Plumbing-Specific Pre-Purchase Reports
Standard building reports cover frame, roof and weather-tightness. What they usually skim over is the plumbing — the part that, when it goes wrong, costs tens of thousands. Southern Plumbing has been writing Wellington pre-purchase reports for 40+ years. We list every visible fault, flag the ones that’ll bite you first, and give you a clear picture of what the house will cost to maintain.
Standard practice: make your offer conditional on a satisfactory report within 5 working days. Typical turnaround is 2-3 business days. Call 0800 484 353 — read more on the pre-purchase report page.
What a Southern Report Actually Covers
Six inspection zones on every report:
- Exterior — spouting, downpipes, taps, waste-stack terminations, gas meter and regulator
- Interior — all fixtures, mixers, cisterns, traps, visible pipework
- Under-floor — pipe runs, insulation, leaks, old Dux QEST or galvanised runs
- Services — hot water cylinder, gas appliances, electrical tie-ins
- Roof space — vents, header tanks, old copper or Dux QEST in ceilings
- Roof — flashings, valleys, gutter discharge, vent terminations
You get a written report listing visible faults and maintenance priorities — what needs doing now, what can wait 12 months, what can wait 5 years.
The Dux QEST Problem
Dux QEST plastic piping was installed widely in New Zealand homes between the mid-1970s and the mid-1980s. It fails. Fittings split, pipes burst, and the damage often isn’t visible until a ceiling drops.
Most house sales won’t support Dux QEST remaining in the house — and insurance companies increasingly won’t either. If our report flags Dux QEST, expect to either renegotiate the price or plan for a re-pipe. We include likely re-pipe cost and scope in the report so you’re not walking in blind.
Full background: Dux QEST replacement in Wellington.
How to Book a Report
Call 0800 484 353 with:
- Real estate agency name
- Agent’s name and contact details
- Property address
- Any specific concerns (age of plumbing, known leaks, unconsented work)
We liaise with the agent directly to book access. You’re welcome to be present during the inspection — it’s often the best way to learn a property before you own it. The report is written in plain English, not plumber-speak, so you can hand it to a builder, a lawyer or a conveyancer without translating.
Want help after purchase? See after-building reports.
Body Corporate Maintenance Reports
Under the Unit Titles Act 2010, body corporate committees must hold a maintenance plan unless they formally opt out. Southern Plumbing writes the plumbing, drainage and gas-piping section of that plan — and can assess roofing and exterior cladding too.
Simple reports on buildings up to three storeys are free. More complex properties or detailed condition assessments are quoted.
Recommended starting point:
- Pull the property folder from your Territorial Authority (usually free) — contains drainage plans, permits, compliance certificates
- Order a LIM report from council (fee applies)
- Then book our assessment
More detail: body corporate reports.
Building Consent Problems? We Fix & Certify
Bought a house with half-finished work? Inherited an unconsented bathroom? Previous plumber vanished mid-job? We step in and finish it to code.
Common situations we handle:
- Incomplete work left by the original plumber or drainlayer
- Failed inspections — pressure-testing, gas verification, etc.
- Missing council records requiring re-inspection
- Work that pre-dates current code and needs upgrading
- Wall linings to be opened for inspection access
We prepare and submit the consent plan, complete the work, pressure-test, and see the Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) through to issue. More: building consent problems.
A Warning About “Vendor-Repair” Discounts
When a report comes back with faults, agents sometimes offer to “get the vendor to fix it before settlement” at a discount. Be careful. Repairs done at the 11th hour by the cheapest tradie the agent can find are often:
- Not code-compliant
- Carried out by unqualified contractors
- Not backed by any real guarantee once the vendor’s moved out
- Cosmetic cover-ups rather than proper fixes
Better approach: renegotiate the price instead, then have the work done properly by a contractor you choose — backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. We’re happy to quote the full remediation as part of your report.
Accredited, Experienced, Local
Every Southern report is written by an accredited building surveyor with decades of hands-on plumbing and gasfitting experience. Not a checkbox form by someone who’s never picked up a wrench.
- 40+ years of Wellington properties in our records — we’ve seen every vintage from 1920s bungalows to brand-new townhouses
- Certifying Plumber & Gasfitter on staff — we can quote and carry out any remediation the report identifies
- Master Plumbers Association member 25+ years
- Honest and fair — reports written in plain English, not jargon designed to protect the inspector
Need renovation quotes off the back of the report? See bathroom renovations or kitchen renovations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Typically 2-3 business days from inspection to written report. That fits comfortably within the standard 5-working-day conditional-offer clause most Wellington sale-and-purchase agreements use.