Building Inspections in Leeming, Perth
Stock profile · ABS 2021 Census
What’s here in Leeming
- Separate houses
- 93.5%
- Semi-detached / townhouse
- 6.2%
- Flats & apartments
- 0.3%
3,817 occupied private dwellings
Local profile · ABS 2021 Census
Who lives in Leeming
- Median age
- 42yrs
How Leeming
was built
Leeming was laid out by surveyor George Waters Leeming in 1886 but remained agricultural land for the better part of a century. The area was predominantly used for market gardening and smallholdings, and it was not until 1971 that Leeming was officially gazetted as a suburb. Construction began in earnest in the mid 1970s and the main building wave ran through the late 1970s and into the mid 1980s, timed with Perth's southern suburban push and the extension of services along the Kwinana Freeway corridor. Leeming Senior High School opened in 1985, Leeming Primary opened in 1982 and West Leeming Primary in 1986, timing that reflects when the first cohort of suburban families arrived and their children reached school age. The suburb is split across three local government areas, with most of its residential area falling within the City of Melville, and its current character is defined by those 1970s and 1980s homes on well-established, bore-watered garden blocks. Fiona Stanley Hospital, which opened nearby in 2014, has since anchored a healthcare precinct along the Murdoch corridor that has lifted the suburb's amenity profile considerably.
What makes Leeming worth it
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Fiona Stanley Hospital and the Murdoch health precinct nearby
Fiona Stanley Hospital, St John of God Murdoch, and Murdoch University sit roughly four kilometres north-west, making Leeming practical for healthcare workers and buyers who prioritise medical access.
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Bull Creek station on the Mandurah Line
Bull Creek station is a short drive west, giving Leeming residents a fast rail connection to the Perth CBD (approximately 20 minutes) and to Mandurah to the south, without navigating Fremantle or Kwinana Freeway peak-hour traffic.
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Large established gardens on original lots
Most homes sit on 700 to 800 square metre lots with bore-watered gardens that have been established for 40 years. Mature trees, lawns, and landscaping that would take decades to grow on a new estate are already in place.
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Quiet, low-traffic residential streets
Leeming was planned as a low-density residential suburb and its internal streets carry minimal through traffic. Combined with the established gardens, this makes it one of the quieter southern suburbs at this price point.
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Proximity to Westfield Booragoon and Melville
Garden City shopping centre at Booragoon is five kilometres north-west and provides major retail, dining, and cinema. The Canning River and Melville's parklands are accessible in the other direction.
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Stable owner-occupier community with strong schools
Leeming has a high proportion of long-term owner-occupiers and a well-regarded high school. That social stability tends to support property values and community investment in the suburb's public spaces.
Top defects in Leeming
Five issues we find most.
From 29 SURE inspections in Leeming. Each defect is anonymous. No property is identified.
30 defect types indexed across 29 inspections
Meet Gary Wilkes
Gary Wilkes inspects Leeming and the whole Perth South territory, from South Perth down through Melville, Willetton, Canning Vale, and into the Cockburn corridor. - Territory: Perth South - Experience: 15+ years - Specialisations: 1970s and 1980s double-brick construction, concealed slab-edge termite risk, established-garden drainage - Direct line: 1300 787 327 Gary typically responds within 2 hours on business days.
Local risks in Leeming
Leeming's housing stock is predominantly late 1970s and early 1980s double-brick on slab, sitting on Spearwood and Quindalup dune sands with pockets of clay-rich soil toward the Canning River margins. Homes are now 40-45 years old, the window where original roofing, wet-area waterproofing, electrical switchboards, and hot water systems approach or exceed their service life simultaneously. The established bore-watered gardens are Leeming's defining character and its most consistent inspection finding. Garden beds that have been building up against external walls for 40 years routinely bury the slab weep screed and eliminate the termite inspection clearance. Concealed slab edges carry an average severity rating of 3.92 in our Leeming data, the highest of the leading defects, because the combination of mature gardens, original chemical barriers long since expired, and double-brick construction makes the concealment a high-consequence finding. In Leeming, we see a lot of: - Concealed slab edges: the highest-severity finding in the suburb at average 3.92. Forty years of garden growth against external walls has eliminated the required clearance between finished ground level and the slab weep screed on many Leeming properties. Once concealed, the termite barrier cannot be assessed and the entry path is open. Typical remediation: garden-bed lowering and barrier inspection at $1,500–$4,000. - External wall cracking from settlement: the most common structural finding. Sandy Swan Coastal Plain soils with clay pockets toward the Canning River margin drive minor to moderate slab movement that has been accumulating over four decades. Typical repair: $1,200–$6,500. - Bedroom ceiling and cornice joint cracks: consistent across the 1980s double-brick stock as the original timber-roof structure responds to seasonal movement. Usually cosmetic but worth documenting as a baseline before purchase.
