Two inspections, two trades
| Timber pest inspection | Building inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| What it answers | Are there termites, termite damage or a termite system here? | Are there obvious defects in the building? |
| What gets checked | Live termites, damage, mud tubes, conditions that invite termites, and any termite system | The roof, ceilings, walls, foundations, mould, waterproofing and drainage |
| Who does it | A pest controller or timber pest inspector | A building inspector, builder, surveyor or architect |
| In Queensland | Only a pest controller with the right licence, the QBCC says | Only a licensed residential building inspector, the QBCC says |
| Through Which Pest? | Yes: tap Buying a home | No: book a building inspector separately |
Why we only help with the pest half
A building inspection is its own profession, with its own training and, in Queensland, its own QBCC licence. The QBCC says only a licensed residential building inspector may complete a pre-purchase building inspection, and only a pest controller with the right licence may complete the termite inspection. For termites in a finished building, that's the QBCC termite management (chemical) class, held alongside a pest management licence from Queensland Health. One person can do both at the same visit only if they hold the licences for both.
Elsewhere, government advice points buyers to a builder, surveyor or architect for the building half. NSW Government advice names a licensed builder, a surveyor or an architect, and Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests a qualified building inspector, surveyor or architect.
So we pass your enquiry to a pest business for the timber pest inspection. For the building inspection, book a building inspector yourself, or ask the pest business whether they work alongside one.
What the timber pest inspection covers
The QBCC puts it plainly: a termite inspection, which most people call the pest inspection, checks for termites, evidence of termite damage and any termite management system already installed. The inspector should also explain how to maintain that system and whether the property sits in an area at risk of termite attack.
Expect them to look in the roof space and subfloor where they can get in, around the outside walls, and through the garden for stumps, sleepers and stacked timber. Stored boxes, furniture and locked rooms limit what anyone can see, and a good report lists them.
NSW Government advice makes a point worth repeating: a building report won't show whether termites and other timber pests are still around, so get a pest inspection too, particularly where termites are a known problem.
Timing and the rules in your state
New South Wales. There's a cooling-off period of 5 business days after exchange, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day, but none for a property bought at auction or exchanged on auction day after being passed in. A buyer who withdraws during cooling-off forfeits 0.25% of the purchase price. NSW Government advice says most consultants need 2 to 3 days' notice for a building inspection, and that a seller's pre-sale report can help but doesn't replace your own.
Victoria. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests a building inspection before you sign the contract, says buyers should also consider a professional pest inspection for termites, and warns to be wary of reports offered by the agent or seller: your own report is the only way to be sure it's independent.
Queensland. The QBCC says to get both inspections before you buy and to make the contract conditional on you being happy with the results. If an inspection later turns out to have missed a problem, the QBCC says you take your own action, starting with a complaint to the QBCC.
ACT. A seller of a home that has been lived in must make a pest inspection report available, from an inspection no earlier than 3 months before the home was first advertised or listed, along with a building and compliance report. Class A units don't need the pest report. You can still commission your own.
Western Australia. WA Building and Energy says Consumer Protection recommends a White Ant Certificate clause in the Offer and Acceptance form when you buy an existing home.
We couldn't confirm specific pre-purchase rules for South Australia, Tasmania or the Northern Territory, so ask your conveyancer what's usual there.
Insurance and licences to ask about
NSW Government advice is to choose an inspector with adequate insurance, particularly professional indemnity, and Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests an inspection service with full professional indemnity insurance. The QBCC says to check your inspector holds the correct licence before hiring them.
The QBCC also says a pre-purchase building inspection isn't a warranty against future defects. A pest report works the same way in practice: it records what the inspector could see and reach on the day. We haven't confirmed pre-purchase inspection rules for WA, SA, Tasmania or the NT, so ask the inspector there about their licence and insurance directly.
What a useful timber pest report gives you
- Where termites or damage were found, with photos.
- Which areas weren't inspected, and why.
- Conditions that invite termites, like leaks, a damp subfloor or soil heaped against the walls.
- Any termite system found, its condition, and what the durable notice in the meter box says.
- Signs of old damage or a past treatment, even with no live termites today.
- Clear next steps: a closer look, a treatment quote, or nothing needed.
Your part, and the inspectors'
You can
- Book the timber pest inspection as soon as you're serious about a property.
- Ask the agent for access to the roof space, the subfloor and any locked shed or garage.
- Go along if you can, and ask questions on site. Spot mud tubes at an open home? Don't touch them; point them out to the inspector.
- Read the whole report, past the summary page.
- Talk to your conveyancer or solicitor about making the contract conditional on the inspections.
Leave to a pest business
- The timber pest inspection and report: a pest business.
- The building inspection: a building inspector, builder, surveyor or architect.
- Contract conditions and cooling-off: your conveyancer or solicitor.
Ask the inspector before you book
- What licence or qualification do you hold for termite inspections in this state?
- Will you get into the roof space, the subfloor, the garage and the garden?
- When will I have the written report, and will it include photos?
- Do you carry professional indemnity insurance?
- If you find termites, will the report say how far the activity seems to go?
- Do you also do building inspections, and do you hold the licence for that?
Before you sign
We'd book the timber pest inspection and the building inspection for the same week, well before exchange or auction day, and read both reports in full. Termites turning up isn't automatically a reason to walk away; get the extent in writing and talk it through with your conveyancer. Tap Buying a home with the postcode.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
