Building Inspection

Our comprehensive building inspection reports start from $299 for a verbal report and from $499 for a full written pre-purchase report. The final price depends on the property's size, age, and complexity. Larger homes, multi-storey properties, and those with monolithic cladding or complex construction typically require more inspection time and therefore cost more.

We provide a firm quote based on your property address before you commit, so there are no surprises. When you consider that a building inspection might identify tens of thousands of dollars in hidden issues — or give you the confidence to proceed — the cost represents a small fraction of what is likely the largest financial decision you will make.

Our building inspectors conduct a systematic inspection of every accessible area of the property, carried out in accordance with NZS 4306:2005. Inside the property, we inspect wall linings, windows and doors, floors, bathroom fixtures and fittings, tiled areas, kitchen cabinetry, and any areas showing signs of moisture penetration or damage. We conduct thorough moisture testing throughout the house, checking all windows, doors, bathrooms, and other potential water-entry points.

In the subfloor area, where accessible, we inspect foundations, piling, ventilation, plumbing pipework, and look for signs of moisture, borer activity, or timber decay. On New Zealand's reactive clay soils, subfloor inspections are particularly important because foundation movement is one of the most common issues we encounter.

We inspect ceilings, roof spaces, roof framing, insulation, wiring, and ventilation. Externally, we assess the condition of the cladding, door and window frames, garages, fences, paving, driveways, decking, drainage, and the overall site.

For coastal properties, we pay particular attention to weathertightness — especially on properties built during the monolithic cladding era — and to foundation performance on the city's reactive clay soils.

You will receive a detailed, professionally formatted report that uses clear, straightforward language — not technical jargon. Every issue we identify is documented with photographs and explained in terms of its implications for you as a buyer.

We categorise findings by severity so you can quickly distinguish between urgent issues requiring immediate attention, maintenance items that should be addressed within a reasonable timeframe, and minor observations for your general awareness.

Each report includes specific recommendations—not vague statements, but practical guidance on what to do. Where we recommend further specialist investigation, such as a structural engineer's assessment or an invasive moisture test, we explain why and what the likely outcomes might be.

Our reports are accepted by all major banks and lending institutions, and they are designed to support your decision-making, whether that means proceeding with confidence, renegotiating the purchase price, requesting specific repairs, or walking away from a property that carries too much risk.

A building inspection is a detailed, independent examination of a property's condition conducted by a qualified inspector. In New Zealand, a building inspection is particularly important because of our unique combination of challenges. Auckland, for example, was the epicentre of New Zealand's leaky building crisis, with the highest concentration of affected properties in the country.

The city's reactive clay soils cause foundation movement that affects properties across all suburbs and all eras of construction. New Zealand's humid coastal climate tests building envelopes more aggressively than in most other parts of the country, and the city's recent construction boom has produced large numbers of new properties where construction quality varies with the pace of development.

A professional building inspection gives you independent, expert information about the property's true condition — information that the vendor, the real estate agent, and even the property's outward appearance cannot reliably provide.

Most building inspections take 1 to 2 hours on-site, depending on the size, age, and condition of the property. Larger homes, properties with extensive subfloor areas, and those with monolithic cladding systems typically take longer because they require more detailed assessment.

Multi-storey homes and properties with complex construction also require additional time. Our inspectors do not rush — a thorough inspection is worth far more to you than a quick one.

After the on-site inspection, your report is prepared and delivered within 24–48 hours.

Yes, and New Zealand's recent construction boom makes this more important than ever. The scale and pace of residential development across the city have placed enormous pressure on the building industry, and the demand for qualified tradespeople has consistently exceeded supply.

While the building consent and inspection process provides a level of quality assurance, it does not catch everything. Our inspectors regularly find issues in relatively new homes, including incomplete flashings, poorly connected drainage, bathroom extraction ducts in roof spaces, and finishing defects that suggest rushed workmanship.

In multi-unit developments, we also assess inter-tenancy separation, shared services, and common-area quality. Identifying these issues before settlement gives you the opportunity to have them remedied while they are still straightforward to fix.

Absolutely — we encourage it. Attending the inspection gives you the opportunity to see the property through the eyes of an experienced building professional, ask questions in real time, and gain a far deeper understanding of the home than a report alone can provide.

Our inspectors will walk you through their findings on site, point out areas of concern, explain what is normal for the age and type of property, and provide context to help you interpret the written report when it arrives. There is no additional charge for attending, and most clients find it one of the most valuable parts of the process.

New Zealand has distinct common building issues that reflect the climate, geology, and construction history. Weathertightness failure is the most financially significant risk, particularly in properties built during the monolithic cladding era of the late 1980s through to the mid-2000s. Auckland has the highest concentration of leaky building-era properties in New Zealand, and moisture penetration through compromised cladding remains one of our most frequent findings.

Foundation movement caused by reactive clay soils is another common issue. Seasonal shrinking and swelling of clay soils places ongoing stress on foundations, leading to cracking, settlement, and differential movement that worsens over time if left unaddressed. Properties on steeper sites face additional challenges with retaining wall adequacy and site drainage.

Borer infestation in native timber framing is common in older homes, particularly in subfloor areas with poor ventilation. Rotting timber, inadequate insulation, deferred exterior maintenance, ageing roofing, corroded metal fixings in coastal areas, and non-consented building work round out the list of issues our inspectors encounter regularly.

New Zealand's humid climate means that even relatively minor weathertightness failures can escalate quickly into significant problems if they are not identified and addressed promptly.

Yes, pre-purchase building inspections are our core service throughout New Zealand. Whether you are buying your first home, upgrading to a larger property, purchasing an investment property, or acquiring a commercial building, our inspections are designed to provide you with the detailed, independent information you need before committing.

All of our building inspectors are trade-qualified through the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO) and bring extensive hands-on experience as practising builders. They hold professional indemnity insurance and conduct all inspections in accordance with NZS 4306:2005.

Our inspectors have deep local knowledge — they understand the specific challenges of New Zealand's housing stock, from the reactive clay soil issues that affect properties across the country to the particular risks associated with each area.

This local expertise comes from inspecting hundreds of properties and seeing firsthand what issues recur in specific suburbs, building types, and construction periods.

A building inspection — more specifically, a pre-purchase building inspection — is commissioned by the buyer to assess the condition of a property before purchasing it. The report is designed to identify defects, maintenance issues, and potential risks so the buyer can make an informed decision.

A pre-listing inspection, by contrast, is commissioned by the seller before listing the property. The purpose is to identify any issues in advance so the seller can either address them before listing or disclose them transparently to potential buyers. Both types of inspection follow the same rigorous methodology.

For sellers in New Zealand's competitive market, a pre-listing inspection can be particularly valuable because it demonstrates transparency and builds buyer confidence, often supporting a smoother, faster sale process.

Yes, moisture testing is a core component of every building inspection. In particular, given that many homes were affected by the leaky building crisis and the ongoing moisture challenges posed by the humid coastal climate, a comprehensive moisture assessment is essential.

We use both pin-type and non-invasive moisture meters to test at windows, doors, cladding penetrations, bathrooms, and any other areas where moisture ingress is possible. For properties from the leaky building era (1988–2004), we conduct more extensive testing and assess the overall risk profile based on cladding type, design features, and maintenance history.

Where our findings indicate a concern, we recommend a full invasive moisture investigation by a specialist weathertightness consultant.

Looking for building inspection services in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch or anywhere else for that matter? Alert Building Inspections provides detailed building reports within 24-48 hours, conducted by trade-qualified inspectors who understand your local property market and common building issues. We follow the New Zealand Standard for Property Inspections (NZS4306:2005) and serve all New Zealand !