Residential Condition Survey Template

What the residential condition survey covers

This is a structured condition assessment of a residential property, evaluating the physical state, cleanliness, and functionality of every key area. It covers the **main entry and foyer**, **living room or lounge**, **dining area**, **kitchen**, and **bedroom or bedrooms**, and **bathroom or bathrooms**. The survey begins by recording the inspection details: the date conducted, who prepared it, the property's location, and any inspection guidelines. The property address or unit reference pins the survey to the right dwelling. Within each area, the same set of elements is assessed consistently: doors and doorway frames; interior walls and wall fixtures; windows and insect screens; ceiling surfaces; light fixtures and fittings; window treatments such as blinds or curtains; electrical outlets and switch plates; and floor coverings and surfaces. Assessing identical elements across every area keeps the survey comparable room to room and makes defects easy to trace.

Why a consistent condition survey matters

A condition survey matters because it produces a single, repeatable record of the state of a dwelling. Marking each element as either **satisfactory — clean, undamaged, and functional** or **defective — issues identified requiring attention** (with 'not applicable to this area' where an element does not exist in that space) replaces vague impressions with a clear result for every item. The room-by-room structure also matters. A defect in one room can share a cause with a defect in another — the same window type, the same light fitting, the same flooring — and noting the same elements everywhere lets you see patterns rather than one-off problems. Because every area is recorded on the same scale, the finished survey stands as a defensible account of what was inspected and what was found.

How to carry out the survey

1. **Record the survey details first.** Note the date conducted, the person who prepared the survey, the property address or unit reference, and any inspection guidelines that apply. 2. **Take the property area by area.** Begin at the main entry and foyer, then the living room or lounge, the dining area, the kitchen, the bedroom or bedrooms, and the bathroom or bathrooms. 3. **Assess each element.** In each area, work through the doors and doorway frames, interior walls and wall fixtures, windows and insect screens, ceiling surfaces, light fixtures and fittings, window treatments, electrical outlets and switch plates, and floor coverings and surfaces. 4. **Apply the scale.** Rate each item as satisfactory (clean, undamaged, and functional) or defective (issues requiring attention). Use 'not applicable to this area' only where the item is genuinely absent. 5. **Note the detail.** For any defective item, record the observations and defect details for that area, so the survey states precisely what was found. 6. **Complete every area.** Repeat the same steps until each space listed has been assessed.

Skills and preparation

Carrying out a condition survey benefits from an organised, methodical approach. You should be comfortable inspecting a range of building elements — doors and frames, walls, windows and screens, ceilings, lighting, window treatments, electrical fixtures, and flooring — and able to judge whether each is clean, undamaged, and functional. Prepare before you begin by confirming the property address or unit reference, reading any inspection guidelines, and settling on the date and the person who will prepare the survey. Clear, specific notes matter more than volume; the survey asks for observations and defect details, so write down what you actually see.

Answer scale used

Every assessed element is recorded on a simple three-point scale: - **Satisfactory — clean, undamaged, and functional** - **Defective — issues identified requiring attention** - **Not applicable to this area** Where an item is marked defective, the survey captures the associated observations and defect details for that area.

Frequently Asked Questions

The checklist records who carried out the survey and where it took place, noting the date conducted, the person who prepared it, and the property address or unit reference, along with any inspection guidelines that apply to the visit.

Every area of the property is assessed against the same categories: doors and doorway frames, interior walls and wall fixtures, windows and insect screens, ceiling surfaces, light fixtures and fittings, window treatments such as blinds or curtains, electrical outlets and switch plates, and floor coverings and surfaces.

Each item is recorded as either satisfactory — clean, undamaged, and functional — or defective, meaning issues identified require attention. Where an item does not exist in a given area, it is marked as not applicable to that area.

When you mark an item as defective, you note the specific observations and defect details for that room, so the record shows exactly what was found and where it needs attention.

The survey covers the main entry and foyer, living room or lounge, dining area, kitchen, bedroom or bedrooms, and bathroom or bathrooms, alongside the opening details of the inspection itself.

Written by

Arne Reis

Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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