Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection Costs VIC 2026

What a Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection Involves

A pre-purchase pest inspection is a timber pest inspection carried out before you buy a property, so you understand its termite and timber pest situation before you commit. A qualified inspector examines the property to the Australian Standard AS 4349.3, checking the interior, roof void, subfloor, exterior and grounds for termites, timber pest damage and the conditions that attract them, and provides a written report on what was found, the areas inspected and those that could not be reached, and the recommendations. The whole point is to do this before a purchase, while you still have the chance to act on what it finds, rather than discovering a problem after settlement. For a buyer, it turns the most expensive purchase most people make into a more informed decision.

Most buyers have the pest inspection done together with a building inspection, as a combined building and pest inspection. A building inspection, carried out to AS 4349.1, assesses the condition and structural soundness of the building, while the timber pest inspection to AS 4349.3 covers termites and other timber pests, and having both done in one visit gives a fuller picture of the property for a small additional cost. The two are separate standards and reports, but they are commonly arranged together and often quoted as one. For most purchases, the combined inspection is the sensible choice. It answers the two big questions about a property, its condition and its timber pests, in a single report.

It is worth being clear about what this inspection is and is not. It is a physical inspection of the property's condition and timber pests; it is not the legal and title side of a purchase, which is handled separately by your conveyancer or solicitor through the contract of sale and the vendor's statement. The pest inspection tells you about the building and any termites; the legal review tells you about the title, the contract and any restrictions. Both matter, and they are different jobs done by different people. The inspector checks the building and timber; your conveyancer or solicitor checks the contract and title.

This page sits within the wider family of pest and inspection services. A pre-purchase pest inspection is a specific use of a timber pest inspection, closely related to the routine termite inspection an owner has each year, and to termite inspection and treatment where activity is found and dealt with. It sits alongside the broader guide to pest control in Victoria and the national overview of pest control services. Knowing how these relate helps you ask for the inspection that suits your situation. When buying, the pre-purchase version is what you want, timed and reported with the purchase in mind.

Why a Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection Matters When Buying

The strongest reason to inspect before buying is that termite damage is concealed, expensive and generally not insured. Subterranean termites work silently inside the timber a house is built from, so a property can have significant damage with little or no obvious sign, and because standard home insurance does not cover termite damage, a buyer who discovers it after settlement carries the full cost of repairs themselves. Buying a home is the largest purchase most people make, which makes inheriting a hidden termite problem a serious and avoidable risk. A pre-purchase inspection is the check that brings any such problem to light before you are committed.

A pre-purchase pest inspection assesses more than current termite activity. The inspection covers active termites, past termite damage, other timber pests such as borers and wood decay fungi, and the conducive conditions, the moisture, drainage and timber contact, that make a property attractive to termites, so it gives a picture of both any present problem and the future risk. A property with no live termites but extensive conducive conditions still carries a real risk worth knowing about. Understanding the full picture, not just whether termites are active today, is what a good inspection gives a buyer. A property clear of live termites but full of conducive conditions is a different proposition from one with neither.

The inspection helps you understand what you are actually buying. A clear report gives peace of mind and a baseline for the future, while a report that finds activity, damage or significant risk lets you make an informed decision, whether to negotiate, to require repairs, or to reconsider, instead of finding out the hard way after the keys change hands. The findings turn an unknown into a known quantity before you commit. For a buyer, that knowledge is the whole value of the exercise. It is the difference between deciding on facts and deciding on hope.

Termite risk is real across much of Victoria, which is why this matters here. Many Melbourne suburbs and regional areas carry a genuine termite risk, particularly older homes, properties near bushland, reserves or established trees, and those on larger blocks, so a timber-framed property being bought in Victoria warrants a timber pest inspection as a matter of course. An inspector who knows the local area can put any findings in context. Because the risk is widespread and the damage uninsured, skipping the inspection to save a few hundred dollars on a property worth many times that is a poor trade.

To be concrete about what a buyer is exposed to without an inspection, consider the following. Termite damage to a home's structural timber can cost many thousands of dollars to repair, and because it is generally excluded from home insurance, that cost lands entirely on the new owner if it is discovered after settlement. A property can look entirely sound at an open inspection while concealing active termites or past damage behind plaster, under floors or in the roof, which is exactly what a buyer walking through cannot see. The vendor may not even be aware of a problem themselves, so a clear-looking home is no guarantee. This is the gap a pre-purchase inspection fills, replacing assumption with a professional assessment. For the price of the inspection, a buyer removes one of the largest hidden risks in the purchase.

