Moisture staining or mould on wall surfaces
MajorWhat you may see: Discolouration, peeling finishes, musty odour.
Risk: Hidden leaks, health concerns, finish replacement.
Building guide
Internal walls inspection guide
Inside the home, walls show moisture, movement, previous repairs, and finishing quality that affect both safety and future cost.
Why it matters
Cosmetic cracks are common — but staining, soft plaster, and recurring openings can signal leaks or movement you should understand before exchange.
Common defects
Rated the way we discuss findings in reports — Major, Minor, Safety, or Further investigation.
Cracking at openings or corners suggesting movement
Further investigationWhat you may see: Reopening cracks above doors/windows, tapered gaps.
Risk: May relate to footing or framing movement.
Impact damage and poor patch repairs
MinorWhat you may see: Hollow patches, mismatched texture.
Risk: Usually cosmetic, but can hide prior issues.
Loose or unsafe fixtures / sharp edges
SafetyWhat you may see: Unstable shelves, protruding hazards.
Risk: Injury risk in day-to-day use.
Quality checklist
What “good” tends to look like for this area.
- Finishes generally intact for age
- No active moisture indicators on primary walls
- Doors and openings operate without binding (correlated)
- Previous repairs noted honestly in the report
How Sitescop inspects
- Room-by-room visual survey of walls and junctions
- Correlate internal clues with external and wet-area findings
- Photo-document defects with severity commentary
Technology & knowledge
- Moisture meter at suspect areas
- Thermal imaging where temperature anomalies assist
Photo examples
Open educational imagery matching this area of the building. We will swap these for anonymised on-site defect photos as you supply them — never publishing client-identifying details.
Interior plasterboard / drywall — lining condition before paint and trim
Cracking through wall finishes — can signal movement behind the lining
Close-up wall crack — size, location, and pattern are recorded in the report
FAQ
Do you open walls?
No. Pre-purchase inspections are typically non-invasive. We report what is visible and recommend invasive investigation only when justified.