Dilapidation reports in Sydney

Dilapidation report Sydney: quick facts

Typical properties

Terraces, semis, older brick homes, apartments and strata

Common triggers

Basements, knock-down rebuilds and apartment construction

Ground

Varies: sandstone in many areas, shale and clay soils in others

Approvals

Dilapidation conditions are common in development consents

Signed by

A structural engineer

Price

From $390 + GST, fixed quote in 1–2 business hours

Why do Sydney homes need a dilapidation report?

Because Sydney builds in tight spaces. Knock-down rebuilds, basement excavations and new apartment blocks often go in within a metre or two of homes that are decades old, and many inner-suburb terraces and semis share a party wall with the property being redeveloped. A dated, measured record made before works start is the simplest way to separate old cracks from new ones.

What works trigger a dilapidation report in Sydney?

Any work that could plausibly affect a neighbouring property. In Sydney, common triggers include:

• Basement excavation for houses, apartments and car parks, often close to the boundary
• Rock breaking, saw cutting and piling through sandstone and shale
• Knock-down rebuilds on narrow lots beside older homes
• Alterations to a shared party wall on a terrace or semi
• Apartment and mixed-use construction, with cranes and heavy trucks working beside existing buildings

Not sure your project needs one? Read when a dilapidation report is required.

How do basements and sandstone affect neighbouring homes?

In two ways: vibration while rock is broken or cut, and loss of support if an excavation sits close to a neighbour's footings. Both are why Sydney basement projects commonly carry dilapidation conditions.

Sydney's ground can change over short distances. Much of the city sits on sandstone, which usually has to be broken or saw cut to form a basement. Other areas sit on shale, which weathers to clay soils that can shrink and swell with the seasons. The geotechnical report for the works describes the conditions at a particular site.

A neighbour's footings above the 45° line are within the zone of influence. Those are the properties to record first, and the ones to consider for crack monitoring while the dig is open.

Do Sydney councils require dilapidation reports?

Often. Councils commonly include dilapidation conditions in development consents for excavation, demolition and piling near boundaries. The condition usually names the adjoining properties to be recorded, when the reports must be completed and who receives copies. Read the exact wording in your consent, and send it with your quote request so the scope matches.

Building next to a neighbour who's worried about access or cost? Read who pays for a dilapidation report and what happens if a neighbour refuses.

What do we record in a Sydney dilapidation report?

Everything a later damage claim could point to, located and photographed so it can be found again:

• Each adjoining home, inside and out, with numbered photos of every elevation and accessible room
• Both faces of shared party walls where access allows, plus the rooms either side
• A crack register giving each crack's location, width, length and orientation, linked to a photo
• Sandstone and masonry boundary walls, retaining walls, fences, paving and pools near the works
• Footpaths, kerbs and crossovers at the frontage when your conditions require them
• Strata common property and individual apartments beside larger developments

There's no Australian Standard written specifically for dilapidation reports. Reports commonly reference AS 4349.0, and crack severity is commonly rated with the damage categories in AS 2870. See how it comes together in our sample dilapidation report, or read which standards reports reference.

How a Sydney dilapidation report works

Six steps from consent to final comparison. The first five happen before anyone touches the site.

1. As soon as you have consent

   Check your development consent

   Find the dilapidation condition. It usually names the adjoining properties to record, when the reports are due and who receives copies.

2. Weeks before works

   Send the address and condition wording

   We reply with a fixed quote within 1–2 business hours, covering each property and any public assets the condition names.

3. Before the inspection

   Arrange access with neighbours

   A short letter explaining that the report protects both parties helps. For apartment buildings, contact the strata manager early.

4. Before demolition or excavation

   Inspect and record

   Each property is photographed inside and out, existing cracks are measured, and shared walls are recorded from both sides where access allows.

5. Before works start

   Issue signed reports

   Each owner receives the record of their own property. Lodge copies with your certifier or council if your consent requires it.

6. During and after works

   Monitor and compare

   Add crack monitoring for close neighbours during rock breaking or excavation, then a post-construction report when works finish.

How much does a dilapidation report cost in Sydney?

Our Sydney dilapidation reports start from $390 + GST for a typical house, signed by a structural engineer. The fixed price depends on the property's size, how many properties your consent names, inside access and any public assets to record.

See how dilapidation report pricing works, then get a fixed quote. Doing the works? Start with a pre-construction report. Works starting next door? Get your own neighbour report. Already seeing new cracks? Read what to do if construction next door damages your house.