Mining18 April 20263 min read
GISTM Tailings Dam Inspection Requirements in Australia
What the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management means for Australian mine operators and how to structure compliant inspection documentation.
Read articleInspection Blog
Practical articles for Australian and international inspectors across building, apartments, commercial property, and mining. New posts every week.
Apartments & Strata17 April 20263 min read
Strata Inspection Report Template for Body Corporate Managers
How to structure a strata complex inspection report with section cloning, common property assessment, and compliance requirements for body corporate managers.
Read articleResidential Building16 April 20263 min read
How to Start a Building Inspection Business in Australia (2026)
Complete guide to starting a building inspection business in Australia, licensing, insurance, equipment, software, marketing, and getting your first clients.
Read articleResidential Building15 April 20262 min read
GPS-Verified Inspection Photos: Why They Matter for Compliance
Why GPS coordinates on every inspection photo are becoming the standard for insurance, legal, and regulatory compliance, and how to implement it.
Read articleResidential Building14 April 20263 min read
Best Building Inspection Software in Australia (2026 Comparison)
Honest comparison of the top building inspection software available to Australian inspectors in 2026, including pricing, features, and which is best for your workflow.
Read articleResidential Building13 April 20263 min read
How to Write a Building Inspection Report (AS 4349.1 Guide)
Step-by-step guide to writing a compliant pre-purchase building inspection report under AS 4349.1, including what to include, common mistakes, and how AI can help.
Read articleMining6 April 20262 min read
Mine Site Environmental Inspections: Water, Dust, and Rehabilitation Obligations
Australian mine environmental compliance is layered, federal EPBC, state environmental authorities, and progressive rehabilitation regimes, and inspection records are central.
Read articleCommercial Property30 March 20262 min read
Roof and Facade Inspections for Warehouses and Industrial Assets
For industrial and logistics buildings, the roof and facade are the two largest CapEx items over the asset life, and drone inspection is now standard practice.
Read articleApartments & Strata23 March 20262 min read
Common Property vs Lot Owner Responsibilities: Who Pays for What Defect?
The line between common property and lot is one of the most disputed concepts in Australian strata law, and it determines who pays the bill.
Read articleResidential Building16 March 20262 min read
Termite Inspections in Australia: AS 3660 Management and What Buyers Should Know
Australia has the most destructive termite species in the world, and the AS 3660 series sets the management standards for both new and existing buildings.
Read articleMining9 March 20262 min read
Drone Inspections in Mining: Use Cases from Pit Walls to Tailings Dams
UAVs are quietly replacing human inspection of high-risk mining assets, and the regulatory and technical landscape is now mature.
Read articleCommercial Property2 March 20262 min read
HVAC and Mechanical Services Inspections for Commercial Buildings
Mechanical services are the largest CapEx line item in most commercial buildings, and Legionella risk in cooling towers is a regulatory minefield.
Read articleResidential Building23 February 20262 min read
What to Do When Your Building Inspection Report Finds Major Defects
A major defect in a pre-purchase report is not the end of the deal, but how you respond depends on where you are in the contract process.
Read articleMining16 February 20262 min read
Conflict Minerals and OECD Due Diligence: Inspection Implications for Mineral Supply Chains
The OECD Due Diligence Guidance has become the global reference for responsible mineral sourcing, and its on-the-ground assessment requirements have real teeth.
Read articleApartments & Strata9 February 20262 min read
Pre-Settlement Inspection Rights for Off-the-Plan Apartment Buyers
Buying off the plan means waiting years to see your apartment, and the pre-settlement inspection is your one practical chance to identify defects before settlement.
Read articleResidential Building2 February 20262 min read
What a Pre-Purchase Building Inspection Actually Costs in Australia
Inspection pricing varies by state, property size, and accessibility, and the cheapest quote is almost never the best value.
Read articleCommercial Property26 January 20262 min read
Essential Safety Measures in Victoria: What Building Owners Must Maintain Annually
Victoria's ESM regime parallels NSW's AFSS, with annual statements required for fire, smoke, egress, ventilation, and emergency lighting systems.
