Do I need a pre-purchase building and pest inspection?

Pre-purchase inspections are conducted during the cooling-off period (or pre-auction if buying via auction) by qualified building inspectors + pest specialists. They walk through the property, check exterior + interior, roof void, sub-floor, and provide a written report identifying defects, deficiencies, and active pest issues.

What gets caught: structural cracks (foundation movement), water damage in walls/ceilings/sub-floor, termite damage (active or historical), asbestos in eaves/sheeting/older bathrooms, electrical compliance issues, unauthorised work without council approval. A single termite-damaged structural beam can cost $20K+ to remediate; a $400 inspection that flags it pays for itself many times over.

What inspections DON'T cover: items behind walls or under floors that aren't visible, predictive timeframes for failure (the inspector can say 'this roof has 5 years left' but won't guarantee it), legal title or planning issues (those are conveyancer + Section 32 territory).

Post-inspection, you have three options if the report turns up material issues: (1) walk away during cooling-off (forfeit only the small cooling-off penalty), (2) negotiate a price reduction with the seller (often successful if the issue is genuine), (3) proceed with eyes-open and budget the repairs.