What to Do If Your Building Report Shows Major Issues: A Homebuyer's Guide
What to Do If Your Building Report Shows Major Issues
Receiving a building report that highlights major issues can feel like a punch in the gut—especially if you’ve fallen in love with the property. But before you panic or pull out of the deal, take a breath. A bad building report doesn’t necessarily mean the property is off the table—it just means you need to make informed decisions.
Step 1: Understand the Severity
Not all “major” issues are deal breakers. Some may sound worse than they are. Talk to your inspector and ask for clarification—what’s urgent, what’s manageable, and what’s a long-term concern?
Step 2: Get Repair Estimates
Use the report to gather quotes from licensed tradespeople. This gives you hard numbers to take back to the negotiating table and helps you gauge the true cost of fixing the problem.
Step 3: Renegotiate or Walk Away
Armed with solid information, you now have options. You can:
- Ask the seller to fix the issues before settlement
- Request a price reduction to cover repairs
- Walk away and keep looking—with your deposit intact
Bottom line: A bad report isn’t the end—it’s a tool for better decision-making.
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Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Don't just take our word for it - see what our satisfied clients have to say about their experience with Inspected Residential.
Highly recommend! Adam went above and beyond. The inspection was received on the same day and it was in thorough detail and easy to review and understand
Brittany Daish
Adam did an amazing job! Came with super short notice and was really kind the whole time he was doing our building inspection and did a thorough job. Highly recommend Inspected Residential, will use again!
Alyesha Hunnan
Adam provided a very thorough building report, great communication and we got the report the same day! Happy to answer any questions or provide support as well. Highly recommend, wouldn't use anyone else for a building report.
Matt Holdem
Adam inspected our property the day after our request and had the report to us the same day. Report was thorough, simple to follow and reasonably priced. We would recommend Inspected Residential and would use them again if required.
Roger Bell
We've used these guys a couple of times. The depth of their reports and knowledge is second to none. Highly recommend.
Luke Phillips
Great service contacted the team the day before, they called asked me to provide EQC file to cross reference work that had been done or not done. Brandon was very knowledgable and diligent had the report out to myself and clients the same day. Highly Recommend
Taylor Graham
I am happy with every aspect of the work done, from the easy to navigate, no surprises website, to the clear professional communication from the inspector. It is a very rare thing for me to be 100% happy with any service but in this case, impeccable!
Paul
Adam was very knowledgeable and had top quality gear to do a thorough inspection. He made it easy to get in touch, discuss options, and then book online. Report was available same day too which is crucial when tight deadlines for a property sale
Valerie Poole
Adam was so thorough and professional. He was easy to have in the home and shared his knowledge with us. Would totally recommend Inspected Residential.
Tania Pring
Adam provided a very thorough report which was sent to us the same day as the inspection. Will 100% use Inspected Residential again if i ever need to get another report.
Rebecca Patton
Great communication and really polite and informative Inspectors.
Jessica Hamilton
Amazing to work with. At very short notice were able to complete a building inspection within couple of days. Apreciated team. A+
Hayden Ivory
Adam did a very thorough pre-sale inspection for me. Report received the same day and was very easy to read with lots of detail.
Brooke Lord
Great communication and accommodated my tight timeframe. Really great report with PLENTY of photographs that very much helped me feel a lot more relaxed about purchasing our home. Would definitely recommend!!
Anna Kilbride
Very friendly service. Professional and fast. Got the full report in the same day. Highly recommended. Have now used them multiple times. Awesome service
Ronald James
Inspected Residential have recently completed 2 building inspections for me, pre purchase & pre sale. The information in these are way more detailed and in depth than previous inspections I have seen! Highly recommend!
William
The process was so easy and Adam was really really helpful. Highly recommend!
Holly Rose Hunt
Brandon and the team at Inspected Residential were communicative, efficient and made the process easy. Their report was concise yet thorough. Would highly recommend!
Miranda Scott
Very satisfied with the work done. The inspector is easy to talk to and discuss the things I wanted to pay more attention. The report was detailed with and I appreciate the recommendations that was attached with his report. I will definitely use your service again in the future if need. Thanks.
Valerie Estrabon
Brenna and Brandon are amazingly helpful and patience. Their professionalism made the process less stressful and Brandon was kind enough to take up several follow-up calls to attend to details. Love their efficiency and detailed report. Highly recommended!
YW Ong
Great company to deal with, they followed up the next day to check in and see if I had any further questions regarding report.
Phil Allchurch
Very happy with our experience with Inspected Residential....would highly recommend to anyone who asked. Being approachable is very important in any business and Adam was certainly that.
Rod Morrison
Brandon did a pre purchase inspection at a property for me. He was extremely professional and very in depth. Anyone looking for a building inspection I would definitely recommend these guys
Harry Webley
Adam was fantastic to deal with, with alot of knowledge. His attention to detail is what is needed when your wanting a detailed Building Report. Highly Recommend.
Sarah Brown
Quick and easy to deal with, efficient, good communication and a well written pre purchase inspection that's understandable.
Emma Lodge
Professional, efficient and helpful service from start to finish. Highly recommend these guys, Brandon was great to communicate with and very thorough, really easy process and no stress, thank you! :)
Lisa Mead
Great communication, fast service and well priced
Abbey Harraway
Adam is a top bloke, and also a peer with practicality and a no no-sense approach that makes him a relatable,reliable and very professional building inspector. AAA+, recommend to everyone who's looking for a detailed and well done building report
Hamelbras Construction
Great professional job done by Adam. Report was prepared in very quick time. Also spent time on the phone with my many enquiries. Would highly recommend!
Jason Boyte
Super easy to organize appointment online. Everything went smoothly. Got full report on the day of the inspection. Report was thorough and covered everything I needed for a property purchase.
Chris Dabinett
I phoned Inspected Residential for a Pre Sale house inspection and was booked in promptly and efficiently. Brandon arrived as promised and made a very thorough inspection of the house and updated me all the way through. Brandon is very professional and knowledgeable and a very detailed report was sent through the same day. That is Excellent Service. I would highly recommend Brandon and Inspected Residential - they did a great job
Pamela Braithwaite
Thorough and very knowledgable people! Friendly and easy to communicate with, worth the money spent! I got a healthy homes inspection done and a full report all in one day
Julia Pierson
Had a great experience working with Brandon from Inspected Residential, we needed a healthy homes report done on our rental, was really easy to make a booking with him and his communication was quick and easy. The report was carried out professionally and we had the inspection repost back the same day. Would definitely recommend Brandon and use his services in the future.
Amanda Guest
We recently had a building inspection carried out by Damien and Brandon, and we couldn’t be more impressed with their work. From the moment they arrived, they were friendly, approachable, and clearly knowledgeable in their field. They took the time to explain what they were looking for and made sure we understood the process at every step. Their attention to detail was outstanding — nothing was rushed, and it was clear they genuinely cared about providing a thorough, accurate inspection. They also delivered the report promptly, and it was clear, easy to read, and full of helpful insights. Damien and Brandon’s professionalism, expertise, and approachable manner made what could have been a stressful experience feel easy and reassuring. We’d happily recommend them to anyone needing a building inspection.
Chloe B
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