How to choose a building inspector in Melbourne

Look for relevant building experience

Ask who will attend the property and what experience they bring to homes like the one you are considering. An older weatherboard house, a recently renovated home and an apartment present different questions. Practical knowledge of building methods helps an inspector put visible conditions in context.

Look for credentials you can verify rather than relying on a broad description such as “fully qualified”. Ask about current registration and insurance, and confirm what the cover relates to. Consumer Affairs Victoria's inspection guidance recommends an appropriately qualified professional and professional indemnity insurance.

Gillon Builders brings 42 years of building experience as a registered master builder. That experience supports both the assessment and the personal explanation of findings in the context of your home. The agreed inspection scope still determines what can be inspected.

Compare the agreed inspection scope

Ask for a clear description of the service before booking. A pre-purchase building inspection assesses visible conditions in reasonably accessible areas. It cannot establish the condition of everything concealed behind walls, under finishes or inside a closed building element.

Ask specifically about the roof exterior, roof space, subfloor and outbuildings relevant to your purchase. Find out what access is needed and how an area that cannot be inspected will be recorded. Read our guide to inspection scope and access for the distinction between these areas.

Clarify specialist services separately. A visual building assessment does not substitute for a specialist pest inspection, electrical testing or an engineering investigation.

Understand the report you will receive

A useful report gives you more than a list of concerning words. Look for a clear location, an explanation of the condition observed, photographs where relevant and a recommended action. The meaning of each rating should be explained.

Ask how limitations appear in the report. An inaccessible area needs to remain visible in your decision-making; it should not be read as an area with no defects. A recommendation for further investigation should identify what needs clarification.

Gillon Builders provides a written report with photographs and a verbal debrief. You can ask directly about the details that matter to you and hear what the findings mean for this home. Our report guide explains how to read findings alongside their context.

Check that you can discuss the findings

Ask who will explain the report and whether you can put questions directly to the inspector. Look for explanations that connect a finding to the particular home, including what is known and what needs further investigation. A conversation can help you distinguish an observed defect, a maintenance issue and an area requiring specialist investigation.

For example, a photograph of a crack is more useful when you understand its location, the related observations and the recommended next step. Ask what is known from the inspection and what remains uncertain. Avoid expecting a visual inspection to provide a definitive cause in every case.

If you would like to attend, confirm the arrangements before booking. Do not assume buyer attendance is included or that the selling agent has already arranged access.

Confirm the practical details before booking

Give the inspector the address, property type, approximate age, any known concerns and your decision deadline. Compare written quotations against the same requirements.

• Confirm the fee and exactly what the quotation covers.
• Agree who will arrange property access and advise of access restrictions.
• Confirm the inspection appointment, report delivery and verbal debrief arrangements.
• Allow time to read the report and obtain any recommended further advice.

Reviews can help you form questions, but they do not establish the scope of your booking. Clear arrangements matter especially when you are working towards an auction or a contract deadline.