Frequently asked questions

A combined pre-purchase building and pest inspection starts from $450 for a one-bedroom unit or apartment, rising with property size to from $650 for a four- or five-bedroom double-storey house. A stand-alone timber pest inspection starts from $350, and specialist services such as pool safety certificates (from $260) and drone roof inspections (from $320) are priced separately. Our philosophy is Quality Over Cost — you get licensed builder-inspectors and professional equipment at honest prices, and we always quote before you book.

Most residential building and pest inspections take between one and two hours on site, depending on the size, age and condition of the property. Larger homes, properties with subfloor and roof-void access, or buildings with multiple defects naturally take longer. We never rush an inspection to fit a schedule — every accessible area is checked methodically.

The same day as the inspection. We stand behind this with a guarantee: if we miss sending you the pest inspection report on the same day, we waive the fee. Same-day delivery means buyers working to contract deadlines never lose a day waiting for paperwork, and we are available by phone afterwards to talk through any finding.

No — we arrange access with the agent, owner or builder, and the photographic report covers everything we find. That said, you are always welcome to attend, and many clients find a brief walk-through with the inspector at the end genuinely valuable. Either way, we are happy to discuss the report with you by phone once you have read it.

We service South-East Queensland: Brisbane, Logan, Gold Coast, Ipswich and Moreton Bay. Our inspectors are local, so we can usually offer prompt booking times across all of these regions. If your property sits just outside these areas, call us — we can often still help.

Alongside a licensed inspector's trained eye, we use thermal imaging cameras to reveal moisture and insulation anomalies, Termatrac termite radar to detect live termite movement inside walls without opening them, calibrated moisture meters for wet areas and suspect surfaces, borescopes for concealed cavities, and drones for roofs and other hard-to-reach areas. This technology finds problems a visual-only inspection simply cannot.

Yes. Articon holds QBCC licence 15014911 and is a Master Builders member (72047), with professional indemnity and public liability insurance in place. Our inspectors are licensed builders, many with engineering backgrounds, and every inspection is carried out to the current Australian Standards — AS 4349.1 for building inspections and AS 4349.3 for timber pest inspections.

Absolutely — that is one of the most valuable things about it. Because our reports are independent, photographic and prepared by licensed inspectors, documented defects give you credible grounds to renegotiate the price, ask the seller to carry out repairs, or withdraw under a building-and-pest condition. Many clients recover many times the inspection fee in negotiated reductions.

A building inspection (to AS 4349.1) assesses the structure and condition of the property itself — footings, walls, framing, roof, wet areas, safety hazards and defects. A pest inspection (to AS 4349.3) looks specifically for timber pests: termites, borers, fungal decay and the conditions that attract them. They are different disciplines with different equipment, which is why buyers usually book the combined building and pest inspection and get both in a single visit.

A pre-purchase inspection assesses an established property before you buy it, so you understand its defects and can negotiate accordingly. A handover (practical completion) inspection assesses a brand-new home before you accept the keys from your builder, documenting workmanship defects and unfinished items the builder is still obliged to rectify. One protects your purchase decision; the other protects your build contract.

Call us on 1300 350 553, email info@articon.com.au, or book online — whichever suits you. Have the property address, its size (bedrooms and storeys) and any contract deadline handy, and we will confirm a time, quote the fee up front and arrange access with the agent, owner or builder. Short-notice bookings are often possible, so do not hesitate to ask.

Almost every inspection finds something — the report's job is to tell you what matters. Each defect is photographed, described in plain English and put in context: whether it is a minor maintenance item, a bargaining point, or a serious structural or pest issue needing specialist attention. We then walk you through your options, from renegotiating or requesting repairs to further investigation such as an invasive inspection, so you can decide with a clear head.