What to Look For in a House Inspection (Adelaide Buyer's Checklist)

Before the inspection - prepare your questions

Read the contract of sale and note anything declared by the seller (sometimes called Form 1 in SA).

Note your own first-impression concerns from open inspections - the agent's response told you something.

If the property has a history (flood, fire, prior renovations), bring up specific concerns with the inspector before they start.

Structural - look for these

Diagonal cracks running from corners of door and window openings - these can indicate footing movement, not just cosmetic plaster.

Cracks wider than 3mm or that you can see daylight through.

Sagging ceilings or visible roof rafter deflection.

Doors that don't close cleanly, gaps between doors and frames, sloping floors detected by a marble or spirit level.

External brick or masonry that's leaning, bulging, or has stepped cracking.

Water damage - the most common 'hidden' issue

Staining on ceilings (yellow, brown, or watermark rings) - even faint stains indicate past water entry.

Paint blistering, peeling, or fresh paint that looks suspicious - sellers sometimes paint over staining before listing.

Musty smells in rooms, sub-floor, or behind closed doors.

Bowed or warped skirting boards, swollen architraves, blown render on lower walls.

Mould visible in corners, around windows, or behind furniture (some sellers move furniture for open inspections - check where it was).

Wet areas - bathrooms, kitchens, laundries

Tile lippage (tiles not flush) and grout condition.

Silicone seals around shower trays, baths, and at wet/dry edges - missing or perished silicone lets water in.

Floor falls towards drains - water should run to the drain, not pool in corners.

Visible leaks under sinks and around shower waste pipes.

Soft floor underfoot near showers and baths (rotted sub-floor).

Sub-floor and roof void

Sub-floor access points and ventilation - are vents blocked by garden beds or paving?

Sub-floor moisture, fungal smell, or visible water staining on bearers and joists.

Roof void: insulation completeness, water entry signs at flashings, vermin droppings, condition of trusses or rafters.

Roof, gutters, downpipes

Roof tile condition: cracked, missing, displaced, or showing moss.

Ridge capping mortar - crumbling mortar is a common source of leaks.

Gutter sag, rust streaks, or downpipes that don't discharge to legal stormwater.

Flashings around chimneys, vents, and where roof meets external walls.

Electrical, plumbing, gas

Switchboard - modern boards have RCD (safety switch) protection. Old ceramic-fuse boards are a flag for outdated wiring.

Visible cabling - exposed wiring, junction boxes without lids, ageing electrical fittings.

Plumbing - galvanised pipes (likely past end-of-life), aged hot water systems (HWS over 12 years often need replacement), gas point condition.

Note: a full electrical or gas compliance test is separate from a building inspection. If concerns are flagged, get a specialist.

External - site, drainage, fences

Site drainage - does the land slope away from the building or towards it?

Retaining wall condition - lean, cracks, drainage at base.

Boundary fence condition and ownership (fence disputes are common).

Driveways, paths, and entry steps - cracks, sinking, trip hazards.

Ask your inspector

What's the most urgent issue on the report? (executive summary highlights)

What would you negotiate on if you were buying this property?

What ongoing maintenance should I budget for in the first 12-24 months?

What's the realistic remediation approach on the major defects?

Is this property a good representative of its type, or are there issues I should walk away from?