Read articleMining19 January 20262 min read
ICMM Performance Expectations: The 39 Commitments That Shape Member Inspections
The International Council on Mining and Metals' Mining Principles drive site-level inspection regimes for all member companies, and increasingly, for their contractors.
Read articleApartments & Strata12 January 20262 min read
Building Manuals for Australian Apartments: A New Compliance Expectation
Building manuals, the as-built documentation handed over at completion, are slowly becoming mandatory for new apartment buildings, and existing OCs are catching up.
Read articleResidential Building5 January 20262 min read
State-by-State Guide to Building Inspector Licensing in Australia
There is no national building inspector licence in Australia, each state has its own scheme, and the differences matter when you are choosing an inspector.
Read articleMining29 December 20252 min read
ESG Reporting and Inspection Trails: Why Miners Are Rebuilding Their Evidence Base
Investor ESG demands mean mining companies must produce auditable evidence of inspections, and digital records are rapidly replacing paper trails.
Read articleCommercial Property22 December 20252 min read
Disability Access Inspections and the Premises Standards: What Commercial Owners Must Know
The Premises Standards under the DDA have been quietly reshaping commercial buildings for over a decade, and refurbishments often trigger compliance.
Read articleResidential Building15 December 20252 min read
NCC 2022 Updates That Affect Australian Home Inspections
NCC 2022 raised the energy efficiency baseline and introduced livable housing requirements, and inspectors need to know what these changes mean in the field.
Read articleMining8 December 20252 min read
Brazilian NR-22 Mining Safety Regulations for International Operators
NR-22 is Brazil's federal mining safety standard, and foreign operators in Brazil need to understand both the document and the cultural context around it.
Read articleApartments & Strata1 December 20252 min read
Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS): What NSW Strata Managers Need to Know
The AFSS regime is one of the strictest annual compliance obligations in NSW strata management, and the consequences of getting it wrong include personal penalties.
Read articleResidential Building24 November 20252 min read
The Opal Tower and Mascot Towers Fallout: What It Changed for Apartment Buyers
Two evacuated Sydney apartment towers triggered the biggest overhaul of building accountability in a generation, and the changes are still rolling out.
Read articleMining17 November 20252 min read
WHS Act Compliance for Australian Mines: How the Model Act and Mining Regulations Work Together
Australian mining safety is a layered regime. Model WHS Act, state mining regulations, and site-specific safety management systems, and overseas operators often misread it.
Read articleCommercial Property10 November 20252 min read
WHS Compliance for Commercial Landlords: Inspection Obligations Under the Model Act
Commercial landlords are PCBUs under the Model WHS Act in most states, and that means real, ongoing inspection duties for common areas and shared services.
Read articleResidential Building3 November 20252 min read
New Build Handover Inspections: Your Pre-Handover Rights as an Owner
A handover inspection on a brand-new home is a different beast to a pre-purchase inspection, and your leverage to fix defects largely disappears once you take the keys.
Read articleMining27 October 20252 min read
GISTM Conformance: What the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management Actually Requires
The GISTM has 15 principles and 77 requirements. Here is the inspection-and-governance core in plain language.
Read articleApartments & Strata20 October 20252 min read
The Five Most Common Waterproofing Defects in Australian Apartments
Waterproofing is consistently the number one defect category in Australian apartments, and the rectification cost is almost always disproportionate to the original install.
Read articleCommercial Property13 October 20252 min read
Commercial Property Due Diligence: What a Technical Inspection Should Cover
Pre-acquisition technical due diligence on commercial property is the buyer's last chance to find what the vendor didn't disclose, and the scope matters.
Read articleResidential Building6 October 20252 min read
Building Inspections in Cyclone Regions: What NT and QLD Buyers Should Check
Buying a home in Darwin, Cairns, or Port Hedland means inspecting for things Sydney buyers never have to think about, starting with continuous tie-down from roof to footing.
Read articleMining29 September 20252 min read
Tailings Storage Facility Inspections After Brumadinho: What Changed
The 2019 Brumadinho dam collapse killed 270 people and triggered a global overhaul of tailings governance, including how facilities are inspected and disclosed.
