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Inspections

How long does a building inspection take to complete?

Building inspector in high-vis vest and hard hat taking notes on clipboard.
RBI team

October 27, 2024

On average, most building and pest inspections conducted by Rapid take about 90 minutes to 2 hours. This varies depending on the size of the house. It can also depend on the building structure, age, condition and amount of issues the building inspector discovers.

For example, a home built on stumps verses one built on a concrete slab are inspected differently. For a house on stumps, the inspector can look under the house where accessible, which will take longer. Whereas a house sitting on a concrete slab has no sub floor so often takes a shorter amount of time to inspect. Either way, our inspectors take their time to do a thorough and accurate job. We always aim to provide a detailed and accurate report when the inspection is complete.

The importance of a building inspection

When it comes to buying a brand new or existing home, you can easily get caught up in the moment and forget one important factor – organising a professional building inspection.

While it can be so easy to overlook, you should always take the time to do your research and hire an experienced building inspector to help protect your hard-earned money. We’re a team of professionals who inspect all accessible areas of a property. We look for major and minor defects and present these findings to you in a comprehensive and easy to understand report. If you’re in Western Australia, inspections are completed by a licensed builder to help make sure you meet the requirements for your Keystart loan.

The beauty of getting an independent inspection is that it’s done by someone who is much more involved in the technical side of the property, rather than the emotional side. Our inspectors have been in the building industry for a long time, many for more than 20 years. During this time, we have been exposed to homes of all different build types and condition. Our qualified inspectors will spend the time with you onsite and/or over the phone to explain important findings to help you make the right decision when buying property.

What is included in a termite inspection?

Our termite inspections team will inspect the building and the area surrounding it by looking for signs of termite activity or damage. The inspector will look at all accessible areas including trees, fences, outbuildings, landscaping timbers. They’ll also inspect the building exterior, subfloor if there is one, the building interior and the roof space.

If your termite inspection is for a pre-purchase situation, we will identify if the property is in a condition that has potential to bring on termite activity, such as the presence of fungal decay (wood rot) and other timber damage.

In addition to our termite inspections – which are primarily visual inspections – we will conduct “sounding” or use moisture meters, to detects hollow areas of timber. Situations where there is a higher risk of termite activity should consider more frequent inspections.

It’s important to remember that termite damage is usually excluded in most home insurance covers. Meaning if you find termite damage your insurer may not cover the cost of treatment and repairs. Considering that, an annual inspection is a smart investment.

Recognised as market leaders in our field, Rapid Building Inspections offers a range of services, so whether you are looking for a Building Inspection or Building and Pest Inspection, our services are trusted nationwide.