Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist (Adelaide Open Homes)

Use this at open inspections in Adelaide before you book a professional inspection. 50 items grouped by area. Your progress saves automatically in your browser - bring your phone or print and tick as you walk.

Important: this is your DIY walk-through, not a substitute for an AS 4349.1 professional inspection. Use it to spot obvious red flags and brief your inspector on areas of concern.

PROGRESS

0 of 49 items ticked

Approach & external

Stepped or diagonal cracks in external walls (esp. above doors/windows)
Bricks or render bulging, blown, or visibly leaning
Salt-damp efflorescence on lower brick courses
Site drainage - does land slope towards or away from the house?
Retaining walls - lean, cracks, drainage at base
Boundary fence condition and obvious ownership questions

Roof, gutters, drainage

Roof tiles - cracked, missing, displaced, mossy
Ridge capping mortar - crumbling, gaps, recent patches
Gutter sag, rust streaks, blocked or detached downpipes
Downpipes discharge to legal stormwater (not just into garden)
Visible flashings around chimneys and roof penetrations

Internal - structural cues

Diagonal cracks at door/window corners (look behind furniture)
Doors stick or don't close cleanly = possible movement
Floors that feel sloped or springy underfoot
Ceiling sag, water staining (even faint rings)
Fresh paint patches that look suspicious - covering what?
Musty smell in any room, behind closed doors, or sub-floor

Bathrooms, kitchens, laundries

Tile lippage (tiles not flush) and grout condition
Silicone seals around shower, bath, basin - perished or missing?
Floor falls towards drain (or does water pool in corners?)
Leaks under sinks, around shower waste, behind taps
Soft floor underfoot near showers and baths
Exhaust fans working, vented externally not into roof void

Windows, doors, glazing

Window frames - rust, perished seals, fogged double glazing
Window locks and security latches functional
Internal doors close cleanly, latches engage
External doors weather-sealed, deadlocks work

Electrical, plumbing, gas

Switchboard age - modern RCDs (safety switches) or old ceramic fuses?
Visible exposed wiring, junction boxes without covers
Hot water system age (look for sticker/plate on unit)
Gas points functional, visible gas pipes
Smoke alarms present in bedrooms and hallways

Sub-floor & roof void (if accessible)

Sub-floor vents - blocked by garden beds, paving, or skirting?
Visible moisture, fungal smell, or staining under floor
Mud-tubes on brick piers (subterranean termite sign)
Roof void insulation completeness, water staining

Termite / timber pest signs

Frass (small pile of timber dust) at base of skirting or framing
Borer flight holes in floorboards, joinery, architraves
Timber-to-ground contact: sleepers, decking posts, fence posts
Tree stumps near house (termite-attractive)

Garage, shed, outbuildings

Garage door operates cleanly
Outbuildings approved (council certificate?) or DIY?
Pool fencing compliance (if applicable)
Decking, pergola structural integrity, timber pest signs

Ask the agent (and note the answer)

Year of build / major renovation dates
Any previous building work disputes or claims?
Form 1 / Vendor's Statement reviewed?
Reason for sale
Recent inspection report from the seller?

Done a walk-through?

Brief us with anything you flagged. The inspector can pay particular attention to your concerns on site.

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Pre-purchase property checklist