How a Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection Is Done

The pest inspection itself is a thorough visual check of the property to AS 4349.3, the same standard as a routine timber pest inspection. The inspector works methodically through the accessible areas, the interior, the roof void, the subfloor, the exterior and the grounds, looking for live termites, mud tubes, timber pest damage and the conducive conditions that raise the risk, and reports on what can be seen and reasonably accessed. The fuller detail of how each area is checked is covered in the guide to the routine termite inspection, since the inspection itself is the same. What distinguishes the pre-purchase version is its timing and how the report is used, rather than the inspection method. The inspector checks the same things; the buyer simply reads the result with a purchase decision in front of them.

Where it is a combined building and pest inspection, the building side is carried out to AS 4349.1. The building inspection assesses the condition of the structure and the readily accessible areas, looking at the major elements and any significant defects, while the timber pest inspection runs alongside it, so the buyer receives a report on the building's condition and a report on the timber pests, sometimes combined into one document. Having both done together is efficient and gives the fuller picture most buyers want. The two inspections complement each other, since damp and structural issues often relate to timber pest risk. A drainage problem the building inspection notes may be the same one raising the termite risk.

Modern inspections use thermal imaging and moisture detection to improve what they find. Thermal imaging cameras can reveal the temperature differences associated with termite activity and moisture behind walls, and moisture meters find the damp that termites need, so these tools help the inspector detect activity that a purely visual check might miss, which is particularly valuable on a property you do not yet know. Many inspectors include these tools, and some charge a little more for them. Asking whether thermal imaging is included is worth doing when comparing quotes for a purchase. On a property you have only seen at an open inspection, any extra means of detecting concealed activity is worth having.

Access is a particular consideration on a property you are buying, since you do not control it. The inspection covers the areas that can be safely and reasonably accessed, and on a property still owned and occupied by the vendor, some areas may be harder to reach, with furniture, stored goods or a low subfloor limiting access, so the report notes any areas that could not be inspected. Where access is limited, knowing what was not seen matters. A good inspector and agent will arrange the best access the circumstances allow. It is worth asking, before the inspection, that the subfloor and roof access be made reachable on the day.

The written report is what you are paying for and is delivered in time for your decision. The report sets out the areas inspected and any not accessed, the findings on termites, timber pest damage and conducive conditions, and, for a combined inspection, the building's condition and any defects, along with the recommendations, and a good inspector turns it around quickly given the time pressure of a purchase. The report's value for a buyer is in informing the decision before commitment. Reading it in full, and discussing anything unclear with the inspector, is part of using it well. A quick phone call to clarify a finding can change how you read the whole report.

It helps to know what the report you receive will actually contain, since it is the thing you base decisions on. A timber pest report to AS 4349.3 records the areas inspected and any that could not be accessed, whether live termites were found, any evidence of past termite damage, other timber pests such as borers or decay, and the conducive conditions that raise the risk, together with the inspector's recommendations. A combined report adds the building inspection findings to AS 4349.1, covering the condition of the structure and any significant defects. The report should be clear enough for a buyer to understand without specialist knowledge, with the inspector available to explain anything technical. For a major purchase, this written assessment is worth reading carefully and keeping. A well-written report is one of the most useful documents a buyer obtains during a purchase.

Timing a Pre-Purchase Inspection When Buying in Victoria

Getting the timing right is the part of a pre-purchase inspection that buyers most often get wrong, and in Victoria it depends on how you are buying. The two common routes, a private sale and an auction, work very differently when it comes to inspections and the chance to act on them, so understanding the difference before you fall in love with a property is important. This is general information rather than legal advice, and your conveyancer or solicitor is the right person to confirm how it applies to your purchase. Planning the inspection around the way you are buying is what makes sure it can actually protect you.

For a private sale, Victoria's cooling-off period gives a short window, but inspecting before signing is better. Under Section 31 of the Sale of Land Act 1962, a buyer of residential property by private sale generally has a cooling-off period of three clear business days after signing the contract, during which the contract can be ended, though a penalty applies, so it is not a cost-free exit. Many buyers also make their offer subject to a satisfactory building and pest inspection, a condition that must be agreed with the vendor and written into the contract before signing. The safer approach, where you can, is to have the inspection done before you sign at all, so you go in already informed, and your conveyancer can advise on conditions and timing.

