2026-04-14

Building & Pest Inspection Checklist Australia

A comprehensive building and pest inspection checklist for Australian inspectors. Covers AS 4349.1 building inspection areas and AS 4349.3 timber pest assessment, with practical guidance for each section.

Why use a checklist?

A building and pest inspection covers dozens of areas and hundreds of potential findings. Even experienced inspectors benefit from a structured checklist — it ensures consistency across inspections, prevents items from being overlooked, and provides a framework for training junior inspectors.

This checklist follows the structure of AS 4349.1 (building inspections) and AS 4349.3 (timber pest inspections). Use it as a reference alongside your inspection reporting app to ensure every inspection is thorough and complete.

Site and surroundings

[ ] Ground levels and drainage — does surface water drain away from the building?
[ ] Retaining walls — condition, leaning, cracking, drainage provisions
[ ] Paths and driveways — cracking, settlement, trip hazards
[ ] Fencing — condition, leaning, deterioration
[ ] Garden beds against the building — soil or mulch above the damp-proof course?
[ ] Trees and vegetation — proximity to the building, root intrusion risk
[ ] Outbuildings — sheds, garages, carports — general condition
[ ] Stormwater drainage — gutter connections, surface drainage, overflow paths

Exterior — all elevations

Cladding

[ ] Brick veneer — cracking (vertical, horizontal, stepped), mortar condition, weep holes
[ ] Weatherboard — decay, splitting, paint condition, gaps, fixings
[ ] Rendered masonry — cracking, hollow areas, staining
[ ] Fibre cement — damage, fixings, joint condition
[ ] Metal cladding — corrosion, dents, fixings, flashing condition

Windows and doors

[ ] Frames — condition, decay, seal integrity
[ ] Glazing — cracked or broken panes, failed seals (fogging)
[ ] Flashings — head flashings present and properly installed?
[ ] Sills — condition, water damage, decay
[ ] Operation — do windows and doors open and close properly?

Other exterior elements

[ ] Fascia and bargeboards — condition, decay, paint failure
[ ] Gutters and downpipes — condition, falls, blockages, connections
[ ] Balconies and decks — structure, balustrades, waterproofing, drainage
[ ] Steps and handrails — condition, compliance, safety
[ ] External services — meter boxes, external taps, air conditioning units

Roof exterior

[ ] Roof covering — tiles (cracked, displaced, pointing), metal (corrosion, fixings, laps)
[ ] Ridges and hips — bedding and pointing condition, alignment
[ ] Valleys — condition, corrosion, debris accumulation
[ ] Flashings — at walls, penetrations, level changes — condition and adequacy
[ ] Penetrations — plumbing vents, flues, skylights — seal condition
[ ] Gutters — condition, falls, blockages, rust
[ ] Eaves — condition, ventilation, access for pests

Roof space

[ ] Access — is the roof space safely accessible? Document limitations
[ ] Framing — condition of rafters, battens, underpurlins, struts
[ ] Connections — adequacy of bracing, tie-downs, connections
[ ] Sarking — present? Condition?
[ ] Insulation — type, coverage, condition, minimum R-value compliance
[ ] Ventilation — adequate cross-ventilation?
[ ] Moisture — staining, condensation, leaks evident?
[ ] Electrical — visible wiring condition (visual only — not an electrical inspection)
[ ] Pest evidence — termite leads, workings, frass, damage to timbers

Interior — room by room

Each room

[ ] Walls — cracking, staining, moisture damage, unevenness
[ ] Ceilings — sagging, cracking, staining, moisture damage
[ ] Floors — unevenness, bounce, squeaking, damage, moisture
[ ] Windows — operation, condition, seals
[ ] Doors — operation, condition, gaps
[ ] Power points and switches — visual condition (not tested — visual only)
[ ] Skirting boards — condition, gaps, moisture damage

Wet areas (kitchen, bathroom, laundry)

[ ] Waterproofing — evidence of failure? Staining, mould, odours
[ ] Tiling — cracked, loose, or missing tiles? Grout condition?
[ ] Fixtures — taps, basins, sinks, baths, showers — condition and operation
[ ] Plumbing — visible leaks, water pressure, drainage
[ ] Ventilation — exhaust fans present and operational?
[ ] Cabinetry — condition, water damage, under-sink inspection

Subfloor

[ ] Access — is the subfloor safely accessible? Document limitations
[ ] Stumps/piers — condition, movement, adequacy
[ ] Bearers — condition, decay, pest damage, adequacy
[ ] Joists — condition, decay, pest damage, spacing
[ ] Bracing — adequate?
[ ] Ventilation — adequate cross-ventilation? Blocked vents?
[ ] Ground moisture — standing water, damp soil, vapour barrier?
[ ] Services — plumbing (leaks?), electrical, drainage
[ ] Pest evidence — termite leads, workings, damage, conducive conditions

Timber pest assessment (AS 4349.3)

Termite evidence

[ ] Subterranean termite workings — mudding, leads, shelter tubes
[ ] Termite damage — hollowed timbers, visible damage
[ ] Previous treatment — evidence of chemical barriers, baiting systems
[ ] Species identification — if live termites found, identify species if possible

Other timber pests

[ ] Borer activity — flight holes, frass, active infestation
[ ] Wood decay (rot) — fungal decay in framing, external timbers
[ ] Chemical delignification — surface erosion of exposed timbers

Conducive conditions

[ ] Timber-to-ground contact — framing, stored timber, form-work left in place
[ ] High moisture — plumbing leaks, poor drainage, inadequate ventilation
[ ] Garden beds — soil or mulch against the building above the slab or bearers
[ ] Dense vegetation — plants obstructing inspection of the building perimeter
[ ] Stored materials — against the building or in the subfloor
[ ] Inadequate termite management — no chemical barrier or baiting system in a termite-prone area

Completing the inspection report

After working through this checklist, your report should include:

Property and client details
Inspection scope and limitations — what was and wasn't accessible
Weather conditions at the time of inspection
Findings by area — each item with photos, annotations, and condition rating
Overall assessment — summary of the property's condition
Recommendations — further investigation, specialist assessment, or repairs

Using InspectPro, you can document findings as you work through this checklist. Photos are placed in the correct section automatically, preset comments handle common observations, and the report generates on-site — ready to send before you leave the property.

Tips for a thorough inspection

Work systematically — follow the same sequence for every inspection to build consistency
Document limitations clearly — if you can't access an area, say so and explain why
Photograph everything — more photos is always better. Annotate the important ones
Look for patterns — a single crack might be minor, but a pattern of cracking tells a story
Check moisture — use your moisture meter at every opportunity, especially in wet areas and near external walls
Assess, don't diagnose — your job is to identify and report, not to determine the cause of every issue. Recommend specialist assessment when warranted

Want a faster way to work through this checklist? Try InspectPro free for 10 days — structured sections, photo annotations, and professional PDF reports from your iPhone.