A timber pest inspection for buyers, booked before you exchange, bid at auction or let the cooling-off period run out, so termite damage is a known cost rather than a surprise after settlement.
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Once contracts exchange and the cooling-off period ends, or the hammer falls at auction, termite damage becomes your problem. Fresh paint, new carpet and a styled lounge room can hide mud tubes, eaten skirting and sagging subfloor timbers. A pre-purchase timber pest inspection gives you the facts while you can still negotiate, get repair quotes or walk away.
Our inspection is carried out to AS 4349.3, the Australian Standard for timber pest inspections. It reports on subterranean termites, borers of seasoned timber and wood decay fungi, along with site conditions that make an attack more likely. It is a visual, non-invasive inspection of the accessible parts of the building and site, and the report states clearly what couldn't be inspected and why.
Timing is everything in a purchase, so we work around open homes, agent access and auction dates. Inspections start from $199, with a fixed price confirmed when you book.
The deadline depends on how you are buying. Always confirm dates with your conveyancer or solicitor.
| How you're buying | Cooling-off period (NSW) | When to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| At auction | Generally none. Contracts signed at auction, or on the same day after it passes in, have no cooling-off period. | Before auction day, because bidding is committing |
| Private treaty | Generally 5 business days after exchange, ending at 5pm on the fifth business day | Ideally before exchange; otherwise early in the cooling-off period |
| Off the plan | Generally 10 business days | Before settlement, once the building is complete and accessible |
| Exchange with a 66W certificate | Waived through a certificate from the buyer's solicitor or conveyancer | Before exchange, because the cooling-off right is given up |
Withdrawing during the cooling-off period generally costs 0.25% of the purchase price. This is general information, not legal advice. Your conveyancer or solicitor will confirm the terms of your contract.
The accessible areas of the main building and the site, checked for timber pest activity and damage.
Some things sit outside the Standard, which is why the limitations section matters.
A building inspection to AS 4349.1 covers the condition of the building: cracking, roofing, drainage and safety hazards. A timber pest report covers termites, borers and rot. They are separate reports, and many buyers order both, often as a combined building and pest inspection. Ask us about combining them when you book.
For a unit, the inspection generally covers the lot and any accessible common property. Termite history for the whole building sits with the owners corporation, so ask your conveyancer to check the strata records too.
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Evidence of termite damage or live termites gives you grounds to negotiate on price or ask the vendor to deal with it.
Knowing a subfloor bearer needs replacing before you buy lets you get quotes and plan for the cost.
In a private sale, serious findings during the cooling-off period still let you withdraw, at the 0.25% cost.
The report shows whether there is evidence of a barrier and what the home will need once you move in.
Built to fit a sale timeline that won't wait.
Give us the address, the auction or exchange date and the agent's details. We arrange access with the agent.
Interior, roof void and subfloor are inspected where access is safe, with suspect timber sounded and moisture tested.
Fences, retaining walls, trees, stumps, decks and garden timbers within the property are checked.
Anything we couldn't see, such as walls behind stored furniture or a roof without a manhole, is documented with the reason.
You receive the written report and a call explaining what the findings mean for your purchase.
Timber pest reports use specific language. Here is what common findings mean for a purchase.
| What the report says | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Active termites found | Live termites were seen during the inspection | Talk to your conveyancer before going further. Get a treatment quote and have a builder assess damage. |
| Evidence of past activity | Old workings or damage, but no live termites seen | Ask the vendor for treatment records and any durable notice. Damage may still need repair. |
| Damage noted | Timber has been eaten or decayed, and the extent may be unknown | Have a building inspector or builder assess whether it is structural. |
| Conducive conditions | Site conditions that raise the risk, such as leaks, poor ventilation or a covered slab edge | Budget to fix them after settlement. |
| Area not inspected | A significant area couldn't be accessed on the day | Ask for access and a re-inspection before committing, if timing allows. |
| Invasive inspection recommended | Something warrants a closer look than a visual inspection allows | Raise it with the vendor, as it usually needs their permission. |
More on the value of an inspection: why a pre-purchase pest inspection is worth it.
Ask these before relying on a property's termite history.
Timber floors on low subfloors, decades of renovations and patched framing. Subfloor access and airflow are often limited, which the report will note.
Blocks backing onto reserves in the Hills, North Shore, Northern Beaches and Sutherland Shire sit closer to trees and stumps where termites nest. Check the site timbers and any existing protection.
New paint, flooring and landscaping can cover old damage or hide the slab edge. Ask what was changed and when.
A newer home should have had a termite management system installed during construction. Ask for the durable notice and check that garden beds or paving haven't covered the inspection zone.
Sydney property moves quickly. Many homes sell at auction with no cooling-off period, and popular private sales can exchange within days of the first open home. That leaves buyers little time, and a common mistake is booking the pest inspection too late. If you are serious about a property, book the inspection as soon as you know the auction or exchange date.
After you settle, keep the report. It becomes a baseline for your first routine termite inspection 12 months later. If the report found activity, our termite treatment team can quote once the home is yours, and thermal imaging can be added where walls look suspect.
Reviewed by Ismail, Founder · NSW Pest Management licence 5122967 · Updated September 2026
We schedule around auction days, agent access and exchange dates.
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Everything you need to know before you book. Still unsure? Call us — we're happy to help.
Get a Free QuotePre-purchase timber pest inspections start from $199. The fixed price depends on the size of the property, the number of levels and outbuildings, and whether it is a house, townhouse or unit. We confirm the price when you book, so you can plan it alongside your building inspection and conveyancing costs.
Before you are committed. For an auction, that means before auction day, because there is generally no cooling-off period. For a private sale, ideally before exchange, or early in the 5 business day cooling-off period that generally applies to residential property in NSW. Confirm your dates with your conveyancer.
Generally no. Under NSW rules, a cooling-off period doesn't apply to a property bought at auction, or where contracts are exchanged on the same day after the property is passed in. That is why inspections for auction properties need to happen beforehand.
It is a visual inspection to AS 4349.3 of the accessible areas of the building and site. It reports on subterranean termites, borers of seasoned timber, wood decay fungi and conditions that encourage timber pests. It doesn't cover structural defects, mould, rodents or areas that couldn't be accessed on the day.
It is usually worth having both. A timber pest report covers termites, borers and rot. A building inspection to AS 4349.1 covers the condition of the structure, roof, drainage and safety issues. They are separate reports, often ordered together as a combined building and pest inspection.
Treat it with caution. It was ordered for the seller, may be out of date, and conditions can change quickly. Check the date, who it was prepared for and which areas were not inspected. Many buyers get their own inspection so the report is independent and current.
Speak to your conveyancer or solicitor straight away, because your options depend on the contract and whether you are still in the cooling-off period. You may be able to negotiate on price, ask for treatment before settlement or withdraw. We can explain the findings and quote on treatment.
Yes. For an apartment or townhouse, the inspection generally covers the lot and accessible common property. Because termite protection for the building is usually managed by the owners corporation, ask your conveyancer to check strata records for past termite reports, treatments and inspections as well.
No. AS 4349.3 inspections are visual and non-invasive, so furniture, stored goods and floor coverings aren't moved. Areas hidden by them are listed as limitations. If something needs a closer look, the report may recommend an invasive inspection, which needs the vendor's permission.
A pre-purchase inspection reports on the property's condition on the day rather than treating pests, so there is no treatment warranty involved. The terms of the inspection are confirmed in writing when you book, and the report sets out its scope and limitations.
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