For an auction, the position is very different and catches many buyers out: there is no cooling-off period. A property bought at auction, or within three business days before or after a public auction, does not attract the cooling-off period, and an auction purchase is unconditional, which means there is no later opportunity to make the purchase subject to an inspection or to withdraw if a problem is found. For this reason, a building and pest inspection on a property you intend to bid on must be carried out before auction day, so you bid with the findings already in hand. Going to auction without having inspected is taking on the property's condition sight unseen. Once the hammer falls, there is no inspection clause and no cooling-off period to fall back on.

This makes pre-auction inspection one of the most important steps for a buyer planning to bid. Because the auction is unconditional and there is no cooling-off period, the inspection has to be organised, carried out and the report received and understood before the auction, which takes planning given how quickly auction campaigns move. Buyers sometimes inspect more than one property they are considering, accepting that not every inspection leads to a purchase. The cost of inspecting a property you do not end up buying is small against the risk of buying one, unconditionally, with concealed termite damage.

Coordinating the inspection with your conveyancer and the agent is part of timing it well. Your conveyancer or solicitor reviews the contract and the vendor's statement and advises on cooling-off rights, conditions and deadlines, while the agent arranges access for the inspector, so keeping all three moving together is how a buyer fits the inspection into a tight timeframe. Booking the inspection early, as soon as you are seriously interested, gives the best chance of having the report in time. Leaving it late is the most common reason a buyer ends up committing without the information they needed. Campaigns move fast, and an inspector cannot always attend at a day's notice.

Where an inspection cannot be completed in time, it is worth understanding the trade-off. Occasionally a buyer faces a choice between proceeding without a completed inspection or missing out on the property, which is a genuine risk to weigh, since buying without the inspection means taking on the uninsured risk of concealed damage. This is a decision to make with your conveyancer's advice and with eyes open, rather than by default. Wherever possible, arranging the inspection early enough to avoid this choice is the better course.

Fitting the inspection into a sale campaign takes a little organisation, so it helps to know the steps. Once you are seriously interested in a property, you contact an inspector to check availability, the agent arranges access for the inspection, the inspection is carried out, and the report is delivered, usually within a day or two of the inspection. For a private sale this needs to happen before signing or within any conditional or cooling-off period, while for an auction it must be completed before auction day. Because campaigns can be short, lining up an inspector you can call quickly, before you have even chosen a property, saves valuable time. Some buyers establish a relationship with an inspector across several properties they are considering. Having the process ready to go means an inspection never becomes the reason a buyer is rushed into a decision.

Reading the Report and Using the Findings

The report is only useful if you read it properly, including its limitations. A pre-purchase pest report to AS 4349.3 sets out the areas inspected, any areas that could not be safely or reasonably accessed, the findings on termites, timber pest damage and conducive conditions, and the recommendations, and it is important to read the limitations as well as the findings, since an area marked not inspected is not the same as one confirmed clear. A combined report also covers the building's condition and any defects. Reading the whole report, and asking the inspector about anything unclear, is how you get the value from it. The headline result alone rarely tells you everything that bears on the decision.

A clear report and a report with findings call for different responses. Where the inspection finds no significant issues, the result is confidence to proceed and a useful baseline for the future, while where it finds termite activity, damage, or a significant defect on the building side, you have options to consider before committing. Those options typically include negotiating the price to reflect the issue, asking the vendor to carry out repairs or treatment, making or keeping the purchase conditional where the process allows, or, for a serious problem, deciding not to proceed. Which option fits depends on the findings, the sale process and your own judgement. A minor, easily fixed issue and a major structural problem call for very different responses.

Using findings to negotiate is common and legitimate, within the rules of how you are buying. In a private sale, evidence of termite damage or a significant defect can be a basis to negotiate the price or request repairs before the deal is finalised, particularly where you have inspected before signing or within a conditional period, whereas at auction, since the purchase is unconditional, the findings inform whether and how much to bid, not any later negotiation. Knowing which situation you are in shapes how the findings can be used. Your conveyancer can advise on what is possible in your particular purchase.

