Building & Timber Pest Inspections Kwinana & Wandi
Inspector West carries out building and timber pest inspections in Kwinana and Wandi for people buying, selling or taking handover of a home. Inspections are done by Brian Collins, a WA registered builder (BC13603) with more than 33 years of building experience. He inspects the property himself and writes the report.
This page covers the City of Kwinana, about 38 kilometres south of the Perth CBD: the original townsite suburbs of Medina, Calista, Orelia and Parmelia around the Kwinana town centre, the newer areas of Bertram, Wellard and Anketell, and Wandi on the northern edge of the City, east of the Kwinana Freeway. Housing ranges from 1950s homes to houses still under construction, so the inspection is matched to the building rather than to the postcode.
On 7 October 2026, REIWA listed 21 houses for sale in Wandi, with surrounding suburbs excluded.
What the inspection covers
A combined inspection pairs a building inspection, carried out with reference to AS 4349.1, with a timber pest inspection carried out with reference to AS 4349.3. Both are visual and limited to areas that can be safely accessed.
Where access allows, coverage includes the site, exterior, roof exterior, roof space, subfloor where there is one, interior and outbuildings. The timber pest inspection looks for termites, borers of seasoned timber and wood decay fungi, and for conducive conditions: moisture, poor drainage, ground-contact timber, and bridged or missing barriers.
The report records major defects, safety hazards and the general extent of minor defects, with photographs. Electrical, plumbing and gas compliance, swimming pools and asbestos identification are outside the scope. More detail is on the pre-purchase inspections page.
Who it is for
Buyers. Western Australia has no mandatory cooling-off period for residential property contracts. Offers are commonly subject to a building inspection and a timber pest inspection, with a short period in which to obtain them. Booking as soon as the offer is accepted leaves time to raise anything that matters with the agent or conveyancer.
Sellers. A seller inspection before listing shows the condition of the property in writing. Sellers can then repair, disclose or price with that information in hand, rather than hearing about it for the first time from a buyer’s report.
New homes. Independent stage inspections and practical completion inspections are available for houses still under construction or approaching handover in Wandi, Wellard, Bertram and Anketell. Findings are photographed and listed so they can be raised with the builder.
Housing in Kwinana and Wandi
Kwinana was planned in the early 1950s as a new town for BP refinery workers. The State Housing Commission handed over the first Medina houses in May 1953, and Calista, Orelia and Parmelia were developed around the town centre afterwards. Much of the housing in these original townsite suburbs dates from the 1950s to the 1970s, alongside later infill and rebuilt homes.
On these older houses, the inspection pays particular attention to roof coverings, ridge capping, gutters, ceiling staining and, where the roof space can be entered, the roof framing. Where there is a suspended timber floor, the subfloor is checked for ventilation, damp, timber condition and visible signs of leaking pipes or wet areas. Later extensions, patios and carports are also recorded. Houses of this age may contain asbestos-containing materials, which need a separate assessment.
Bertram, Wellard and Anketell are much newer. Bertram became a locality name in 1998, residential development at Wellard has expanded since the early 2000s, and Anketell has more recent estate development. Wandi combines larger semi-rural lots with newer estate housing on its western side. On these homes the inspection looks at workmanship and finishes, wet-area waterproofing, roof plumbing, ground levels against the slab, downpipes and surface drainage, and retaining walls. Minor shrinkage cracking in render, cornices and paving is recorded and distinguished from cracking that warrants further investigation. A newer house is not assumed to be free of defects, and the inspection does not replace a geotechnical report.
On larger Wandi lots, sheds and outbuildings are included where they are safely accessible. Termites are a genuine risk across the Perth metropolitan area, in both the older streets and the newer estates, which is why the timber pest inspection is included in the combined visit rather than treated as optional. Timber in contact with soil, damp subfloors, and paving or garden beds that bridge a termite barrier are noted when they can be seen.
Price
A combined building and timber pest inspection is priced from $550 including GST, depending on location. Kwinana and Wandi are within Perth metropolitan coverage. Building-only and timber pest-only inspections are quoted on request. Reports are digital, include photographs of the findings, are written by Brian Collins, and are usually delivered on the day of the inspection.
Suburbs nearby
Inspections cover the whole City of Kwinana, including Medina, Calista, Orelia, Parmelia, the Kwinana town centre, Bertram, Wellard, Leda, Casuarina, Anketell, Mandogalup and Wandi.
- South of Wellard: building and timber pest inspections in Baldivis.
- Coastal and established Rockingham suburbs: building and timber pest inspections in Rockingham.
- North into the City of Cockburn: building and timber pest inspections in Fremantle and Cockburn.
- The wider metropolitan area: building and timber pest inspections in Perth.
Book an inspection in Kwinana or Wandi
Call 1300 080 554 or email brian@inspectorwest.com.au with the property address. Please mention a suspended timber floor, or sheds on a larger Wandi lot, when booking. Inspections can also be booked online where appointment times are shown. The Inspector West site is inspectorwest.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What does a building and pest inspection cost in Kwinana or Wandi?
A: A combined building and timber pest inspection is priced from $550 including GST, depending on location. Building-only and timber pest-only inspections are quoted on request. Reports are usually delivered on the day of the inspection.
Q: Do older homes in Medina, Calista, Orelia and Parmelia get a different inspection?
A: The Standard and the report format are the same. The emphasis changes with the property. Houses from the 1950s to the 1970s are checked closely for roof coverings and framing, gutters, wet areas, signs of leaks, and the subfloor where there is a suspended timber floor. Asbestos identification is outside the scope.
Q: Do new houses in Wandi, Wellard, Bertram and Anketell need an inspection?
A: Yes. Newer houses are still checked for workmanship, waterproofing, roof plumbing, site levels, drainage and shrinkage cracking, and for anything bridging the termite barrier. For a home not yet handed over, a practical completion inspection provides a written list of items to raise with the builder.
Q: How quickly is the Kwinana or Wandi report available?
A: Reports are usually delivered on the day of the inspection. Each report is written by Brian Collins, is digital, and includes photographs of the findings so it can be sent to an agent, conveyancer or builder.