How to choose a new home building inspector in Queensland
Your certifier checks the approval stages for compliance. They're usually engaged through your builder, and they don't check workmanship or finishes for you. An independent inspector works only for you, at the stages where defects get covered up. Here's what to check before you book anyone, including us.
QBCC #1318443 · builder-inspectors · 5.0 across Over 100 Google reviews
Seven things to check before you book
A new build is inspected in stages, and the wrong inspector costs you the exact leverage you're paying for. Run through these before you hand over a deposit.
1. Check the licence on the QBCC register
Search the inspector's name and licence number on the QBCC licence search. For new builds, look for a builder licence. A builder knows how the work should have been done, not just how it looks.
2. Make sure they do new builds, not just pre-purchase
Stage inspections (pre-pour, frame, waterproofing, handover) are a different job from buying an existing house. Ask how many new-build inspections they've done this year.
3. Ask for a sample report before you book
A good report gives, for every item: a photo, the location, what's wrong, and the standard it fails (NCC, Australian Standard or the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide). Builders act on clause references. They argue with opinions.
4. Inspect the stages that get covered up
In priority order: frame (bracing, tie-downs, straightness), waterproofing (every future leak starts here), handover/PCI (your last leverage before final payment), then pre-pour/slab on reactive or filled sites.
5. Know what it should cost
In SEQ, expect roughly $500–$700 per stage and $650–$900 for a handover, depending on size and travel. Packages are usually cheaper per stage. Be wary of anyone who won't give a price in writing.
6. Check they're independent
Ask whether they take referral fees or work from builders. Your report should go only to you, and you decide who sees it.
7. Ask how fast you'll get the report
Same day or next day matters: builders move fast, and the next trade can cover a defect within days.
Questions to ask any inspector
- What's your QBCC licence number and class?
- How many new-build inspections did you do last year?
- Can I see a sample report for the stage I'm booking?
- Will the same inspector come to each stage?
- When will I get the report, and can I send it straight to my supervisor?
- Do you re-check items at the next stage?
How VG Inspect answers those
- QBCC licence 1318443; every inspector is a licensed builder.
- New builds only: pre-pour, slab, frame, pre-plaster, waterproofing and handover across South East Queensland.
- Over 350 new-build inspections completed.
- Sample reports on the website; same-day photo reports referenced to the NCC, Australian Standards and the QBCC guide.
- Prices published: from $550 per stage, $660 handover (homes under 220m²).
- Previous-stage items re-checked at the next inspection.
Authoritative references
Certifier vs independent inspector: what's the difference?
A building certifier checks the approval stages for compliance with the building permit, and is usually engaged through the builder. Their role is to sign off that the work meets the approved plans and the National Construction Code at the set stages — not to review workmanship or finishes on your behalf.
An independent inspector works only for the owner. We check workmanship, finishes and the standards that matter to you at the stages where defects get covered up — pre-pour, frame and waterproofing, then the handover (PCI) — so issues are found while they are still easy to fix.
We regularly work alongside Buildable, Queensland's largest building certifier.
Frequently asked questions
What's your QBCC licence number and class?
At VG Inspect the licence is QBCC 1318443, and every inspector is a licensed builder, not just an inspector. For a new build you want a builder licence: a builder knows how the work should have been done, not just how it looks. You can verify any inspector's name and number yourself on the QBCC licence register.
How many new-build inspections did you do last year?
New builds only is what we do — pre-pour, slab, frame, pre-plaster, waterproofing and handover across South East Queensland, with over 350 new-build inspections completed. Stage inspections are a different job from pre-purchase inspections on an existing house, so ask any inspector how many new builds they actually do.
Can I see a sample report for the stage I'm booking?
Yes — our sample reports are on the website. A good report gives, for every item: a photo, the location, what's wrong, and the standard it fails (the NCC, an Australian Standard, or the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide). Builders act on clause references; they argue with opinions.
Will the same inspector come to each stage?
A QBCC-licensed builder-inspector attends every VG Inspect inspection. Continuity across stages matters because the inspector who saw the frame knows what to re-check once it's covered up, so it's worth asking any inspector how they handle it.
When will I get the report, and can I send it straight to my supervisor?
We issue same-day photo reports, referenced to the NCC, Australian Standards and the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide, and the report is yours to forward straight to your site supervisor. Speed matters: builders move fast, and the next trade can cover a defect within days.
Do you re-check items at the next stage?
Yes — previous-stage items are re-checked at the next inspection, so a defect raised at frame is verified again once the work moves on. Ask any inspector whether rectification is actually confirmed or just left on a list.
Book an independent new-build inspection
A QBCC-licensed builder-inspector attends every inspection. QBCC #1318443. New builds only, across Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands and the Sunshine Coast. From $550 per stage, $660 handover (homes under 220m²) — same-day report.