Serious findings are a signal to step back and think carefully. Extensive termite damage, a major structural defect, or significant active infestation can mean substantial, uninsured cost, so where the report reveals something serious, it is worth getting any necessary further investigation or a repair estimate, and reconsidering whether the property is worth proceeding with at the price. The inspection has done its job precisely when it stops you buying a problem. Walking away from a property with a serious concealed issue is sometimes the most valuable outcome an inspection can deliver.

Keeping the pest and the legal sides of the purchase distinct helps you act on each. The pest and building inspection tells you about the physical condition and timber pests, while your conveyancer or solicitor handles the contract, the vendor's statement and the title, and the two together inform your decision, so it is worth giving the inspection report to your conveyancer where it bears on the contract. Consumer guidance on buying property in Victoria is available from Consumer Affairs Victoria. Coordinating the physical and legal due diligence is how a buyer makes a sound, informed decision.

Where an inspection turns up something significant, getting it properly costed is part of using the findings well. A report may identify termite damage or a defect without putting a precise repair figure on it, so for anything serious it is worth arranging a further investigation or a repair quote from an appropriate trade before deciding, so you understand the likely cost instead of guessing. This is particularly important at auction, where the figure feeds directly into how much you can sensibly bid. For a private sale, a repair estimate strengthens any negotiation on price or request for the vendor to put the issue right. The inspector can often advise on whether a finding warrants further investigation. Turning a finding into a number is what lets a buyer weigh it properly against the purchase price.

Pre-Purchase Inspections for Investment Purchases

For an investment purchase, a pre-purchase pest inspection protects the asset you are about to buy. Whether the property is to live in or to rent out, the risk of concealed termite damage is the same, and because that damage is not insured and falls on the owner, an investor inheriting it carries the cost, so the inspection is just as essential when buying an investment property. The modest cost of the inspection is trivial against the price of the property and the risk of a hidden problem. A sound purchase decision on an investment starts with knowing the property's condition. The inspection turns the gamble of a hidden problem into a known, costed factor in the deal.

The numbers make the inspection an easy decision on an investment. Against a purchase price running into hundreds of thousands of dollars, and a potential repair bill in the thousands that no insurer will meet, the few hundred dollars an inspection costs is among the cheapest risk management an investor can buy. It also informs the price you are willing to pay and the returns you can expect, since significant defects or termite damage affect both. Treating the inspection as a routine part of due diligence, not an optional extra, is the businesslike approach. Seasoned investors build it into their buying process as a matter of course.

A pre-purchase inspection also sets a baseline for managing the property afterwards. The report tells a new landlord the property's starting condition and any conducive conditions to address, which feeds into a plan of regular termite inspections and maintenance once the property is owned, protecting the investment over time. Buying with eyes open, and then keeping up inspections, is how an owner guards the asset. The pre-purchase inspection is the first step in a longer pattern of looking after the property.

The same timing rules apply to an investment purchase as to any other. Whether you buy an investment property by private sale or at auction, the cooling-off and unconditional-auction rules are the same, so the inspection must be planned around the way you are buying, and an investor bidding at auction needs the inspection done beforehand just as an owner-occupier does. Coordinating with your conveyancer is equally important here. The discipline of inspecting before committing applies to every purchase, however the property is to be used.

Looking past the purchase itself, the inspection is also a useful starting point for caring for the home once it is yours. The report flags the conducive conditions and any pest issues to keep an eye on, which feeds into ongoing maintenance and a pattern of regular termite inspections after you move in. Beyond termites, a new home may need the everyday pests dealt with under general pest control, and seasonal ones such as mosquitoes and fleas, or a wasp or bee nest, addressed as they come up. None of this is part of the pre-purchase inspection, which stays focused on the buying decision, but the report gives a head start on the home's pest picture. Many buyers line up a general pest treatment around moving in. Reading the inspection as the first chapter of looking after the home, not just a hurdle in the purchase, gets more value from it.

Choosing a Pre-Purchase Inspector in Victoria

Qualifications, experience and insurance are the first things to confirm. A timber pest inspection should be carried out by an inspector qualified and experienced in timber pests, working to AS 4349.3, and for a combined inspection the building side should be done by a suitably qualified building inspector to AS 4349.1, with professional indemnity and public liability insurance behind the work. In Victoria, a pest control operator who also treats is licensed through the Victorian Department of Health, and building practitioners are registered through the Building and Plumbing Commission. An inspector vague about their qualifications, the standards or their insurance is one to be cautious of.

