Property inspections follow a predictable pattern. Buyers spend 20 minutes admiring the kitchen, checking the number of power points, and debating paint colors. They spend 2 minutes looking at the roof, foundations, and drainage.

The kitchen can be replaced for $20,000. Major structural issues can cost $100,000+ or be unfixable entirely.

After attending hundreds of inspections with buyers, here’s what actually matters and what first-time buyers consistently get wrong.

What Matters Most: Structural and Building Envelope

Foundations: Cracks in walls, doors that don’t close properly, and sloping floors all indicate foundation movement. Some cracking is normal settlement. Significant, ongoing movement is expensive to fix and indicates serious problems.

Check for:

• Cracks wider than 5mm, especially diagonal cracks above doors/windows
• Doors or windows that stick or won’t close properly
• Visibly sloping floors (put a marble down and watch if it rolls)
• Gaps between walls and ceilings/floors

Foundation repairs range from $10,000 for minor underpinning to $100,000+ for major stabilization. This isn’t cosmetic — it’s structural integrity.

Roof: Look at the roof from the street. Sagging rooflines, missing tiles, or visible rust indicate problems. If you can access the roof cavity, check for:

• Daylight visible through the roof (holes or gaps)
• Water stains on sarking or rafters
• Sagging or broken rafters
• Inadequate or damaged insulation

A roof replacement costs $10,000-25,000 depending on size and materials. Buyers often don’t look at the roof at all because it’s not visible from inside the house.

Walls and cladding: Check external walls for cracks, water damage, or deterioration. Brick veneer, weatherboard, and rendered walls all deteriorate differently. Look for:

• Crumbling mortar in brick walls
• Rot in weatherboards (poke with a screwdriver — rotted timber feels soft)
• Render cracking or delaminating from the substrate
• Water stains or damage at ground level

External wall repairs are expensive because they often involve scaffolding and extensive labour.

Water ingress: This is the silent killer of buildings. Water damage causes rot, rust, mould, and structural deterioration. Check:

• Ceilings and walls for water stains (yellowing, dark patches)
• Window and door frames for rot or water damage
• Bathroom and laundry areas for soft floors or skirting boards (indicates long-term leaks)
• Basements or subfloor areas for standing water or dampness

What Matters: Services and Systems

Plumbing: Old galvanised pipes rust from the inside. Homes built pre-1980 often still have them. Check water pressure at multiple taps. Low pressure suggests blocked or deteriorated pipes. Re-plumbing a house costs $8,000-15,000.

Look for:

• Rust-colored water (galvanised pipes corroding)
• Poor water pressure
• Visible leaks under sinks
• Water meter spinning when no taps are running (indicates hidden leak)

Electrical: Homes built before 1980 may have inadequate wiring for modern loads. Check:

• Switchboard type (modern circuit breakers or old ceramic fuses?)
• Number of power points (inadequate points means you need expensive upgrades)
• Lights that flicker or dim (wiring issues)
• Scorch marks on outlets (fire hazard)

Rewiring costs $8,000-20,000 depending on house size and accessibility.

Drainage: Poor drainage causes foundation damage, damp, and structural problems. Check:

• Downpipes — do they drain away from the house or pool near foundations?
• Yard slope — does water drain away from the house?
• Evidence of standing water or boggy areas
• Blocked or broken gutters

Proper drainage installation or regrading can cost $5,000-15,000.

Heating/cooling: Check whether systems exist and work. HVAC systems are expensive ($3,000-10,000 for ducted systems). If the property has no heating/cooling, factor that into your offer.

What Matters Less: Cosmetics

Paint and flooring: These are easily changed. Ugly paint colors and worn carpet are irrelevant unless you’re using them to negotiate price down.

Repainting costs $3,000-8,000 for a typical house. New flooring costs $50-150/sqm depending on materials. These are cosmetic choices, not structural concerns.

Kitchen and bathrooms: Yes, they’re expensive to renovate ($20,000-50,000 for kitchens, $10,000-25,000 for bathrooms). But they’re also highly visible and emotionally charged, so sellers often renovate them before listing.

A dated but functional kitchen is fine. You can renovate when budget allows. Missing or deeply dysfunctional kitchens are problems (no oven, non-functional plumbing), but cosmetic age isn’t.

Check for water damage under sinks and around showers/baths — that indicates problems. Dated tiles and benchtops don’t.

Fixtures and fittings: Light fixtures, door handles, and built-in wardrobes are trivial to change. Don’t obsess over them during inspections.

What First-Time Buyers Miss: The Surrounding Property

Neighbours: Look at adjacent properties. Well-maintained neighbours suggest a stable area. Derelict properties next door create noise, pest, and visual amenity issues you can’t fix.

Street and access: Check street parking, traffic noise, and access during peak hours. The property might be perfect, but if you can never find parking or traffic is unbearable, you’ll regret it.

Easements and right-of-ways: Check the title for easements allowing utility access or neighbours’ access through your property. These limit what you can build and where.

Flood and bushfire zones: Check council overlays for flood or bushfire zones. Insurance costs in these zones can be prohibitive, and building restrictions limit renovations.

The Pre-Purchase Inspection Debate

A professional building inspection costs $400-800. Buyers often skip them to save money or because they’re in a hurry. This is usually false economy.

Always get an inspection for:

• Older homes (pre-1980)
• Homes with visible defects or concerns
• Your first property purchase (you don’t know what to look for yet)
• Expensive purchases where the inspection cost is trivial relative to price

You might skip inspection for:

• Very cheap properties where you’re assuming major work anyway
• Brand new builds with builder’s warranty (though defect inspections can still be valuable)
• Investment properties in war zones where you plan to demolish

Building inspectors find problems you miss. They also provide written reports that help negotiate price reductions or withdrawal conditions.

The Walk-Through Checklist

When inspecting properties:

1. Start outside. Walk the perimeter. Look at the roof, walls, drainage, foundation.
2. Check every room. Open windows and doors. Test light switches. Look for cracks, stains, damage.
3. Go into roof cavities and subfloor if accessible. This is where problems hide.
4. Turn on taps in every bathroom and kitchen. Check water pressure and drainage.
5. Flush toilets. Check they refill properly and don’t run continuously.
6. Look in cupboards and behind access panels. Check for water damage, pests, and condition of services.
7. Take photos of everything. You’ll inspect multiple properties and details blur together.

Spend at least 30 minutes on a thorough inspection. If the agent rushes you, push back. This is a major purchase — take the time you need.

Red Flags to Walk Away From

Some problems aren’t worth inheriting regardless of price:

• Major structural movement (severe cracking, subsidence)
• Significant water damage with active leaks
• Asbestos in poor condition requiring removal (especially if friable asbestos)
• Major termite damage to structural members
• Illegal building work without permits (creates future sale problems)
• Major safety hazards (exposed wiring, unsafe structures)

Negotiate price down for fixable issues. Walk away from unfixable or disproportionately expensive ones.

The Bottom Line

Buyers focus on what’s visible and emotionally appealing — kitchens, bathrooms, paint colors, fixtures. These are the cheapest things to fix or change.

The expensive problems are structural, hidden, or external — foundations, roofing, plumbing, electrical, drainage. These are also what buyers most often miss during inspections.

Inspect methodically. Focus on structure and systems first, cosmetics last. Take photos. Ask questions. Get professional inspections for anything concerning.

A great-looking property with hidden structural problems is a money pit. A dated-looking property with solid bones is a renovation opportunity. Learn to tell the difference, and you’ll make better purchase decisions.