Dilapidation reports in the Inner West
Terraces, semis and party walls are our everyday work here. Pre- and post-construction inspections across the Inner West.
In the Inner West, building work usually happens right against a neighbour. Rear extensions, second storeys and new basements on terraces and semis mean digging and demolishing beside a shared wall, often on houses more than a century old.
That makes the dilapidation report especially important. Old lime mortar, shallow footings and decades of minor movement mean most Inner West houses already have cracks. Without a record, every one of them can become a claim.
What we focus on
- Party walls, recorded from both sides wherever access allows, including roof space where the wall continues up
- Ceilings and cornices in older homes, where cracking is common and often blamed on works next door
- Rear lanes, courtyards and boundary walls, which take the brunt of access and excavation
- Heritage detail in conservation areas such as fireplaces, decorative plaster and original joinery
Inner West Council frequently includes dilapidation conditions for adjoining properties. We'll check the wording and make sure each adjoining owner is covered.
Suburbs we cover
Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Petersham, Stanmore, Enmore, Newtown, Camperdown, Annandale, Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Rozelle, Balmain, Birchgrove, Haberfield, Summer Hill, Ashfield, Lewisham, Tempe and St Peters.
Common questions
What if the neighbour won't let you inspect their side of the party wall?
We record everything visible from the building site and the street, note that access was declined, and describe the party wall from the side we can see. That record is still useful evidence.
Do you inspect the roof space?
Where the owner agrees and it's safe to access, yes. In terraces the party wall often continues through the roof space, and cracking there is worth recording.