Are you building or planning to build in Brisbane, Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast?
Have you considered the benefits of Building Stage Inspections?
Why Should You Consider Building Stage Inspections? A new home is a large investment and you’ve worked hard to get to the point you’re at. Independent Building Stage Inspections or Quality Assurance Inspections during construction by a qualified and licensed building expert are the best way to ensure everything in your home is of the highest quality and is built in accordance with Australian Building Codes and Standards.
In other words Building Stage Inspections protect your investment and help give you peace of mind.
What We Look For. Identifying defective workmanship or contractual anomalies during construction can help avoid problems and building disputes down the track. A common example is if wall framing isn’t square before it has been covered up by insulation & plasterboard it is often not recognised until the walls have been painted and can become a much larger problem to rectify than if the defects had been noted at frame stage. This type of problem can have a flow-on effect that impacts walls, ceilings or tiling being out of square.
Will This Delay The Process? Building Stage Inspections can be done without delaying the construction schedule. It is important for you to let your builder know at the start of the build, or as early as possible, that you are planning to engage an independent expert to conduct inspections on your behalf at various building stages. As a result your builder can inform you as each stage is nearing completion to allow time to organise the relevant inspection.
At times, home owners can be worried that engaging an independent building inspector may cause offense to their builder. In our experience, there is not a quality builder in the market who does not welcome an independent inspection, as it provides a second pair of eyes to help them deliver the best possible product to their client.
Your inspection will be carried out by a highly-experienced and qualified ASBIR building expert who is not only a licensed building consultant but also a licenced builder.
Call us on 1300 553 007 during business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm & Saturday 9:00am – 4:00pm to speak to one of our friendly team. Or request an obligation free quote 24/7 via our Free Quote Form
An Independent Building Expert In Your Corner
In our experience your build should be inspected at the following stages:
- Base or Slab Stage Inspection: Inspection of footings and slab area prior to pouring of concrete.
This inspection is conducted immediately prior to the pouring of the slab. During the inspection your building inspector is checking the form work and slab penetrations including the under-slab services, termite protection and site gradient. Your slab is also checked by a certifier organised by the builder after the slab has been poured.
- Frame Stage Inspection: Inspection of completed frame and roof frame structure before interior wall linings are installed. (this inspection is critical)
This is the only inspection that is conducted after the relevant progress payment claim by the builder. The frame stage progress payment is most often claimed immediately after the frame has been erected. However, the frame stage inspection does not occur until the builder has completed a few more steps.
After the frame has been erected, the roof installed, the temporary bracing removed and the carpenters have returned to straighten the frame, then it is truly ready for the frame stage inspection. This allows your building inspector to ensure that the frame is straight, square and true, that it has been secured to the slab correctly and that it is true to the approved plans especially the positioning of the door and window openings.
The correct timing of this inspection is crucial. Inspect too early and the Frame will be artificually straight, inspect too late and defects may be hidden.
- Enclosed or Lock-up Stage Inspection: Inspection of roof cladding, external walls, doors and windows, and waterproofing before tiling of wet areas.
The Enclosed Stage is a significant milestone when you are building. It refers to the point in time where are are able to effectively ‘lock-up ‘ the house. Once the external doors are on and your windows are in, the house can be properly secured. This means it’s a lot safer to start putting in things like the fixtures and fittings, however in many cases the appliances are not installed until just prior to Handover.
Because there is a sizeable payment associated with lock-up it is essential to know you’re your home is indeed secure and that the doors, windows, exterior cladding including the roof is in fact installed as well as insulation and internal linings in place.
Remember even though your house looks like a house you are not entitiled to have a key just yet.
- Fixing or Pre-Paint Stage Inspection: Inspection after installation of internal fixtures and fittings, interior and finishing of carpentry prior to painting.
The Fixing Stage is the time when all plasterboard lining (aka internal cladding), architraves, skirtings, doors, built-in shelves, baths, basins, sinks and cabinets are fitted and fixed into position. We check that the installation of these items is compliant with the National Construction Code and all relevant Australian Standards and Tolerances.
We also check the installation of the waterproof membranes in the wet areas, where accessible.
The house will still require painting and finishing touches such as cabinet doors may still be missing but this is the time to ensure that everything is the correct height and is level, plumb, straight and square and that no damage has been done to the completed work.
- Handover or Practical Completion Inspection: Inspection of the completed home for defects and omissions in accordance with the Australian Standard at Practical Completion. (the most crictical inspection)
A Handover Inspection or Practical Completion Inspection Report also referred to as a “PCI” is the single most important independent inspection you can have carried out when you are building a new home or investment property. This inspection allows you to check the quality prior to paying the final payment.
A lot of building defects and other issues are not apparent to the untrained eye so it’s important to engage the services of an experienced and licensed building inspector to conduct a quality assurance inspection on your behalf before Handover.
It is important to note that any defects not identified at this stage may not be rectified by the builder and could end up being your problem later and could potentially end up costing you a lot of money.
Your property will be thoroughly inspected inside and out for defective workmanship and any incomplete work. All buiding work and materials used are assessed to ensure thay are of the highest quality and that everything comples with Australian Building Codes and Standards.
All Suburbs Building Inspections reports will provide you with a clear desription of what each defect is and where each defect is located. This is followed by a concise recommendation as to who is responsible for rectifying the defect. If any Australian Standard and Tolernace or Building Code has not been complied with, we will provide an explanation as to why they are uncompliant.
All Suburbs Building Inspections is here to support you every step of the way by providing Quality Assurance inspections and professional advice to assist you during the entire building process, from start to practical completion and beyond, to help you make informed choices and give you peace of mind.
Our Service Areas
With our head office centrally based north of Brisbane at Kallangur and inspectors that live both northside and southside, we are ideally located to service a large part of South-East Queensland. We service all suburbs of Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Logan, Gold Coast and Ipswich, and surrounding hinterland areas.
Contact Us
Call us on 1300 553 007 during business hours, Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm & Saturday 9:00am to 4:00pm to speak to one of our friendly team. Request an obligation free quote 24/7 via our Free Quote Form
