A building inspection is worth nothing without a report that a builder must act on. The inspection is the skill. The report is the tool. Here's exactly what a quality new home inspection report contains — and the red flags that tell you the report you're looking at won't get defects fixed.
What a Quality Report Contains
Inspector identification and QBCC licence number. The report must identify the inspector by name and include their current QBCC licence number. Without this, the report has no legal standing.
Property details and inspection date. The specific address, the date and time of the inspection, and the stage of construction inspected.
Defect entries — each one structured the same way:
*Location.* Where in the property the defect was found — "Ensuite shower, east wall" not "bathroom."
*Description.* What the defect is — "Waterproofing membrane applied to 1400mm on east shower wall. Minimum required height is 1800mm per QBCC Standards and Tolerances clause 7.2.1."
*Photograph.* A clear, referenced photograph of the defect with a measuring tape or reference object where relevant to demonstrate scale or measurement.
*QBCC clause reference.* The specific QBCC Standards and Tolerances clause, AS Standard, or building code reference that the defect breaches. This is what the builder must engage with — a documented compliance failure, not an opinion.
*Classification.* Whether the item is critical, significant, or minor — guiding the priority of rectification.
What a Poor Report Looks Like
A checklist with ticks and crosses. A narrative description without photographs. A list of items without QBCC clause references. A generic template where the address is the only property-specific element.
A poor report gives the builder grounds to dispute every item — there's no measurement, no clause reference, no photograph. The builder's response is that their inspector says the home is fine.
A quality report leaves no room for that response. Each defect is documented, measured, photographed, and referenced against the relevant standard.
View a Sample VG Inspect Report
VG Inspect provides sample reports on the website so you can assess the quality before booking. View the sample PCI report and sample stage reports at vginspect.com/sample-reports.
Compare what you see there against the report format offered by any other inspector you are considering. The difference is usually evident within the first three pages.
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