Understanding your building inspection report

A clear assessment of the property

A useful report records areas in good condition alongside visible defects and maintenance concerns. Its purpose is to explain the condition observed at the inspection, with proportionate recommendations for what to do next.

Practical building experience helps put findings in context: how elements fit together, what visible workmanship reveals and where signs of damage warrant further investigation. Gillon Builders combines that knowledge with written findings, photographs and a verbal explanation.

Useful information on either side of a sale

When you are buying

Use the report to understand identified concerns and decide what further information you need. Read recommendations before making decisions about the property. Where work is identified, an appropriate specialist or trade can investigate and provide a quotation for the agreed scope.

When you are selling

An inspection before listing gives you time to understand findings, consider maintenance and prepare for questions. Keep the complete report and any records of subsequent investigation or work together so the condition information remains clear.

The assessment should be consistent whoever commissions it. A report does not promise a sale price, a particular negotiation outcome or a home without future repair costs. Buyers may also choose to commission their own inspection.

Read the finding, not just the rating

Start with the report's rating key. The item categories in Gillon Builders reports distinguish good or fair condition, no visible problems, work needed, immediate attention and unavailable access. These categories describe different observations; they are not interchangeable.

• Good or fair condition: read any accompanying comments about the condition observed.
• No visible problems: no problem was identified in the accessible area. This does not establish the condition of concealed parts.
• Work needed: read which item is affected, the explanation and the recommended next step.
• Immediate attention: discuss the finding promptly and follow the recommendation for further assessment or work.
• Unavailable access: the area was not assessed. Ask what access is needed and whether another inspection is appropriate.

An overall condition rating provides a summary in the context of the property's age and condition. It does not replace individual findings or specialist advice. A favourable overall rating does not cancel a specific item needing attention.

Put observations in context

For each concern, look for the location, the visible condition, supporting photographs and the recommended action. A photograph helps explain an observation; the written finding explains its significance.

Maintenance, visible damage and a condition requiring further investigation can call for different responses. Ask for clarification if the significance is unclear. The report should describe what is known and identify uncertainty without assuming the worst or dismissing a concern.

More than a list of defects

Your report brings individual observations together into a clear picture of the home's visible condition. Item-by-item ratings distinguish areas in good or fair condition from those needing work, while the overall assessment considers the property's age and condition.

Photographs and written findings give you something concrete to refer back to when discussing the property. Buyers can use that detail to ask informed questions; sellers can use it to plan maintenance and prepare clear information before listing.

A verbal debrief gives you the opportunity to talk through the findings and ask questions. The value is not simply knowing that an issue exists, but understanding the observation and the recommended next step.

The service is a visual building inspection of reasonably accessible areas.

Turn findings into clear next steps

1. Review the findings and photographs to understand the property's condition.
2. Discuss unclear findings during the verbal debrief or contact Gillon Builders for clarification.
3. Arrange recommended further investigations and quotations from appropriate specialists.
4. Keep reports and records of subsequent work together when discussing the property.

Ask your conveyancer about contract decisions or how a report can be used in your particular transaction.

Arrange a building inspection

Discuss your property and inspection requirements with Gillon Builders. Whether you are preparing to buy or sell, the starting point is a clear understanding of the building's condition.

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