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Building & Pest Inspection Tips & Guides

Practical guides and insights on building and pest inspections across the Gold Coast and South-East Queensland — written by QBCC licensed inspectors.

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A CYTE building and pest inspector in a black cap and polo recording findings on a tablet in a white hallway, with a bedroom doorway, an arched window and a balcony balustrade beyond

Building Inspections · Latest

Is a Building and Pest Inspection Worth It for an Apartment or Townhouse? What Nine Recent Inspections Found

Of the 9 strata lots among 18 of our recent inspections (September–October 2026), 7 had at least one major defect and 7 a serious safety hazard; no live termites were found. What the units and townhouses actually recorded — a single cracked shower tile rated major, an upstairs shower found leaking during testing, an exposed cable in a cupboard — and what the report tells you to ask the body corporate for.

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A frameless glass shower screen and tiled shower in a Gold Coast bathroom — the sealant, grout, screen edges and floor waste are the first things checked in a unit wet-area inspection

Building Inspections

Wet Areas Are the Number One Finding in Gold Coast Unit Inspections: What We Check in the Shower, and Why

In our own unit and apartment inspections, the shower produces more findings than any other part of the property — perished sealant and grout, a shower screen that leaks at its edges, and a slow-draining shower that overflows the water stop. None of it looks like much at an open home. What each finding is, where the damage actually shows up, and why it matters more in a unit than in a house.

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A CYTE inspector using a thermal imaging camera on site during a Gold Coast building and pest inspection, carried out within a contract's inspection clause period

Buying

The Building and Pest Inspection Clause in Queensland: A Buyer's Timeline

The building and pest inspection clause in a Queensland contract runs on a short, strict countdown from the day you sign. A plain-English walkthrough of what the clause does, a realistic day-by-day timeline, and the three honest options once your report is in hand — plus why an auction purchase has no such safety net at all.

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A CYTE inspector holding a thermal imaging camera during a Gold Coast building inspection

Selling

Selling on the Gold Coast? What a Pre-Sale Inspection Finds Before Your Buyer's Does

A pre-sale building and pest inspection puts the same findings a buyer's inspector would report in your hands first, on your own timeline. What we find most often, who the report belongs to, and what it does not replace.

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A laser level set up during a CYTE building inspection on the Gold Coast

Buying

How to Check a Building Inspector's QBCC Licence Before You Book

Checking a Queensland building inspector's licence takes under a minute on the QBCC public register — and most buyers never do it. What to search for, why two separate licences matter, and the red flags worth noticing.

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Termite damage to timber roof framing found during a CYTE building and pest inspection — the timber has been extensively hollowed out from the inside

Termites & Timber Pests

What Termite Damage Actually Looks Like (and Where It Hides)

No sawdust, no obvious hole — termite damage rarely looks like what people expect, and the timber often looks fine at a glance. The real visual signs to check for, and where our own inspections find it first.

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Garden bed, mulch and a timber stump close to the external wall of a Gold Coast house — soil and timber contact points where termite activity is most often found first

Termites & Timber Pests

Termite season on the Gold Coast: when risk peaks and what to look for

Termites don't really have an off-season here — but visible evidence clusters after warm, wet weather, and in our own inspections it consistently starts in the yard, not the house. What that pattern looks like, and where to check.

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Ground-floor Gold Coast apartment living room — the strata unit type where lower soil contact raises termite risk, as covered in this guide

Termites & Timber Pests

Why ground-floor units face higher termite risk than you'd think

Ground-floor units carry meaningfully higher termite risk than upper-level apartments in the same building — not because of the concrete, but because of the soil. How termites reach low-level lots, what the inspection looks for, and why a single purchase inspection is not the full answer.

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A Gold Coast apartment terrace and balcony exterior, showing tiled surface and balustrade detail

Building Inspections

Balcony and balustrade defects: what we find in walk-up apartment blocks

Balconies are the second most common defect area in unit inspections — and the most important thing to know is that a balcony problem almost never shows on the balcony. It shows on the ceiling of the unit below.

