Pre-Purchase Plumbing Inspection
Before you buy, 1300 FINDLEAK checks the property for hidden water leaks, plumbing problems and water damage that a normal open-for-inspection won't show. We test the water service, scan walls, floors and ceilings with thermal imaging and moisture meters, check showers, balconies, roof flashings and drainage, and give you a photo report you can use to negotiate or walk away. A pre-purchase plumbing inspection is from $498 inc. GST.
Buying soon? Do this first
- Call us as soon as you know the auction, contract or cooling-off date.
- Ask the agent for access for about an hour, with the water and power connected.
- Let us know about anything you've noticed: fresh paint on a ceiling, a new shower, a musty smell or a damp patch.
- Book your building and pest inspection too. Ours focuses on water, theirs on the whole building.
Call 1300 346 353 and we'll explain what access we need.
Why water is the defect to check before you buy
A leaking shower, balcony or pipe often isn't visible at an open for inspection. A fresh coat of paint, new silicone or a rug can hide the signs, and the damage keeps spreading behind the tiles and under the floor. Repairs can mean stripping a bathroom, re-waterproofing a balcony or replacing rotted framing, and many insurance policies won't cover damage that built up slowly before you owned the home.
In a review of 245 of our completed leak reports, balconies, terraces and podiums were the leading cause (31% of reports), and 58% of reports found more than one cause. Finding them before you sign gives you the choice: negotiate the price, ask the vendor to fix it, or walk away.
What we check
Showers, bathrooms and laundries
We run the showers, baths and taps and check the grout, seals and floor wastes, then scan the walls and floors next to them with thermal imaging and moisture meters. Dye tests show where water escapes.
Walls, floors and the water service
A meter test and pressure test show whether the water service is leaking. We look for damp walls, swollen skirting, cracked or drummy tiles, stepped cracking and mould that point to a hidden leak or drainage problem.
Roofs, balconies and gutters
From safe access points we check the roof, flashings, box gutters and downpipes, and inside the ceiling for stains and damp. Balconies get a check of the falls, drains, door sills and tiles.
Watch: what a pre-purchase leak inspection covers
A short overview of our pre-purchase home inspection: checking a property for current or hidden water leaks, plumbing problems, water damage and defects before you buy, so you can negotiate or decide whether to go ahead.
Pre-purchase plumbing inspection cost
Pre-purchase plumbing inspection
- Water meter and pressure test of the water service
- Thermal imaging and moisture mapping of walls, floors and ceilings
- Showers, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen and balconies checked
- Visible roof, gutter, downpipe and drainage checks
- Written photo report you can share with your agent, conveyancer or builder
Additional hour
$168 per hour in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Most inspections take about an hour, and we tell you before going over.
CCTV drain camera
A camera inspection of the sewer and stormwater lines shows tree roots, cracks and collapsed pipes. See CCTV drain camera inspection.
Prices are for metropolitan areas. The Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and regional Victoria are priced by location. See the pre-purchase plumbing inspection price and all our leak detection prices.
How it works
Book and arrange access
Call or book online with your inspection date. We'll tell you what access we need, so you can arrange it with the agent.
Test the water service
With everything turned off we check the meter and pressure test the pipes, so we know if water is escaping before we look anywhere else.
Inspect room by room
Showers, bathrooms, laundry, kitchen, balconies, walls, floors and ceilings are scanned and tested, then the roof, gutters and drainage from safe access points.
Photo report
We walk you through what we found and send a photo report with the location, likely cause and what's needed to fix it, so you can negotiate or decide.
Signs we look for, and what they can mean
| Sign | Likely cause | How we find it |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh paint on one ceiling or wall | Covering a stain from a leak above, such as a shower, pipe or roof | Thermal imaging and moisture readings through the paint |
| New silicone or grout in an older shower | A leaking shower that has been patched, not fixed | Water and dye testing, and moisture readings next to the shower |
| Musty smell, mould or swollen skirting | Water getting into walls or under floors over a long time | Moisture mapping and thermal scans of the walls and floors |
| Meter moving with everything off | Leak on the water service, often underground or in a slab | Meter and pressure tests, then acoustic listening |
| Stepped cracks in brickwork or cracked tiles | Ground movement, sometimes from a leaking pipe or poor drainage | Checks of the drainage and nearby pipes, and moisture readings |
| Efflorescence (white salts) on a balcony or wall | Water sitting in the tiles, render or brickwork | Moisture readings, fall checks and drain checks |
| Rust or gaps around roof flashings | Roof leak into the ceiling or wall cavity | Visual check from safe access and a moisture scan inside |
More from our inspections
Who we inspect for
- Home buyers before auction, exchange or the end of cooling-off
- Investors buying apartments, townhouses and older rentals
- Buyer's agents and conveyancers who need a clear report for their client
- Apartment buyers worried about balconies, showers and leaks between units
- Sellers who want to find and fix problems before listing
- Owners of new homes checking work before the builder's warranty runs out
We're a family-run business, not a franchise, with Victorian plumbing licence 105159 and Queensland licence PD26669.
Related pages
Pre-purchase house inspection Melbourne · What's in a pre-purchase inspection report · Water leak detection Melbourne · Shower leak detection · Balcony leak detection · Roof leak detection · Water damage and mould · For real estate agents
Other cities: Sydney · Brisbane · Gold Coast · Mornington Peninsula · Geelong
Pre-purchase plumbing inspection FAQs
How much does a pre-purchase plumbing inspection cost?
From $498 inc. GST for the first hour on site in metropolitan Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Most inspections take about an hour. If more time is needed we tell you before going over: extra time is $198 per hour in Victoria and $168 per hour in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Other areas are priced by location.
Is this the same as a building and pest inspection?
No. A building inspection looks at the whole house. Ours focuses on water: hidden leaks, plumbing problems, wet areas, balconies, roofs and water damage, using testing equipment a general building inspector doesn't usually carry. Many buyers get both.
Do I need the vendor's permission?
Yes. The inspection is done with the agent's or vendor's permission, and tests such as running the showers or a meter test need the water connected. Tell us when you book and we'll explain what access we need so you can arrange it with the agent.
Can it be done before an auction or during the cooling-off period?
Yes. Call us as soon as you have a date. We'll fit in around the access times the agent can give you and tell you when to expect the report.
Will you tell me how much repairs will cost?
The report explains what we found, where it is and what's likely needed to fix it, so you can get quotes or negotiate. If you'd like us to, we can quote the repair work separately.
Do you check new homes as well?
Yes. Newer homes can still have leaking showers, balconies and roof flashings, and those defects are easier to raise with the builder or vendor before you buy than after.
Know about the leaks before you sign.
From $498 inc. GST. Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Call to book around your inspection date.
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Call 1300 346 353 - 24/7 for emergencies, office hours 7am–11pm, 7 days
Email admin@1300findleak.com.au — work orders and purchase orders welcome
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We're a mobile service and come to your property. Our teams are based in Parkdale and Moorooduc in Victoria, Seaforth in Sydney, and Hope Island on the Gold Coast, covering Melbourne, Geelong, the Mornington Peninsula, regional Victoria, Sydney, Wollongong, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Tweed Heads, Casuarina, Kingscliff and Byron Bay.
1300 FINDLEAK Pty Ltd · ABN 83 640 078 397 · VIC plumbing licence 105159 · QLD licence PD26669
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I'm Oliver Schulze, the director of 1300FINDLEAK, a family-run company committed to solving all your gas and water leak problems. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest standards in customer outcomes and satisfaction, ensuring reliable and professional service every time.
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