Read articleApartments & Strata22 September 20252 min read
NSW Strata Building Bond and Inspections Scheme (SBBIS) Explained
The SBBIS regime requires NSW developers to lodge a 2 percent bond against defects in new apartment buildings, and to commission independent inspection reports.
Read articleResidential Building15 September 20252 min read
Top Defects Found in Darwin and Tropical North Australian Homes
Tropical climates punish buildings in ways southern inspectors rarely see, and Darwin's wet/dry seasonal extremes produce a defect profile of their own.
Read articleMining8 September 20252 min read
Chain of Custody for Assay Samples: Audit-Ready QA/QC for Modern Exploration
JORC and NI 43-101 both require documented chain of custody from drill bit to lab, and digital field capture is rapidly replacing paper tags and notebooks.
Read articleCommercial Property1 September 20252 min read
Make-Good at End of Lease: What Commercial Tenants Should Inspect Before Handback
Make-good obligations are one of the most expensive and disputed moments in any commercial tenancy, and a pre-handback inspection is your best negotiating asset.
Read articleResidential Building25 August 20252 min read
Combined Building and Timber Pest Inspections: Why Most Australian Buyers Get Both
Australian convention is to bundle a building inspection with a timber pest inspection, and there are good reasons it has become standard practice.
Read articleApartments & Strata18 August 20252 min read
iCIRT Ratings Explained: How Apartment Buyers Can Check a Developer's Trust Score
iCIRT is an independent rating system for construction industry participants, and it has become a quiet but powerful filter for cautious apartment buyers.
Read articleMining11 August 20252 min read
JORC Code 2012 vs the Upcoming Update: What Mining Reporters Need to Know
JORC 2012 is the binding Australasian reporting standard for ASX-listed miners, and its Competent Person and Table 1 obligations make site inspection records non-negotiable.
Read articleResidential Building4 August 20252 min read
AS 4964 Asbestos Inspections: When You Need One and Who Can Do It
Australia banned asbestos in 2003, but pre-1990 housing stock means asbestos identification is still a major part of any responsible renovation or pre-purchase due diligence.
Read articleCommercial Property28 July 20252 min read
Pre-Lease Condition Reports: The Document That Decides Your Make-Good Bill
A documented condition report at lease commencement is the single best protection both tenants and landlords have against the inevitable end-of-lease make-good dispute.
Read articleApartments & Strata21 July 20252 min read
NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act: A Game Changer for Apartment Buyers
The DBP Act 2020 fundamentally rewired accountability for new apartment buildings in NSW, including a statutory duty of care that flows to subsequent owners.
Read articleMining14 July 20252 min read
NI 43-101 Technical Reports: What Triggers One and What a QP Must Inspect
Canada's NI 43-101 has become the de facto international standard for mineral disclosure, and its personal inspection requirement is non-negotiable.
Read articleResidential Building7 July 20252 min read
The Complete Guide to AS 4349.1 Pre-Purchase Property Inspections in Australia
AS 4349.1-2007 is the Australian Standard most pre-purchase building inspections are written to, but few buyers understand what it actually covers, and what it deliberately leaves out.
Read articleResidential Building30 June 20252 min read
Insurance for Inspectors: PI, Public Liability, and the Limits of Disclaimers
Professional Indemnity is mandatory in most states for licensed inspectors, but coverage gaps, run-off cover, and ACL limits trip operators up.
Read articleResidential Building23 June 20252 min read
Marketing a Building Inspection Business in 2026: Google Business Profile and Conveyancer Referrals
A non-fluff marketing playbook for sole-operator and small-team inspectors. What actually moves job volume in a local market.
Read articleMining16 June 20252 min read
Building a Tailings Storage Facility Inspection Checklist Aligned to GISTM Topic IV
A field-usable TSF inspection checklist mapped to the GISTM design and construction requirements, suitable for routine surveillance.
Read articleMining9 June 20252 min read
Mine Closure Plans: ICMM Integrated Closure vs State Requirements in WA, QLD and NSW
ICMM's Integrated Mine Closure Toolkit is the global benchmark, but every Australian state still imposes its own plan and bond regime on top.
Read articleMining2 June 20252 min read
ICMM's Tailings Conformance Protocol: What Year-3 GISTM Reporting Looks Like
GISTM conformance was due by August 2023 for the highest-consequence facilities and August 2025 for the rest. Here is where the industry actually landed.
