Buying an apartment in Sydney? A strata inspection covers your individual lot AND the common areas — identifying defects that affect your property value, your strata levies, and your legal obligations before you commit.
When you buy a strata apartment, you're not just buying your individual lot — you're buying a share of the entire building. Defects in the common areas, the roof, the external facade, the basement, or the services are your defects too, payable through special levies that can run to tens of thousands of dollars per lot.
Our strata building inspection covers both the individual lot (your apartment) and all accessible common areas — giving you the complete picture of what you're actually buying. Combined with a review of the strata records (minutes, levies, maintenance history, special levies pending), it gives you everything you need to make an informed decision.
Sydney's Inner West has a significant proportion of older apartment buildings — many converted from other uses or built in eras with lower construction standards. These buildings can carry significant deferred maintenance and latent defect liability that isn't visible until you're already an owner paying levies.
Special levies in Sydney strata buildings can be significant — we've seen owners receive levy notices of $30,000–$120,000+ for major remediation works within months of purchasing.
Common triggers include: external cladding replacement, waterproofing remediation to basement or roof, lift refurbishment, fire safety upgrades, and concrete spalling repairs.
A building inspection identifies the physical evidence of these risks. Combined with a strata records search — which reveals pending decisions, special levies resolved and in discussion, and the financial health of the owners corporation — you get a complete picture before you commit.
We always recommend pairing your building inspection with a professional strata records search from a specialist strata search company.
Auction this weekend? We understand property transactions move fast. Call 0492 961 622 directly for urgent bookings — we'll do everything we can to fit you in.
Our inspections are thorough and systematic — nothing is glossed over or missed.
Every room in the individual lot inspected: walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, wet areas, fixtures, and fittings — all defects documented with photographs.
Waterproofing failures in wet areas are the most common and costly defect in apartments. We identify all visible signs of failure before they become a dispute with your downstairs neighbour.
Balcony waterproofing, drainage, membrane condition, handrail compliance, and any signs of moisture penetration into the structure all assessed.
Stairwells, corridors, lobbies, car parks, laundries, and all other common areas assessed for condition, maintenance issues, and safety compliance.
External facade, cladding, windows, and any visible signs of weathering, cracks, failed sealants, or water penetration — all documented from accessible vantage points.
Where accessible, the roof covering, flashings, drainage, plant equipment, and any visible signs of deterioration or leaking inspected and reported.
Concrete spalling, waterproofing failures, drainage, line marking, and any signs of water infiltration or structural movement in basement levels.
Visible condition of common area services — lifts, fire systems, air conditioning plant, electrical switchboards — and any obvious maintenance concerns noted.
Pool barrier compliance, equipment condition, and any defects in amenity areas that form part of the common property.
Emergency exits, fire doors, exit lighting, and other life safety items assessed for obvious compliance issues.
For newer buildings, we assess whether defects appear to be within the builder's defect liability period — and whether the owners corporation has documented and pursued these appropriately.
A clear list of maintenance items likely to require expenditure in the short, medium, and long term — helping you assess the adequacy of the sinking fund.
From booking to report — here's exactly what to expect.
Call or fill in the form — tell us the building address and we'll confirm pricing and timing within 2 hours. We coordinate access with the selling agent and building manager.
We inspect your individual lot thoroughly, then move through all accessible common areas. A typical strata inspection takes 1.5–2.5 hours depending on building size.
One comprehensive report covering both the individual lot and common areas, with photographs, defect ratings, and a summary of maintenance concerns.
We discuss the inspection findings in context with any strata records you have — minutes, levy schedules, special levies, and maintenance history — to give you the complete picture.
"The inspector found significant concrete spalling in the basement car park and a waterproofing failure on the roof terrace — neither mentioned in the agent's disclosure. Our solicitor advised these could trigger a special levy of $15,000–$25,000 per lot. We withdrew from the purchase. That inspection saved us from a very expensive mistake."
"Thorough inspection of both the apartment and all the common areas. Found a waterproofing issue in our bathroom that the vendor agreed to fix before settlement. The inspection also flagged that the strata records showed a lift replacement discussion — gave us useful context for our levy planning."
"We were buying in a newer building and assumed everything would be fine. The inspector found 12 defect items in the apartment and noted several common area issues that appeared to still be within the builder's defect liability period. We passed the list to our solicitor to pursue. Excellent service."
Call us or fill in the form — we respond within 2 hours and can often inspect within 24–48 hours.