Inspector West carries out building and timber pest inspections in Thornlie for buyers and sellers. Brian Collins, a WA registered builder (BC13603) with more than 33 years of building experience, inspects the property and writes every report.
Thornlie is a City of Gosnells suburb about 15 kilometres south-east of central Perth. It was not built in one decade. Residential subdivision began in the late 1950s, and later estates filled the south and west of the suburb through the 1970s and 1980s. A buyer can be looking at a 1960s brick house on a larger block or a later project home, sometimes in the same week. The inspection is matched to the building in front of the inspector, not to a single suburb stereotype.
On 3 October 2026, REIWA listed 95 houses for sale in Thornlie, with surrounding suburbs excluded.
What the inspection covers
A combined visit is a building inspection with reference to AS 4349.1 and a timber pest inspection with reference to AS 4349.3. Both are visual and limited to areas that can be safely accessed.
Coverage includes the site, exterior, roof exterior, roof space, subfloor where there is one, interior and outbuildings. The 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 distinguishes items that affect the structure or safety from minor maintenance, and it includes photographs. Electrical, plumbing and gas compliance, swimming pools and asbestos identification are outside the scope. See pre-purchase inspections for the buyer’s briefing.
Who it is for
Buyers. There is no mandatory cooling-off period on residential property contracts in Western Australia. Offers are commonly subject to a building inspection and a timber pest inspection, with a short period in which to obtain them. Book as soon as the offer is accepted.
Sellers. A seller inspection is useful in Thornlie because many houses have had several owners and at least one round of alteration. A photographic report before listing shows roof, wet-area and addition issues while there is still time to address them.
Landlords and owners of houses being renovated can also arrange an inspection. The brief should say so at booking, because a renovation in progress changes what can be seen.
Housing in Thornlie
The City of Gosnells records the first houses on the Thornlie estate in 1956–57, with the first stage largely built by the mid-1960s. Later development is usually described in stages: north-east Thornlie in the 1950s and 1960s, southern Thornlie in the 1970s and 1980s, Crestwood from 1970, Castle Glen in the 1980s, and Forest Lakes from the 1980s onward. The Canning River runs along the northern side of the suburb. Crestwood was planned as a separate estate, with pedestrian paths kept apart from the roads, and it remains a distinct part of Thornlie.
On the older brick-and-tile houses, the inspection pays particular attention to roof tiles and ridge capping, gutters and downpipes, visible lintels, wet areas, ceiling staining, and the quality of patios, pergolas and later extensions. On the 1980s estates the houses are newer, but they are no longer new: roofs, wet areas and site drainage are still checked. None of this is a claim that Thornlie houses share one defect. It is the checklist that follows from the age of the stock.
Older parts of the suburb are often on larger blocks than the later estates, which means more outbuildings, more boundary fencing and more timber that may be in contact with soil. Those areas are included where they are safely accessible. Termites are a genuine risk across the Perth metropolitan area, in both the post-war streets and the later estates.
Thornlie is not the suburb of Gosnells and it is not Canning Vale. Those neighbours have their own housing. The council area is also wider than the suburb.
Price
A combined building and timber pest inspection is priced from $550 including GST, depending on location. Thornlie is within Perth metropolitan coverage. Building-only and timber pest-only inspections are quoted on request. Reports are written by Brian Collins, include photographs, and are usually delivered on the day of the inspection.
Suburbs nearby
Neighbouring suburbs include Gosnells, Maddington, Huntingdale, Langford, Parkwood, Kenwick and Canning Vale.
The metropolitan overview is on building and timber pest inspections in Perth.
Book an inspection in Thornlie
Call 1300 080 554 or email brian@inspectorwest.com.au with the address. If the house is in Crestwood, Castle Glen or Forest Lakes, say so. Online booking is available where times are shown. Inspector West: inspectorwest.com.au.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What does a building and pest inspection cost in Thornlie?
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.
Q: Do you inspect both the 1950s and 1960s houses and the later estates?
A: Yes. North-east Thornlie, Crestwood, Castle Glen, Forest Lakes and the southern estates are all covered. Older brick-and-tile houses are checked for roofs, gutters, wet areas and later alterations. Later estate houses are checked on the same Standard, with attention to condition rather than to age alone.
Q: Can a seller in Thornlie book before listing?
A: Yes. Seller inspections are available so condition can be documented before the property is listed. See the seller inspections page, or call with the address for a booking.
Q: When is the Thornlie report ready?
A: Reports are usually delivered on the day of the inspection. Each report is written by Brian Collins and includes photographs of the findings.