Homeowners · Landlords · Builders
House structural inspection and engineer's report in Hobart
A licensed structural engineer inspects the parts of your home that hold it up: footings, walls, floors and roof framing, plus the drainage, trees and slope around them. You get a signed report on what is moving, why, how serious it is and what, if anything, to do. We never sell repairs, so the advice stays independent.
Engineering only
A signed report on the structure, and no repair to sell you.
Fixed quote in 1–2 business hours
Get a fixed quote for your inspection
Send the address, a few photos and what you've noticed. Your fixed quote confirms what's included, whether we need to visit and when you'll have the report.
From $590 + GST. No obligation. Or call 03 6146 4747
In short
A structural inspection in Hobart is an on-site check of a house's footings, walls, floors and roof framing by a licensed structural engineer, who then signs a report on what is moving, why, how serious it is and what to do. Our inspections start from $590 + GST across Greater Hobart, with a fixed quote within 1–2 business hours.
- Fee
- From $590 + GST, fixed before we start
- Quote
- Within 1–2 business hours, Mon–Fri
- You receive
- A signed report: cause, severity and next steps
Overview
What is a structural engineer inspection?
A structural engineer inspection is a visit by a licensed structural engineer to find out whether a house is structurally sound, what is moving and why. A general house inspection lists what is wrong. The engineer goes further: past the symptoms, such as a crack or a sticking door, to the footings, framing and ground that cause them.
In Tasmania, structural engineers are licensed under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005 in the Engineer – Civil class. Our licence number is [licence no.].
When should you book a structural inspection?
- New or growing cracks in brick, sandstone or plaster walls
- Doors or windows that have started to jam, or gaps opening above them
- Floors that slope, bounce or have dropped near an outside wall
- A retaining wall, deck or verandah that leans or has moved
- Before a major renovation, or after a burst pipe or excavation next door
- Your builder, insurer or building surveyor has asked for an engineer's report
Key takeaways
- The engineer checks the whole structure, not only the crack that worried you.
- The report names the likely cause, so any fix targets the real problem.
- We don't sell repairs, so there is no reason to recommend more work than you need.
What we check
What does the engineer check in a house inspection?
The engineer checks everything that carries load or shows movement, inside and out, because the pattern across them points to the cause.
Walls and cracks
Brick, sandstone, weatherboard and plaster walls. Each significant crack is located, measured and photographed.
Floors and levels
Sloping or springy floors, gaps under skirtings, cracked tiles and slab floors.
Doors and windows
Frames out of square, doors that bind or won't latch, windows that stick.
Roof framing and ceilings
Sagging, cornice cracks and stains, and the roof framing where the roof space is safe to enter.
Footings and subfloor
A house foundation inspection: visible footings, slab edges, stumps and bearers.
Drainage, trees and slope
Downpipes, stormwater, leaks, paving, nearby trees and how the block falls.
What's different about Hobart houses
Clays weathered from dolerite are documented as expansive in Hobart, with Mineral Resources Tasmania reports from Lindisfarne, Lenah Valley and Taroona. Homes range from sandstone and brick cottages to weatherboard on stumps and brick veneer on slabs, and many sit on steep blocks. The engineer also checks whether the property is in a Landslip Hazard Code band, because that changes what any repair needs. More in our guide to Hobart soils and why houses crack.
The report
What's in a structural engineer report?
A structural engineer report is a signed, plain-English record of what was found, what is causing it and what to do. The extract below uses made-up data to show how findings are set out.
| Ref | Location | Pattern | Width | AS 2870 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Rear wall, laundry window | Stepped through mortar | 3 mm | Cat 2 |
| C2 | Kitchen, door head | Diagonal from corner | 0.8 mm | Cat 1 |
| C3 | Bedroom 2, ceiling | Fine, along a joint | <0.1 mm | Cat 0 |
Findings (example)
- Likely cause: the rear corner footing has dropped where a broken stormwater pipe has been wetting the clay beneath it.
- Severity: slight (Category 2 at worst), with no sign of instability.
- Recommendations: repair the pipe, monitor C1 through a wet and a dry season, then repoint. No underpinning on current evidence.
Illustrative example only. Every real report also states the scope, the areas that couldn't be reached and the limits of the inspection, with photos and the engineer's signature.
Every report includes
- Your concern and the scope of the inspection
- Cracks located, measured and rated against the AS 2870 damage categories
- Floors, doors, framing, drainage, trees and site conditions
- The likely cause and how serious it is
- Recommendations: no action, maintenance, monitoring, further testing or a repair to be designed
- Photos, limits of the inspection and the engineer's signature
- Cat 0Negligible< 0.1 mm
- Cat 1Very slight< 1 mm
- Cat 2Slight< 5 mm
- Cat 3Moderate5–15 mm
- Cat 4Severe15–25 mm
- Cat 5Very severe> 25 mm
Choosing
Which inspection do you need?
The right inspection depends on the question you need answered. All three engineer inspections start from $590 + GST.
| Compare | Structural inspection | Crack & foundation report | Pre-purchase structural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Owners who want the whole structure checked | Specific cracks, a sinking corner or a sagging floor | Buyers whose inspector flagged something |
| The question | Is my house sound, and what needs doing? | What is causing these cracks, and are they getting worse? | What am I buying, and what would a fix involve? |
| Timing | Whenever something changes | Before anyone quotes a repair | Before your contract's inspection deadline |
| From | $590 + GST | $590 + GST | $590 + GST |
Not sure? Choose "Not sure, please advise" on the quote form. More on crack and foundation reports and pre-purchase structural inspections.
How it works
How does a structural inspection work?
A structural inspection takes four steps from your first message to a signed report, and a fifth only if a repair turns out to be needed.
- Step 1
Send photos and the address
Tell us what you've noticed and when. Mention any deadline from an insurer, builder or sale.
- Within 1–2 business hours
Fixed quote
A fixed fee, the inspection date and the report date, before anything starts.
- On site
Inspect and measure
Cracks, levels, framing, footings and the site, inside and out.
- On the date in your quote
Signed report
Cause, severity and recommendations in plain English.
- Only if needed
Design and certify a repair
Drawings and a Form 35 for your building surveyor. Any licensed builder can build it.
House structural inspection
On-site inspection of a typical house in Greater Hobart and a signed engineer's report. Larger homes or added scope are reflected in your fixed quote.
- Inside, outside and the subfloor where accessible
- Cracks rated against AS 2870
- Cause, severity and clear next steps
Help us quote accurately
Photos of the cracks, the age of the house and any earlier reports or repair quotes let us price the job and focus the visit. Already quoted for underpinning? Start with an underpinning second opinion from $390 + GST.
Related services
Often booked alongside an inspection
Cracks & foundation movement report
Each crack measured and rated against AS 2870, the likely cause found and a clear repair priority, from an engineer with no repair to sell.
Learn more
Pre-purchase structural inspection
When the building inspector flags cracks or movement, a licensed engineer explains the cause, the severity and what a fix would involve, before you commit.
Learn more
Underpinning advice, design & certification
An independent second opinion on an underpinning quote, then design, stage inspections and certification. We never sell or install underpinning.
Learn more