Pre-Purchase Building Inspection Checklist NZ

Why you need a systematic checklist

A pre-purchase building inspection is one of the most important services you provide as a building inspector. Buyers are relying on your expertise to identify defects, assess condition, and flag areas of concern before they commit to what is often the largest purchase of their lives.

A systematic checklist ensures you cover every area consistently, regardless of the property type or how rushed the inspection might feel. It protects you from missing something critical and gives your client confidence that the inspection was thorough.

This checklist is aligned with the NZS 4306:2005 standard for residential property inspections and covers all the areas a professional pre-purchase inspection should address.

Site and grounds

• [ ] Overall site drainage — does water flow away from the building?
• [ ] Retaining walls — condition, leaning, cracking, drainage
• [ ] Driveways and paths — cracking, settlement, trip hazards
• [ ] Fencing and gates — condition, structural integrity
• [ ] Vegetation — trees or shrubs too close to the building, root damage risk
• [ ] Stormwater and surface drainage — gutters, sumps, soakage
• [ ] Ground levels — soil against cladding, clearance to framing

Exterior

• [ ] Cladding type and condition — cracking, damage, deterioration
• [ ] Paint or coating condition — peeling, chalking, fading
• [ ] Flashings — head flashings over windows and doors, apron flashings, corner flashings
• [ ] Sealant joints — condition, gaps, cracking, missing sealant
• [ ] Windows and doors — frames, seals, operation, glazing condition
• [ ] Decks and balconies — structure, waterproofing, balustrades, drainage
• [ ] Stairs — condition, handrails, compliance
• [ ] External plumbing — taps, downpipes, connections

Roof

• [ ] Roof covering — material type, age, condition
• [ ] Ridges and hips — pointing, cap condition, fixings
• [ ] Valleys — material, condition, debris accumulation
• [ ] Gutters — material, condition, fall, overflows, leaf guards
• [ ] Downpipes — connections, condition, discharge points
• [ ] Penetrations — flashings around pipes, vents, chimneys
• [ ] Skylights — flashings, seals, condition
• [ ] Roof space access — if accessible, note framing, sarking, ventilation

Subfloor

• [ ] Access — is the subfloor accessible? Note any limitations
• [ ] Ground clearance — minimum 150mm to bearers recommended
• [ ] Ventilation — are subfloor vents present, open, and adequate?
• [ ] Piles — condition, material, bearing
• [ ] Bearers and joists — condition, sagging, damage, modifications
• [ ] Ground moisture — damp ground, standing water, ground cover
• [ ] Services — plumbing, drainage, wiring visible from subfloor
• [ ] Evidence of pests — borer, termites (less common in NZ but check)

Interior — general

For each room, check:

• [ ] Walls — cracking, staining, damage, moisture
• [ ] Ceilings — cracking, staining, sagging, water damage
• [ ] Floors — level, cracking, squeaking, damage, moisture
• [ ] Windows — operation, seals, condensation, damaged glazing
• [ ] Doors — operation, fit, damage
• [ ] Skirting and architraves — condition, gaps
• [ ] Power outlets and light switches — visual condition (note: do not test)

Wet areas

• [ ] Bathroom — wall and floor tiles, grout, sealant, moisture around shower, ventilation
• [ ] Kitchen — benchtops, splashback, sink and tap condition, ventilation
• [ ] Laundry — tub, taps, connections, floor condition, ventilation
• [ ] Moisture testing — use a moisture meter on walls around showers and baths
• [ ] Extractor fans — presence and apparent function

Services (visual only)

• [ ] Electrical switchboard — age, type (fuses vs circuit breakers), condition, labelling
• [ ] Hot water cylinder — type, age, condition, seismic restraints
• [ ] Visible plumbing — pipe material, condition, leaks
• [ ] Gas — visible installations, venting (if applicable)
• [ ] Heating — type, condition, adequacy for the property

Note: A standard pre-purchase inspection is a visual assessment only. Testing of electrical, plumbing, or gas systems requires a licensed specialist.

Using this checklist efficiently

Printing this checklist and working through it on every inspection is one approach — but it's slow. A better approach is to use an inspection app that has these sections built in, so your checklist becomes your report template.

With InspectPro, you can set up a report template with all these sections pre-configured. As you work through the property, you photograph and comment on each area — and the checklist becomes a completed, professional report by the time you're done.

The key benefit is that nothing gets missed. If a section is empty in your report, you know you haven't inspected that area yet. When every section has photos and comments, the inspection is complete.

What to do when you find a significant defect

When you identify something that goes beyond normal wear and maintenance:

1. Document it thoroughly — multiple photos from different angles, annotated to show the exact issue
2. Note the location precisely — "north-east corner of the exterior, below the bathroom window"
3. Assess the significance — is this a safety issue, a structural concern, a moisture risk, or a maintenance item?
4. Recommend further investigation — if the defect requires specialist assessment, say so clearly in your report
5. Don't diagnose beyond your expertise — if you see cracking that might indicate foundation movement, recommend a structural engineer rather than guessing at the cause

Delivering the report

Your client expects a professional, well-organised report delivered promptly. Using InspectPro, you can generate and send the PDF report before you leave the property — giving your client the fastest possible turnaround and demonstrating the professionalism that earns referrals.

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Want this checklist built into your inspection workflow? Try InspectPro free for 10 days — no credit card required.