After enough inspections across the Gold Coast and Northern NSW, patterns emerge. These are the findings that appear again and again in South-East Queensland homes — and knowing them helps you read any property with sharper eyes.

The usual suspects

  • Ageing wet areas — showers and ensuites from the 1990s and 2000s are a constant source of elevated moisture readings
  • Drainage directing water towards the house — garden beds, paving and downpipes discharging against walls
  • Termite-conducive conditions — timber-to-soil contact, stored timber under or against the home, bridged slab edges
  • Roof maintenance items — cracked tiles, deteriorated pointing, corroded fixings on coastal homes
  • Subfloor ventilation restricted by landscaping built up over vents
  • Safety items — missing balustrades and loose decking

Common does not mean trivial

Most of these start as minor, inexpensive maintenance items. Left for years, the same items mature into major defects: decayed floor framing, concealed termite damage, water-affected walls. The value of an inspection — whether a pre-purchase inspection or an annual building and pest inspection — is catching them at the cheap end of that curve.

The numbers back this up. Across 68 of CYTE's own building and pest inspections spanning the Gold Coast, Brisbane fringe and Northern NSW, 54 properties (about 79%) had at least one major defect at the time of inspection, and 54 (also about 79%) had at least one serious safety hazard — most commonly loose balustrades, inadequate fall-height protection or electrical items outside safe condition (referred to a suitably licensed and insured electrician). These are not rare exceptions; they are the norm across the housing stock this list is drawn from.

Every finding in a CYTE report is photographed and explained in plain English, classified in line with AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3, so you know what needs a tradesperson this month and what simply needs watching.

For more detail on the issues above, see our guides to subfloor ventilation and site drainage and stormwater, and our article on reducing termite risk. The FAQs cover more common questions.

Which findings turn up in almost every inspection, whatever the property?

Two small items turn up on nearly every CYTE inspection, unit or house: an ageing flexible hose under a sink or vanity, and a durable notice that is missing or not visible. Deteriorated shower sealant and grout is our most common unit finding and a regular one in houses. None looks dramatic at an open home.

  • Showers: perished silicone, deteriorated grout, a leaking screen, or a slow drain overflowing the water stop. Elevated moisture recorded to the wall behind is a condition conducive to structural damage and timber pest infestation; further investigation by a suitably licensed and insured plumber or waterproofing contractor is recommended, and by a timber pest inspector where it is in or against timber framing.
  • Flexible hoses: braided, under constant mains pressure and often corroding; a burst hose is one of the most common causes of indoor flooding. Where corrosion is observed, further assessment by a suitably licensed and insured plumber is recommended.
  • Durable notice: the label, usually in the meter box or at the subfloor access, that records any termite management system installed. When it is not visible the inspection cannot confirm one exists; that does not mean termites are present. Ask the vendor (house) or body corporate (unit).

Our guide to wet area and shower defects in unit inspections covers the first item in detail.

Which findings are referred to a specialist, and to whom?

Three specialists appear in CYTE reports again and again: a Structural Engineer, a waterproofing contractor and a licensed electrician. The report names the specialist and does not quote repair costs or timeframes.

  • Loose balustrade posts, and glass balustrade panels that move on perished rubber seals, on balconies, decks and stairs: recorded as a serious safety hazard. Further assessment by a Structural Engineer is recommended; do not overload the structure until it has been assessed.
  • Bubbling paint or elevated moisture on a balcony ceiling: in our inspections the water is almost always coming from the balcony of the unit above; white salt staining on balcony tiles points to moisture under the tiles. Elevated moisture is a condition conducive to structural damage and timber pest infestation; further assessment by a suitably licensed and insured waterproofing contractor is recommended, and ask your conveyancer where responsibility lies.
  • Loose or unterminated cables and missing power-point covers near wet areas: a full electrical inspection is outside a building inspection's scope; visible items are recorded as safety hazards and referred to a suitably licensed and insured electrician for further assessment.
  • Cracking to masonry walls, concrete slabs or load-bearing walls, including repaired cracks: further assessment by a Structural Engineer is recommended.

See our guide to balcony and balustrade defects in walk-up apartments for the first two in detail.

A combined building and pest inspection records every finding in a same-day written report. Call 0431 114 815 to book.

For a building and pest inspection on the Gold Coast, CYTE inspects in accordance with AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3 and delivers the written report the same day.