Apartments and commercial buildings
Commercial and apartment condition, defect and change-of-use reports in Canberra
Cracked concrete, damaged balconies, a building you're buying or putting to a new use. We inspect the structure, find the likely cause and report what to do next. We never sell or carry out the repair.
- Fixed quote per project, from your photos or plans
- Fixed quote in under 20 minutes on average, during business hours
- Documented for your builder and certifier
Prefer to talk? Call 02 6189 9876
Or email info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm
- Engineering onlyWe never sell the repair or the build.
- Fixed quote per projectPriced from your photos or plans before we start.
- Fixed quote in under 20 minutes on averageDuring business hours, Monday to Friday.
- Canberra and the Queanbeyan sideEvery district, plus Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra and Googong.
In short
Apartment and commercial defect reports in Canberra are a fixed quote per project, ex GST. We inspect concrete, balconies, cracking and the wider structure, then report what we found, the likely cause and what to do next. Time matters: in the ACT a building action can't be brought more than 10 years after completion, last inspection or first occupation. We report; we never repair.
- Fee
- Fixed quote per project, ex GST with inc GST beside
- Quote
- Fixed, in under 20 minutes on average, during business hours
- You receive
- A written report: findings, likely cause and what to do next
- Building actions
- Within 10 years of completion, last inspection or first occupation
- Rectification orders
- Up to 10 years after completion, under developer licensing
- Not included
- Repairs, fire safety, waterproofing certification
What's included in a commercial or apartment report?
A structural inspection and a written report with findings, the likely cause and what to do next. Choose the report that matches why you need it. If you're not sure an engineer is the right person, read do I need a structural engineer?
| Report | When it fits | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Condition report | Buying, leasing or planning works on a commercial building or apartment block | The current condition of the structure: concrete, framing, walls, floors, balconies |
| Defect report | Cracked or spalling concrete, balcony damage, sagging floors or signs of movement | Each defect documented and explained, with the likely cause and what to do next |
| Change-of-use report | A new use for a building or tenancy | Whether the floors, roof and structure suit the new use, and what needs strengthening |
| Dilapidation report | Before excavation, demolition or construction next door | A dated, photographed record of the building's condition before the works |
No ACT law requires a dilapidation report before nearby works. Master Builders ACT advises that one "should be treated as essential" before excavation or demolition.
We report on
- Concrete cracking and spalling
- Balconies, slabs and soffits
- Walls, beams, columns and footings
- Signs of movement and their likely cause
- Whether the structure suits a new use
We don't
- Carry out, quote or recommend repairs
- Fire safety or fire engineering
- Certify waterproofing
- Building approval or certification
- Asbestos testing
Are apartment defects common in Canberra?
They've been widely reported. In June 2026 a Canberra structural engineer told the Canberra Times that concrete defects are "widespread" in the city's apartment developments.
Remediation firms in the same June 2026 report said most of their work is on apartments under 10 years old. The 2019 estimate split its $268 million into $176 million for combustible cladding, $69 million for water leaks and $17 million for structural defects. These are news reports, not official counts.
Remediation firms sell the repair. We don't, so our report isn't shaped by what you buy next. Apartments make up a large share of homes in the inner districts: 42.6% of occupied private dwellings in North Canberra in 2021 (ABS). See our page for Canberra's Inner North.
How long do owners have to act on building defects in the ACT?
Up to 10 years for a building action, counted from the certificate of completion, the last inspection or first occupation. Some cover runs out much sooner.
| Rule | Time limit | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Building actions | Not more than 10 years after the certificate of completion, last inspection or first occupation | Building work in the ACT |
| Rectification orders | Up to 10 years after completion, for serious defects | Projects under the property developer licensing scheme (3 or more dwellings, since 1 October 2026) |
| Statutory warranties | 6 years for structural elements, 2 years for other work, from completion | Residential building work costing $12,000 or more (not owner-builder work) |
| Residential building insurance | Insured for 5 years after the certificate of occupancy and use; claims within 180 days of becoming aware of the grounds | Class 1 and class 2 buildings of no more than 3 storeys |
Building Act 2004 and Building (General) Regulation 2008; ACT property developer licensing scheme. Checked 6 November 2026.
A defect report can support a dispute with your builder or developer. Building complaints go to Access Canberra and the Construction Occupations Registrar. For houses, warranties and insurance are explained in full on our building defect reports page. For new townhouse and apartment projects, see townhouse and multi-unit engineering.
Does a change of use need a structural report?
Often, because a new use can load the building differently. If it also changes the building's class, the exemptions for internal alterations no longer apply, so plan for approvals; your certifier confirms.
In the ACT, internal alterations keep their building approval exemption only while the building's class stays the same and the structure isn't affected. Their development approval exemption needs the same class and, in a non-residential building, no increase in gross floor area. A change of use that changes the class takes the work outside both. Our guide to building approval in the ACT explains who approves what.
We check whether the floors, roof and structure suit the new use, such as storage or heavier equipment where offices used to be, and design any strengthening. New mezzanines, openings and roof plant are covered on our fit-out and mezzanine engineering page.
What happens next?
Three steps, and you know the price before anything is booked.
Send photos
Use the form above or email info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au. Photos of the damage, the building's age and any earlier reports. Add up to 5 files.
Get a fixed quote
We reply with a fixed quote in under 20 minutes on average, during business hours, ex GST with the inc GST figure beside.
Inspection and report
We inspect the structure and send a written report: what we found, the likely cause and what to do next.
Commercial reports are priced per project. Our home services have published prices, and the rest of the lane is on commercial structural engineering.
Get a fixed quoteRelated reports and commercial work
Defect and dilapidation reports for houses have published prices. Apartment and commercial buildings are quoted per project.
Building defect reports
Structural defects in new and recent homes found, documented and explained, with the ACT warranty periods in mind.
$1,290 + GST($1,419 inc GST) See the service
Dilapidation reports
A dated, photographed record of a building's condition before nearby demolition, excavation or building work starts.
$750 + GST($825 inc GST) See the service
Fit-outs & mezzanines
Mezzanine floors, new openings, roof plant and fit-out loads for shops, offices and warehouses.
Fixed quotefrom your photos or plans See the serviceCommercial and apartment report questions
Something else on your mind? Call 02 6189 9876, email info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au or send photos for a fixed quote.
Do you inspect apartment balconies and concrete?
Yes. We inspect cracked or spalling concrete, balconies, soffits and slabs, and report the likely cause and what to do next. We don't certify waterproofing or carry out repairs.
How long do I have to act on building defects in the ACT?
A building action can't be brought more than 10 years after the certificate of completion, last inspection or first occupation. Warranty and insurance periods are shorter, so get defects documented early.
Can your report support a dispute with a builder or developer?
It can. The report records what we found, the likely cause and what to do next. Building complaints go to Access Canberra and the Construction Occupations Registrar.
Do you recommend or carry out repairs?
No. We're engineers only. We don't sell, carry out or recommend repairs, so the report isn't tied to a repair contract.
Do you check fire safety or cladding?
No. Fire safety, including cladding, and waterproofing are for other specialists. We report on the structure.
How much does a commercial defect report cost?
It's a fixed quote per project, ex GST with the inc GST figure beside. The size of the building, how many units or areas we inspect, access, and the report you need set the price.