Free Dilapidation Report Template and Checklist (SA)

What This Template Includes

Our dilapidation report template is a comprehensive, blank framework that walks you through every section a professional report should contain. It is not a completed report with findings already filled in. Instead, it provides the structure, headings, and prompts you need so that nothing is missed during a property condition survey. Whether you are a property owner preparing for a conversation with your surveyor, a builder who needs to understand the format a council will expect, or a strata manager coordinating reports across multiple lots, this template gives you a clear picture of what a thorough dilapidation report looks like from the inside out.

The template has been designed to align with standard practice in South Australia and is consistent with the methodologies used by building surveyors registered with the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors (AIBS). It covers residential, commercial, and strata properties.

Template Sections Breakdown

The template is organised into clearly defined sections. Each section includes blank fields, prompts, and guidance notes explaining what information should be recorded. Here is an overview of what you will find:

1. Cover Page and Property Details

Fields for the property address, legal description (certificate of title reference), property type, owner and tenant details, inspection date and time, weather conditions at the time of survey, and the name and qualifications of the inspecting surveyor. The cover page also includes space for the related development application number and the address of the neighbouring construction site.

2. Exterior Checklist

A structured checklist covering every external element that should be inspected and documented. This includes front, side, and rear elevations of all walls (brick, render, cladding, stone), roof condition visible from ground level, guttering and downpipes, fascia and eaves, windows and external door frames, driveways, footpaths, paved areas, retaining walls, fences and boundary structures, sheds, carports, pergolas, pool surrounds, and garden features such as edging and ornamental stonework. Each item has a condition field (good, fair, poor, or defect noted) and space for written observations.

3. Interior Checklist

A room-by-room framework for documenting internal conditions. The template provides repeatable sections for each room covering walls, ceilings, cornices, architraves, floors, skirting boards, door frames, windows, and built-in fixtures. Wet areas (kitchens, bathrooms, laundries) have additional prompts for tiling, grout condition, waterproofing indicators, and plumbing penetrations. Each entry includes fields for the element inspected, the condition observed, and a reference to the corresponding photograph number.

4. Photographic Record Guidelines

Guidance on how to organise and label photographs within the report. This section includes a photo log table with columns for image number, location description, orientation (compass direction), element photographed, and condition notes. It also provides best-practice tips for photographic documentation: using a crack-width gauge or scale ruler in frame, ensuring consistent lighting, capturing wide-angle context shots alongside close-up detail shots, and embedding date stamps on every image.

5. Measurement and Crack Monitoring Guidelines

Instructions for recording crack widths, lengths, and orientations using calibrated gauges. The template includes a crack schedule table where each crack is assigned a unique reference number, its location is described, and its width is recorded in millimetres. There is also guidance on when to recommend the installation of tell-tales or monitoring points for ongoing observation during construction.

6. Summary and Recommendations

A blank summary section for the surveyor to record overall findings, highlight areas of concern, note any limitations of the inspection (for example, areas that could not be accessed), and provide recommendations for monitoring during and after the adjacent construction works.

7. Surveyor Declaration

A template declaration statement confirming the surveyor's independence, qualifications, professional indemnity insurance, and the methodology followed. This section is essential for the report to carry weight in any dispute, insurance claim, or legal proceeding.

How to Use This Template

This template serves several practical purposes depending on your role:

• Property owners: Use it to understand exactly what a professional dilapidation report should cover. When you receive a completed report from your surveyor, check it against the template to confirm nothing has been missed. If a section is absent, ask your surveyor why.
• Builders and developers: Provide the template to your surveyor as a reference to ensure the report meets the standard expected by Adelaide councils when attached to a development application.
• Strata managers: Distribute the template to lot owners so they understand the scope of work before a surveyor visits common property and individual units.
• DIY reference: While a self-prepared report does not carry the same legal weight as a professional one, the template can help you take structured notes and photographs if you want a personal record alongside the formal survey.

Template vs Sample Report: What Is the Difference?

This page provides a blank template— the empty structure and checklists that a surveyor fills in during an inspection. It shows you the framework of a dilapidation report without any actual findings or photographs.

If you want to see what a completed dilapidation report looks like, with real findings, condition descriptions, and example photographic references from an Adelaide residential property, visit our sample dilapidation report page. That page walks through an actual report so you know what to expect when your surveyor delivers the finished document.

Related Resources

• What Is a Dilapidation Report? — a plain-English guide covering the basics of dilapidation reports in South Australia.
• Dilapidation Report Checklist— our interactive online checklist tool to help you prepare for your inspection.
• Request a Quote— connect with a qualified building surveyor in Adelaide for a professional dilapidation report.