Common issues in Leeming
Inspecting
Leeming homes
Every SURE inspection in Leeming covers structural, moisture, roof, drainage, and timber pest scope. The three most common findings in our Leeming reports are concealed slab edges, external wall cracking due to settlement, and bedroom ceiling and cornice joint cracks. Concealed slab edges are the highest severity finding in this suburb, with an average severity rating of 3.92, meaning garden beds and paths placed directly against external walls are creating termite entry points that are not visible without a dedicated inspection. Homes from the late 1970s and early 1980s are also entering the window where roof mortar, wet-area waterproofing, and original electrical switchboards need assessment.
DefectIndex
SURE has indexed 30 defects across 29 inspections in the Perth region. That data underlies every finding we report in Leeming.
Leeming and surrounding suburbs
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Tiles © CARTO
Questions we hear about Leeming
Is a building inspection worth it for a 1980s Leeming home?
Yes. Leeming's housing stock is now 40 to 45 years old, which is the age at which original roofing, switchboards, hot water systems, and wet-area waterproofing approach or exceed their service life. The 12 months FREE advice that comes with every SURE inspection means you have support for any questions that arise in the first year of ownership, not just on the day of the inspection.
Why is concealed slab edge the top DefectIndex finding in Leeming?
Concealed slab edge is a termite risk rating, not a structural one. It means garden beds, paths, or soil have been placed against the external wall at the height of the slab edge, hiding the inspection zone where termites most commonly enter a building. In Leeming, established bore-watered gardens and decades of garden bed growth are the main culprits. The inspection specifically checks for this and flags it because left unaddressed it voids most termite warranty protections.
Are there drainage concerns in Leeming?
Yes. Sandy Swan Coastal Plain soils drain quickly in general, but undrained air conditioner condensate and downpipes not connected to the stormwater system are common findings in this suburb. Both concentrate moisture near foundations and external walls, and both are checked as part of the standard inspection.
How quickly is the report delivered and what follow-up support is available?
Same-day delivery is usually available subject to access and availability. Your full PDF report with photos, severity ratings, and plain-English explanations arrives the evening of the inspection. Every finding comes with 12 months FREE advice from your inspector.
Who inspects Leeming properties?
Gary Wilkes covers Leeming and the wider Perth South franchise territory. Gary holds CPPHON4013 and CPPUPM3008 and has over 15 years of residential and commercial building experience, including extensive knowledge of the 1970s and 1980s double-brick construction patterns and termite risk factors common in this postcode.
What are the most common building defects found in Leeming?
Based on an indicative sample of 29 SURE inspections carried out in Leeming, the most common defects we identify are: External Wall Cracking due to Settlement, Cracked Roof Mortar, Slab Edge Concealed by Soil, Paving, or Raised Garden Beds, Mulch and Garden Beds Against House, Timber in Contact with Ground.
Are termite or timber pest concerns common in Leeming?
Yes. Across 29 inspections in Leeming, the most common timber-pest findings include Slab Edge Concealed by Soil, Paving, or Raised Garden Beds, Mulch and Garden Beds Against House, Timber in Contact with Ground. We recommend a timber-pest inspection alongside any pre-purchase building inspection here.
What structural issues are typical for homes in Leeming?
Common structural findings we record in Leeming include External Wall Cracking due to Settlement, Obstructed Roof Void due to Insulation, Aged Roof Framing Timbers. Each finding is reported alongside remedy recommendations and covered by 12 months free advice.
Is moisture a concern in Leeming homes?
Excessive Moisture Readings and Deteriorated Splashback Sealant are among the moisture-related findings recorded across 29 inspections in Leeming. Our inspectors use moisture-meter readings to quantify any issue they detect.
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9,237 inspections · 242,618 defects found · Inspector-owned franchises
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