Dilapidation reports: recording a baseline that settles arguments later
23 September 2026 · 7 min read · Aiman Salem
A dilapidation report has one purpose: to record the condition of a property before something happens next door, such as an excavation, a demolition or piling, so that any later claim of damage can be tested against evidence rather than memory. It is rarely read when it is written. It is read months later, often by people in a dispute, and it succeeds or fails on whether it can answer one question: was this crack there before?
Record everything, including the unremarkable
The instinct on a defect inspection is to record problems. On a dilapidation inspection the absence of a problem is equally valuable. A wall recorded as having no visible cracking is the evidence that settles a later claim that the crack in it was caused by the works. Work room by room and elevation by elevation in a fixed order, and record the condition of every surface, not only the defects.
Photographs that can be compared later
- Crack width gauge in frame for every crack, so the width can be read from the photograph without the report.
- Wide shot, then close-up. The close-up proves the width; the wide shot proves where it is. Without both, nobody can find the same crack again.
- Location on a plan. A numbered marker on a floor plan beats a written description every time, and it is what makes the follow-up inspection fast.
- Dates and times recorded with each photograph.
- Consistent positions. Photograph from positions you can stand in again.
Context that matters later
- The date, weather and recent rainfall, since some cracks open and close with moisture.
- Areas you could not access, and why. An unrecorded room is a gap the other side will use.
- Existing repairs, patched cracks and repainting, which can hide earlier movement.
- Doors and windows that bind or do not latch, recorded as tested rather than assumed.
The follow-up inspection
The second report is only useful if it compares like with like: the same order, the same locations and the same photograph positions, with each earlier observation marked as unchanged, changed (with the new measurement) or new. Structure the first report so the second can follow it item by item.
Access and distribution
Record who gave access and who was present. Say who the report was prepared for and who it has been, or may be, shared with. Both owners usually receive a copy, and knowing that from the start keeps the wording factual.
Written for practising inspectors and engineers. This is general guidance about documenting an inspection, not engineering advice about any particular building. reportai.au is software for writing reports — it does not carry out inspections, and it does not certify anything. Professional judgement stays with the person who signs the report.
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reportai.au is a report documentation tool. It does not carry out inspections, does not assess or certify the condition of any building, and does not provide engineering services. Reports are AI-assisted drafts prepared for the inspecting engineer to check, correct, and sign off. All professional judgement remains yours.
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