One of the most common questions VG Inspect receives before a booking is how much a building inspection costs. It's a fair question — and one where the answer matters, because what you pay and what you get are not always correlated in the way you might expect.
Here is exactly what the market looks like in 2026, what drives price variation between inspectors, and what you should be comparing before booking.
The Market Range in 2026
For a new home PCI in Brisbane and SEQ, the market range is approximately $550 to $800 depending on home size, inspector qualifications, and location. This is a wide range — and the variation within it reflects meaningful differences in service quality.
For construction stage inspections — slab, frame, waterproofing, lock-up — the market range is $450 to $600 per stage. For warranty inspections, the range is $450 to $600 depending on home size and condition.
VG Inspect Pricing for 2026
VG Inspect's pricing for 2026 is transparent and inclusive. PCI and handover inspections start from $660 including GST. Construction stage inspections — pre-pour slab, frame, lock-up, waterproofing — are $550 per stage including GST. Warranty inspections are $550 including GST.
All prices include the detailed PDF inspection report. There are no additional charges for the report, no travel surcharges within the SEQ growth corridors, and no hidden fees.
What the Price Difference Actually Reflects
An inspection priced at $350 to $400 is not the same product as one priced at $550 to $660. The difference in price reflects three things: time on site, report quality, and the inspector's depth of experience with new builds in Queensland.
Time on site. A $350 inspection buys approximately 45 to 60 minutes on site — not enough time for a thorough PCI on a standard new home. A $660 inspection buys 90 to 120 minutes — sufficient to systematically check every wet area, every room, the roof space, the external perimeter, and every contract item.
Report quality. A quality report documents every defect with photographs, measurements, and QBCC Standards and Tolerances clause references. This is what the builder must engage with — not a checklist, not an opinion, but documented evidence of specific non-compliance. A poor report gives the builder grounds to dispute every item.
New build specialisation. A general inspector who does both pre-purchase and new build inspections applies different skills and knowledge to each. New build inspection requires specific and current knowledge of Queensland's QBCC Standards and Tolerances, construction stage hold points, and the defect patterns of specific volume builders. A specialist brings this knowledge to every inspection.
Ready to book your inspection? A VG Inspect QBCC-licensed inspector attends every job.
Book an InspectionThe Real Cost Comparison
The cost of a waterproofing rectification requiring full tile removal after handover: $5,000 to $15,000. The cost of a waterproofing inspection that identifies the defect before tiling: $550. The cost of a structural bracing rectification after plasterboard installation: $8,000 to $25,000. The cost of a frame inspection that identifies the defect before plasterboard: $550.
The price of an inspection is not the question. The question is whether the inspection you book is capable of finding the defects that matter — and documenting them in a way that requires the builder to act.
VG Inspect is priced within the market range for quality new home inspection. QBCC licence 1318443.