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A building and pest inspector recording findings on a tablet inside a Gold Coast home

Buying

How to Choose a Building and Pest Inspector on the Gold Coast

A short, practical guide to what a thorough building and pest inspection should involve on the Gold Coast, and what to confirm before you book — so you can choose your inspector with confidence.

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A calm, neutral-toned bedroom interior in a Gold Coast home

Maintenance

Are You Ready for the Upcoming Storm Season on the Gold Coast?

Storm season tests every weakness in a Gold Coast home — the roof, the flashings, the drainage. Here is what the weather exposes, and how a building and pest inspection helps you understand a property's condition before you buy.

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CYTE inspector using a FLIR thermal imaging camera

Termites & Timber Pests

Why Winter Is a Good Time for a Termite Inspection on the Gold Coast

Most homeowners assume termite activity slows down in winter. On the Gold Coast, our subtropical climate means termites remain active throughout the year — and winter presents a unique opportunity for early detection.

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Tramex moisture meter used during a Gold Coast building inspection to check for elevated moisture linked to poor site drainage

Building Inspections

Site Drainage & Stormwater: What a Gold Coast Building Inspection Checks

How Gold Coast building inspections check site drainage and stormwater — surface falls, downpipes and ponding — and why poor drainage raises termite risk.

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CYTE inspector documenting a staircase on a tablet

Reports

How to Read Your Building & Pest Inspection Report

Your report is 30-plus pages long, and for most buyers it is the first one they have ever seen. A practical guide to the language, the standards and the findings.

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Termite damage to timber roof framing found during a CYTE building and pest inspection, with a metal truss connector plate visible in the roof space

Termites & Timber Pests

Timber Pest Inspections on the Gold Coast: What They Cover and Why They Matter

What a Gold Coast timber pest inspection actually covers — termites, borers, fungal decay and conducive conditions — and why buyers shouldn't skip it.

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Inspector photographing the top of a residential property

Building Inspections

Roof Inspections on the Gold Coast: What We Check and Why It Matters

What a Gold Coast building inspection checks on the roof — covering, flashings and the roof space — and why roof condition carries so much weight in the report.

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FLIR thermal imaging camera reading

Maintenance

Why Subfloor Ventilation Matters

Proper subfloor ventilation controls moisture, reduces the risk of timber pest infestation and protects structural elements from deterioration.

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Neutral-toned Gold Coast bathroom interior

Building Inspections

Common Inspection Findings in SE QLD

The most common issues found in South-East Queensland properties, how they can impact condition and value, and what you can do to address them.

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CYTE inspector reviewing findings on a tablet

Buying

Vendor Supplied Reports: What Buyers Need to Know

It is increasingly common for sellers to provide a building and pest report upfront. What these reports represent, their limitations, and whether they protect your interests.

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Well-maintained Gold Coast home living area with natural skylight — the kind of upkeep an annual inspection helps protect

Maintenance

Annual Inspections: A Practical Approach to Preserving Your Home

A pre-purchase report is a snapshot of one day. An annual building and timber pest inspection is how a Gold Coast owner keeps that picture current — what it looks at, what changes year to year, and when once a year isn't often enough.

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A high-value Gold Coast home living area — the kind of property where rising prices raise the stakes on getting an inspection right

Buying

Gold Coast Property Prices Have Skyrocketed — Why an Inspection Matters More Than Ever

Strong migration, lifestyle demand and limited supply have pushed Gold Coast property values to record highs — raising the stakes on every purchase decision.

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Timber kitchen cabinetry in a Gold Coast home — the kind of finished interior a termite problem can hide behind

Termites & Timber Pests

Five Ways to Reduce Termite Risk in South-East Queensland

Our warm, humid climate provides ideal conditions for termite activity. Five practical steps that make prevention part of your property maintenance.

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A CYTE inspector photographing external cladding on a Gold Coast property during a building inspection, recording a finding for the written report

Building Inspections

How to Identify Minor and Major Structural Defects at Your Property

What separates a minor building defect from a major one, in plain English — what each means for a buyer, and how a building inspection reports them.

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