How much do building reports cost in NZ?

The average buildings report in NZ costs around $550. Costs do vary though – depending on which company you choose you can expect to pay anywhere from $350 to $1,000+ for an entry level building report. 

There are extra costs too if you require a non-standard report, if the property is remote or has a large number of rooms, expect to pay more. 

• Reports are usually costed per room: the starting price will usually cover a one or two bedroom apartment, then the price will increase as the bedrooms and size of the home increase. For example, you might pay $520 for a one bedroom apartment inspection, $600 for a three bedroom and $700+ for a large 6+ bedroom home. 

• Additional buildings cost extra: if there’s an extra building on the site, like a granny flat or shed, including that in the report will usually cost an additional $150 or so. 

• Monolithic cladding houses also cost extra: around $150 to $200 more to cover extra moisture testing and more detailed checks of the cladding. Some building inspectors even refuse to look at monolithic cladding homes built during a certain period. 

In Auckland, building reports start at around $635 incl GST and increase from there. This usually covers smaller, one or two bedroom homes. Larger homes with 4+ bedrooms may cost $700 or more. 

Christchurch building reports tend to cost a bit less than Auckland ones. You can expect to pay anywhere from $460 to $590 incl. GST. with extra charges for larger, more complex homes. 

The cost of building reports in Wellington varies considerably. The cheapest we found was Wellington Property Inspections who charge $447.35 incl GST, and the most expensive was CheckHome at $645 incl GST. Generally, you should expect to pay around $500 to $600. 

Your average building report is a detailed visual inspection of a home. The inspector usually won’t do any invasive testing – they won’t look inside the walls, behind the cladding or anywhere that isn’t easy or safe to access (which may be the case with tight underfloor or ceiling cavities). Read more about what building inspections usually include. 

If you need more detail there are a range of other reports you could get, including:

• Healthy Homes assessments: an assessment of heating and insulation that’s legally required if you want to rent your home out residentially. Starting at $200 to $350. 

• Verbal building inspections: if you need a quick, basic assessment and your lender or insurer doesn’t require a report a verbal inspection could be an option. These usually cost a bit less – from around $250. 

• Asbestos testing: starts at around $200. 

• EQC (Earthquake Commission) scope of work reviews: which check if earthquake repairs have been completed correctly cost around $590+. Most Christchurch building inspectors offer these. 

• Thermal imaging: if you need more detail, a thermal imaging report could be a good idea. They can be a great way to detect moisture issues that are out of sight, as well as structural issues and electrical faults, but they can be expensive – starting at around $795. 

• Floor levels: if you’re buying a home in an area affected by landslides or earthquakes it can be a good idea to get a floor level inspection. These start at around $795. 

• Subfloor inspections: if your subfloor isn’t easily accessible, some building inspectors offer reports including a detailed inspection via a robot with a camera (cool, right?). These start at around $795.