Building a new house is often one of the biggest events of your life. However, newly-built properties, despite being brand new, can have many hidden defects due to unauthorised usage of inferior materials, poor supervision and workmanship, as well as human oversight. Many of these defects may seem to be trivial at first, however, they may evolve into major defects that seriously affect the longevity of your new home down the track. Engage us to inspect your new build at each stage of the construction to ensure the quality of the entire construction and avoid spending large sum of money only to live in a poorly built home.
- Major Defects for New House
- Inferior Workmanship
- Structural and Safety Hazard
- Unauthorised Change to Plan
- Costly Repair at Owner's Expense
- Dispute with Builder
Top Reasons for Professional Inspections during Construction
- Ensure poor workmanship and unauthorised material substitution are detected and corrected
- Ensure internal building foundation and structure are checked for integrity while they are still visible
- Ensure all defects are corrected before warranty period expire
- Ensure that the property is constructed according to plan and contract**
- Avoid getting a home with major defects that are extremely costly to rectify
- Avoid all the stress of going through the dispute process with your builder after handover
Major Focuses of Our Inspections
New home construction inspections are divided into 6 stages which include Contract Review, Base / Slab, Framing, Lockup, Fixing and Completion. Every stage will have its own specific areas to check and required comprehensive knowledge of the construction process.
- 1. Contract Review
- Identify unreasonable conditions set by the builder
- Identify hidden cost
- Identify any loop hole that can be used to take advantage of the home owner
- Add special conditions that protect the home owner
- Review use of construction material, identify potential saving opportunities
- 2. Base / Slab Inspection (Prior to Pouring Concrete)
We ensure your house foundation is constructed in compliance with the approved engineer design and drawings, BCA, relevant Australian Standard AS2870 and good building practices. Part of our checklist includes:- Steel Reinforcement Dimension, Placement, Support & Clearance
- Termites Protection Barrier Installation,
- Vapor Barrier Rips, Tears and Completeness
- Boxing & step-downs
- 3. Framing Inspection
We ensure the frame is constructed in compliance with the engineer design, drawings, BCA, relevant Australian Standard AS1684. Part of our checklist includes:- Lintel, beam, LWB, stud, truss, bracing dimensions and joining
- Check for any exposed steel around its perimeter, any blow-out along its edges, any bottom plate overhang
- Finish of the concrete, appearance of concrete cracking and dusting
- Correct installation of the bracing, roof truss, window and door frames etc
- 4. Lockup Inspection
We ensure your house frame is constructed in compliance with the approved engineer design and drawings, BCA, relevant Australian Standard AS3700 and good building practices. Our checklist includes:- Vertical level, plumb, straightness of the wall
- Proper placement of articulation joints, (flashing), and weepholes
- Correct clearances between windows and brisk sills
- cavities between brick without excessive mortar etc.
- 5. Fixing Inspection
- Internal fit-out is carried out according to plan and contract
- Windows and doors are properly sealed and level
- Skirting and architraves are correctly installed
- Waterproofing completed to correct height
- Ceiling height
- Correct material used and Installation of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, bench top, mixer, shower head, vanity units and tiles
- Electrical power outlet in correct position
- Electrical garage door correctly installed and working
- 6. Completion Inspection
Our inspection ensures that the builders have completed all the work before you make the final payment. We check hundreds of items during completion inspection, including any visual defects (Exterior & Interior), electrical fit-out, paint work, appliances, door, windows, gutter, fascia, eaves, roof tiles, insulation, site drainage, ceiling, cornice, skirting, ventilation, all cabinetry, tapes and many more to make sure that everything is operational and within contract agreement.
Inspection Process
- We strongly recommend professional inspection is carried out for every single stage of construction to ensure the quality of your new home is sound in all aspects. Once the homeowner receives an invoice for a stage payment, it is advisable to arrange for an inspection first. We recommend homeowners only make stage payment when the builder has repaired all the identified defects or at least committed to a reasonable time frame to repair the defects.
- Once the house reached the completion stage, the homeowner should be aware that they will receive the final invoice from the builders. A final inspection (also known as Practical Completion Inspection) will be vital as this is the last time for the builders to rectify all the defects before you take ownership.
Free Resources
Inspection Checklist - New Building Handover Inspection
Sample Report - New Building Handover Inspection
**According AS4349.1, Standard Building Inspection does not include checking construction against signed contract, however if requested, we can include the service free of charge if time allows