Independence and turnaround matter especially for a purchase. An inspector you engage directly, who works for you rather than the vendor or agent, gives a report you can rely on, and because a purchase moves quickly, an inspector who can attend promptly and deliver a clear report in time for your decision is worth a great deal. Speed without thoroughness is no good, but a thorough inspector who understands the time pressure of buying is ideal. Engaging your own inspector, early, is the way to get an independent report when you need it.

A clear, readable report is part of what you are choosing. For a buyer making a decision, a report that plainly sets out the findings, the areas inspected and not inspected, and the recommendations is far more useful than a vague or jargon-filled one, so an inspector who explains the findings and is available to talk them through is the one to value. The report has to support a decision under time pressure. An inspector who reports clearly and is contactable is worth more than the cheapest quote. The report has to carry a decision under time pressure, so its clarity is part of the value.

What Drives Pre-Purchase Inspection Pricing in Victoria

Whether you have a pest inspection alone or a combined building and pest inspection is the biggest driver. A timber pest inspection on its own is the lower cost, while a combined building and pest inspection, which most buyers choose, costs more but covers both the structure and the timber pests in one visit, and is usually the better value for a purchase. The combined inspection is doing two jobs, which is why it costs more than one. For most buyers, the fuller picture is worth the difference. Skipping the building side to save a little can leave the biggest questions about a property unanswered.

The size, type and access of the property feed into the cost. A small unit or apartment is quicker and cheaper to inspect than a large, multi-level or complex home, and a property with a difficult subfloor, extensive grounds or limited access takes more time, so the cost rises with the size and complexity of the property. A large rural or acreage property is at the higher end. The more there is to inspect, and the harder it is to reach, the more the inspection involves. A sprawling older home naturally takes longer than a compact, modern one.

Whether thermal imaging is included affects the cost and the detection. A standard visual inspection is the base, while thermal imaging and moisture detection, which improve the chance of finding concealed activity, may add a modest amount or be included as standard, and on a property you do not know, the added detection is worth considering. Asking what tools are included helps you compare quotes properly. The small premium for thermal imaging is often worthwhile on a purchase. On a property you do not know, any improvement in detecting concealed activity counts.

Turnaround, location and any re-inspection round out the cost. A fast turnaround under the time pressure of a purchase, a regional location with some travel, or a re-inspection after repairs can each affect the price, and your location matters, with inspectors competitive across metropolitan Melbourne while regional areas such as Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo may carry some travel cost. Comparing quotes on the same scope, pest only or building and pest, the tools used and the report provided, is how you see real value. A cheap, rushed inspection that skips the subfloor or roof void is a false economy on a property purchase.

There is a clear reason most buyers choose the combined building and pest inspection over the pest inspection alone. The two inspections are carried out at the same visit, so combining them costs considerably less than arranging each separately, while giving a much fuller picture of both the structure and the timber pests. Since structural condition and termite risk are often related, through shared issues like dampness and drainage, looking at both together makes practical sense. For the relatively small additional cost over a pest inspection alone, the combined inspection covers the major question marks over a property in one report. A timber pest inspection by itself is still available where that is all you need, such as where a recent building inspection already exists. For most purchases, though, the combined inspection is the more complete and better-value choice.

What to Look Out For

The first thing to watch is leaving the inspection too late. Because the timing is critical, particularly for an auction with no cooling-off period, the most common and costly mistake is not booking the inspection early enough to have the report before you are committed, so arranging it as soon as you are seriously interested is essential. An inspection that arrives after you are locked in cannot protect you. Booking early is the single most important thing a buyer can do to get value from an inspection.

An inspection that skips the key areas is worth questioning. The roof void, subfloor and grounds are where much termite activity is found, so be cautious of a quick, cheap inspection that does not access these spaces, since one that misses them can miss the very problem it is meant to find on a property you are about to buy. A proper inspection to the standard reaches the accessible roof void, subfloor and grounds. A superficial inspection gives false reassurance at the worst possible moment.