Read articleMining26 May 20252 min read
Critical Minerals Reporting: How JORC and NI 43-101 Are Adapting for Lithium and Rare Earths
CRIRSCO updated its International Reporting Template in late 2024. JORC is under review. Here is what is changing for lithium, rare earths, and graphite projects.
Read articleCommercial Property19 May 20252 min read
Essential Safety Measures Beyond Victoria: NSW AFSS, QLD Fire Safety, and WA Maintenance
Most inspectors know Victoria's ESM regime. The other states have parallel obligations under different names, and they all reference AS 1851 for servicing.
Read articleCommercial Property12 May 20252 min read
Drone Inspections for Commercial Roofs: CASA Rules, Insurance, and When They Don't Substitute for Access
Drone surveys are now standard for large warehouse and shopping centre roofs, but they do not automatically satisfy AS 1657 or every inspection duty.
Read articleCommercial Property5 May 20252 min read
Technical Due Diligence vs Schedule of Condition: When You Need Which
Buyers, landlords and tenants routinely confuse TDD with condition reports. The scope, deliverables, and professional indemnity exposure are quite different.
Read articleCommercial Property28 April 20252 min read
NABERS Energy Ratings for Office Buildings: Where Inspection Scope Meets the CBD Program
Commercial Building Disclosure requires a NABERS rating on sale or lease of office space over 1,000 square metres. A building condition inspection is not the same thing.
Read articleApartments & Strata21 April 20252 min read
Off-the-Plan Settlement Inspections: What to Check at Practical Completion
Buyers settling off-the-plan apartments have a narrow window to identify defects. High-rise inspections need a different checklist than standard pre-purchase.
Read articleApartments & Strata14 April 20252 min read
Capital Works Fund Forecasting: Linking Condition Reports to 10-Year Plans
Owners corporations often treat inspection reports as one-off exercises. Here is how condition data feeds the 10-year capital works plan required in NSW.
Read articleApartments & Strata7 April 20252 min read
Apartment Cladding Audits in 2024-2026: Where the State Programs Landed
Post-Grenfell cladding audits in Victoria, NSW and Queensland have largely finished their identification phases, but rectification work continues.
Read articleApartments & Strata31 March 20252 min read
NSW Strata Building Bond Scheme: A Committee's Guide to the 2% Defect Bond
The SBBIS has been running since 2018. Here is how an owners corporation actually triggers the scheme and what to expect from the 21-month inspection.
Read articleResidential Building24 March 20252 min read
Pricing Your Pre-Purchase Inspection Business: A Framework for Sole Operators
Most Australian building inspectors are sole traders. Here is a framework for setting prices that survive PI insurance, vehicle costs, and a real defect claim.
Read articleResidential Building17 March 20252 min read
Builder's Warranty Insurance Across Australian States: What Inspectors Need to Know
Home warranty schemes differ wildly between states. HBCF in NSW, VMIA in Victoria, QBCC in Queensland, and all of them cap, exclude, and trigger differently.
Read articleResidential Building10 March 20252 min read
Asbestos Register Management for Residential Renovators and Landlords
Residential owners rarely realise that the moment a tradesperson arrives on site, their property is a workplace, and workplace asbestos duties apply.
Read articleResidential Building3 March 20252 min read
Case Study: Slab Heave on Reactive Clay and the Limits of AS 4349.1
A reactive-soil failure on an anonymous Class H site shows exactly what a visual-only AS 4349.1 inspection can, and cannot, catch.
Read articleResidential Building24 February 20252 min read
Swimming Pool Barrier Inspections in Australia: A State-by-State Compliance Guide
Pool barrier rules vary dramatically between states. Selling or leasing a non-compliant pool can void insurance and trigger fines. Here is what inspectors actually check.
Read articleResidential Building17 February 20252 min read
How to Read a Building Inspection Report: A Buyer's Guide to AS 4349.1 Terminology
Most first-home buyers open their 40-page report and panic at words like "major defect" or "safety hazard". Here is how to separate deal-breakers from cosmetic issues.
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