Do I need a building inspection on a brand new home?

Why councils + surveyors miss defects: council inspection is at staged points (slab, frame, lockup, completion) but checks for code compliance not workmanship quality. Building surveyors sign off on the certified standard. Cosmetic finishes, paint quality, plaster cracking, missing weather seals, electrical fitting issues, plumbing rough-ins, all can pass council + still be defective at handover.

What an independent inspector finds: typical new-home defect categories, substandard waterproofing in wet areas (most common), framing issues hidden behind finished walls, gaps in window weather-sealing, electrical fittings not to switchboard spec, doors not flush, paint defects, plaster cracking, cabinet finish issues. Reports list each defect with severity + whose responsibility (builder vs strata vs vendor) + cost-to-rectify estimate.

Builder-warranty period: state-by-state, residential builders are required to warrant new-home defects for 6 years (NSW Home Building Act 1989), 6 years VIC, 6.5 years QLD, etc. Major structural defects extended to 6-10 years. The builder must rectify defects identified during the warranty period, but you have to identify + report them within set timeframes. An inspection report is the evidence base for any subsequent warranty claim.

Cost: $400-700 for a new-home inspection. Worth it for any new build over $500K. Use a registered builder or building consultant via the relevant state register (e.g. NSW Fair Trading + Master Builders Association). Don't use the builder's own inspector, independence matters.