A report that is vague or does not reference the standard is a warning sign. The report is what informs your purchase decision, so a vague, thin report, or one that does not mention AS 4349.3 and set out the areas inspected and not inspected, is one to question, and where it bears on the contract, your conveyancer should see it. A clear report you can act on is the product you are paying for. A thin report is a sign of a thin inspection at a moment when thoroughness matters most. The report you receive is a fair reflection of the care that went into the visit.

An inspector arranged by the vendor or agent, not by you, is worth a second thought. An independent inspection that you engage works for your interests, so where an inspection is offered through the vendor or agent, it is reasonable to prefer arranging your own, and to confirm the inspector's qualifications, the standard and their insurance. You are entitled to an inspection you can rely on for a major decision. An inspector you engage directly, qualified and insured, is the one to trust for a purchase.

How to Get Useful Quotes

Describing the property and your situation clearly is what gets you comparable quotes. Explain the type, age and size of the property, whether it is a house, unit or apartment, on a slab or with a subfloor, whether you want a timber pest inspection alone or a combined building and pest inspection, and how you are buying, by private sale or at auction, since the timing shapes the urgency. Mention the auction date or expected timeframe, since the inspection has to fit it. The more detail you give, the more accurate and comparable the quotes you receive.

Asking each inspector the same questions lets you compare fairly. Confirm whether the inspection is timber pest only or combined with a building inspection, that it is to AS 4349.3 and, for the building side, AS 4349.1, which areas it covers, whether thermal imaging is included, and how quickly the report can be delivered, and check the inspector's qualifications and insurance. Ask about turnaround, since timing is everything on a purchase. Where the inspection relates to the wider property, an inspector who connects with a routine termite inspection for after settlement, or termite inspection and treatment if work is needed, keeps it simple. Matching inspectors on the same scope is what makes the comparison real.

A single job posted on The Quote Yard puts your pre-purchase inspection in front of qualified Victorian inspectors at once. Weigh the quotes on the qualifications and insurance, the scope, the tools used, the clarity of the report and the turnaround, and not on the lowest figure alone, since a pre-purchase inspection is one place it does not pay to cut corners. A thorough inspection can save you from buying a property with a serious concealed problem, while a rushed one can miss it at the worst possible time. Booking early and choosing a qualified, independent inspector is the way to get the protection the inspection is for. After settlement, a routine termite inspection each year keeps the home protected, with the broader range of pest control for everyday pests, and the inspector worth choosing inspects thoroughly to the standard, reports clearly, and delivers in time for your decision.

Standards, Records and Consumer Rights

A pre-purchase inspection in Victoria is carried out to the Australian Standards, which give the report its weight. The timber pest inspection follows AS 4349.3 and a building inspection AS 4349.1, both published by Standards Australia, and where treatment follows a purchase it is carried out to AS 3660 by a licensed operator. The inspection is judged on its thoroughness, the areas covered and the clarity of the report. Confirming the standards, the qualifications and the insurance before the inspection is simple and worthwhile on a purchase.

Your consumer rights apply to the inspection as a service, and the report is worth keeping. The inspection must be carried out with due care and skill and match what was described, protections backed nationally by the Australian Consumer Law overseen by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, while buying-a-property and consumer guidance for Victoria sits with Consumer Affairs Victoria. Keeping the report supports you both in the purchase and as a record of the property's condition at the time you bought. This page is general information and not legal advice, so your conveyancer or solicitor remains the right source on contracts, cooling-off and conditions.

A pre-purchase pest inspection ties into the wider care of a Victorian home, before and after the purchase. It is the buying-time version of the routine termite inspection that protects a home each year, and it leads, where activity is found, to termite inspection and treatment.

Once you own the home, the household pests an inspection commonly flags are dealt with as they arise, from cockroaches in the kitchen to the spiders that gather in a subfloor.

Other everyday pests follow the same pattern, whether the ants that trail indoors or the silverfish that get into stored boxes and paperwork.

The roof void and subfloor the inspector checked are shared by larger visitors, handled through rodent control and possum removal when they get in.

Birds nesting in the eaves are managed through bird proofing, and the garden itself is served by garden pest and disease control.

A wasp nest found around the property is cleared through wasp and bee removal, and any urgent issue is met by emergency pest control. Choose a qualified, independent inspector who works to AS 4349.3, reaches the roof void and subfloor, reports clearly and delivers in time, and the pre-purchase pest inspection becomes the check that lets you buy a Victorian property with confidence rather than crossed fingers.