Are Pre-Purchase Inspections worth it ?

Alright, I’ll admit it upfront: I’m a building assessor, so of course I think pre-purchase reports are worth it.

But before you roll your eyes and accuse me of just talking up my own service — let’s play devil’s advocate for a minute.

“It’s just another expense...”

Fair call. You’re already forking out for deposits, legal fees, stamp duty, and probably a removalist who won’t show up on time. Spending $500 or more on a report might feel like one more cost in an already expensive process.

“The place looked fine at the open...”

Sure it did. Fresh paint, nice lighting, maybe even a strategically placed rug to hide that dodgy patch of flooring. But just because it looks good doesn’t mean it is good. Cosmetic cover-ups are common — and expensive to fix later.

“Building assessors just try to find problems that aren’t really there...”

Look, I get the reputation. But we’re not trying to scare you out of buying — we’re trying to make sure you know exactly what you’re buying. If a property is in great shape, we’ll say so. If it has issues, we’ll explain them clearly, without the doom and gloom.

“There’s not even a licence for building assessing...”

True — and that’s exactly why it matters who you engage. There's no official licence for building assessors, which means anyone can call themselves one. But not everyone has real industry experience, construction knowledge, or a deep understanding of how issues impact your investment.

That’s why working with someone who’s actually been on the tools and understands how buildings are built (and how they fail) makes all the difference.

So yes — I’m biased. But I’ve also seen the financial disasters people walk into when they skip the report.

If you’re not from a construction background — whether you’re in finance, law, IT, or anything with fewer power tools — a pre-purchase assessment is your best line of defence.

Spend a little now, save a lot later. Your future self will thank you.