer 'free inspections' as part of their renovation or extension quote. These are useful but not independent - the builder has a commercial interest in finding work to quote on.