Newcastle · Lake Macquarie · the Hunter
Independent editorial, not a booking desk
A journal of houses, pests and purchase
Building Inspector NewcastleA journal of houses, pests and purchase in Newcastle and the Hunter
Timber, moisture, insects
Termite risk in the Hunter, what a timber pest inspection looks at, and the difference between a combined report and a dedicated pest inspection.
Photo: Mike (via iNaturalist). Coptotermes acinaciformis. CC BY 4.0. Source on Wikimedia Commons. Licence. Full credits on the image credits page.
From Stockton to Redhead the crawl space stays wet — blocked vents, plastic on soil, bathrooms leaking into the dark, and why lake suburbs and rising-damp language keep getting in the way of a clear diagnosis.
Tom Reilly · 5 September 2024 · 10 min read · Photo: DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0
Live termites in a Newcastle purchase are a decision, not a weekend DIY job — chemical barriers and baiting in general terms, structural repairs, vendor obligations, and the case for walking away.
Tom Reilly · 27 June 2024 · 11 min read · Photo: Michael Gardner, Public domain
A practical account of AS 4349.3 in Newcastle and the Hunter — soundings, mudding, frass, roof voids, subfloors and the landscaping that feeds a house, plus the cavities no honest inspector will pretend to have seen.
Tom Reilly · 2 May 2024 · 11 min read · Photo: Sam Wilson, CC BY-SA 2.0
AS 4349.1 and AS 4349.3 are different jobs. In Newcastle they are often sold as one afternoon — what you gain in convenience, what you lose in attention, and when a specialist timber pest inspection is worth commissioning on its own.
Tom Reilly · 28 March 2024 · 10 min read · Photo: One Salient Oversight, Public domain
Coptotermes and Nasutitermes in Newcastle and the lake suburbs — climate, conducive conditions, and the difference between a sign and evidence, without the scare percentages.
Tom Reilly · 20 February 2024 · 12 min read · Photo: Mike (via iNaturalist), CC BY 4.0
