When it comes to purchasing a home or making a property investment, it has been advised the importance of conducting a thorough building and pest inspection. These inspections help to identify potential issues that might not be visible to the untrained eye. However, there are cases where a building inspection may not be required.

A Building Inspection provides a visual assessment of a property to identify major defects and safety concerns. When it comes to apartments, the scope of the inspection is somewhat limited compared to the standalone houses. The inspector's access is restricted to the apartment unit itself and the common areas of the building. Consequently, they may not have access to areas above or below the apartment in most cases.

Another important factor to consider is that any building defects related to the structure of the building itself, are the responsibility of the owners corporation to fix. Naturally, nobody wants to invest in a building with ongoing problems and issues. That's why we normally recommend getting a copy of the strata records inspection report held by the strata manager as the first step. This allows you to gain a comprehensive understanding of any ongoing or recent issues affecting the entire building. If the strata report reveals potential structural concerns that could impact the apartment, then a building inspection might help to assess the risks more thoroughly.