Every established home has defects — the question a building inspection answers is which ones matter. AS 4349.1 draws the line that professionals work to: the distinction between minor defects and major defects.
Minor defects
Minor defects are the routine wear every property accumulates: hairline plaster cracks, sticking doors, weathered sealant, corroded fittings, blemished finishes. They are worth recording — and the report does — but they are maintenance, not alarm bells. A long list of minor items in an inspection report is normal.
Major defects
A major defect is one requiring substantial repair or further investigation — for example significant structural cracking, moisture-affected framing, or roof structures showing distress. Where we observe cracking to masonry or load-bearing elements, the report recommends assessment by a structural engineer: identifying the symptom is the inspection’s job; specifying the repair is the engineer’s.
What homeowners can watch between inspections
- Cracks that widen, step through brickwork or recur after patching
- Doors and windows that progressively jam or fall out of square
- Floors that develop new slopes, bounce or soft spots
- Persistent damp, staining or musty smells
None of these signs is a diagnosis on its own — but each is a good reason to book an inspection. Caught early, most building problems are measured in hundreds of dollars; caught late, in tens of thousands.