service
Independent, certified property inspections for buyers, sellers and investors across South Africa. We provide a clear, photographed report that tells you the real condition of a property.
Overview
Our flagship inspection delivers a complete, room-by-room assessment of the property — from foundation to roof — supported by photographs, annotations and clear explanations.
A property inspection is a visual examination of the home’s major structure, systems and components. This includes the roof, exterior, basement or crawlspace, foundation and structure, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, fireplace, attic, insulation and ventilation, doors, windows, and the interior of a residential property.
Home inspectors look for system and major component defects and deficiencies, improper building practices as defined by SANS, those items that require extensive repairs, items that are general maintenance issues, and some fire and safety issues. A general property inspection is not designed to identify building code violations, although some deficiencies identified may also be code violations.
A residential inspection is not technically exhaustive and does not imply that every defect will be discovered. Some defects might be hidden and therefore not detectable. However, these types of defects are normally covered in contracts to protect the buyer/seller.
Home inspection SA prescribes to the Standards of Practice which serves as a minimum guideline for property inspections. These guidelines describe what is and is not required to be inspected by the various associations mentioned during a general residential inspection. Many inspectors exceed these standards (permissible) and may also offer ancillary services such as inspecting pools, sprinkler systems, Lapas etc.
Buyers doing due diligence, sellers preparing to list, or homeowners wanting peace of mind.
Scope
Each line item is documented with photos, descriptions and recommendations in the final report.
A property inspection has become essential rather than optional. Under the Property Practitioners Act, sellers and agents are expected to disclose a property's known defects in writing, and the old voetstoots ("as-is") clause no longer protects a seller who conceals problems. For buyers, an independent property inspection turns a high-stakes guess into an informed decision. For sellers, a pre-listing inspection is a credible, up-front disclosure that builds trust and heads off disputes after transfer.
Property is the largest purchase most people ever make, yet structural cracks, roof leaks, rising damp, faulty electrics and hidden moisture rarely show up on a viewing. A professional property inspector knows where to look and what each finding will cost you down the line, which is why an inspection that costs a fraction of a percent of the purchase price routinely saves buyers tens of thousands of rands at the negotiation stage.
In practice they are the same thing. It is a full, independent condition assessment of a residential property. "Property inspection" is simply the broader term, also covering investment, rental and pre-listing scenarios alongside a standard pre-purchase home inspection.
Pricing depends on the size and type of property. With us, you will always get a fixed quote up front, with no surprises.
Most property inspections take two to three hours on site, depending on the size of the property. Your detailed PDF report, with date-stamped photographs and annotations, is delivered within 2 - 3 days.
The major structure, systems and components such as roof and trusses, walls, floors and foundations, electrical, plumbing, drainage, doors, windows, the external envelope, and signs of damp or poor building practice measured against SANS. Add-ons like thermal imaging, drone and pest inspections are available on request.
Yes. A new builds carry their own defects. For new construction we recommend our new build snag list, a defect checklist to hand to the builder before you sign off.
We are based in Gauteng and Cape Town and we inspect across all nine provinces. If you are buying, selling or need inspection on a rental property anywhere in South Africa, we can arrange an inspection.
Home Inspection SA is based in Gauteng & Cape Town and we carry out property inspections across all nine provinces of South Africa. Our most-requested areas include Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion, Midrand, Sandton and the wider East and West Rand, along with Cape Town and the Western Cape, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, and Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
Get in touch and one of our certified inspectors will be in contact, usually within a few hours.
