While getting a new home is exciting, the planning and organisation it takes to move in can be
stressful. While it’s unlikely any move will be 100% stress free, there are steps you can take to make
moving day that little less painful.
Here are our top 7 tips to get you started.
Pack your first night essentials box
Whether you’re hiring removalists or you’re taking it on yourself, moving day is sure to be busy and
box filled, so it pays to be prepared. As well as labelling your boxes clearly with the room the
contents are for, pack your first night essentials box. What this contains will depend on your needs,
but it’s a good idea to include scissors, Allen keys, screwdrivers and sealable bags with any screws
from your furniture. You may also want to include some clean bedding and a couple of towels.
Organise a play date for the kids
Moving day isn’t much fun for the adults, so it’s no surprise it can be torture for the kids. The
excitement of the new home and the new space to run around in can be great – until the kids get in
the way as heavy items are being moved into place. To eliminate the risk of accidents, try organising
a play date with friends or family for the day.
Ease into introductions for your pets
While a new home is exciting for you, it can be a little scary and too unfamiliar for your pet. To ease
their anxiety, introduce them to the new place slowly. When moving in, dedicate a room to your pet
and fill it with familiar toys, beds and blankets that still have the smell of their old home. Once they
seem comfortable, slowly introduce them to other areas of the home.
Organise your power, gas, water and internet
Having all of these set up before you even move in can be a lifesaver come moving day. After all of
that heavy lifting and unpacking, you’ll want to celebrate with a nice hot shower or a sneaky Netflix
binge.
Update your address
Sounds silly, but changing your address can often get pushed to the back burner amongst the hustle
and bustle of a move. If you’re not sure if you’ve covered all the places you need to with the new
address, head to the post office and have your mail redirected from your old address to the new one
for a month or so.
Get home and contents insurance
Home and contents insurance should be organised as soon as possible after purchasing your
property. Before you move in, organise a policy and settle into your new place with that added
peace of mind.
Cut some spare keys
The last thing you want after just moving in is to lock yourself out. Cut yourself some spare keys for
other residents in the household or to give to someone you trust for emergencies.
Happy moving!
If you’re new when it comes to building your own home, the thought of selecting a builder can be
overwhelming. With a wide range of companies to choose from, each claiming to be the best for
your project, you’ll need to quickly weed out the unsuitable ones to find the builder you need.
Below, you’ll find some go-to questions to help you compare and select with ease.
Are you licensed, insured and registered?
If the answer to any of these is no, or they can’t provide proof, strike the business off your list and
move on.
Can you provide a reference from a client?
An attractive website or a friendly salesperson doesn’t mean that a business is perfect. As this
builder is going to be a big part of your life for the duration of the project, you’ll want to make sure
you’re picking a team that is right for you. Speaking to a client is one of the best ways to get a true
sense of a company and how they operate.
Could you provide me with an itemised quote?
A new home comes with a big price tag, so you’ll want to know exactly what you’re getting for your
money. For your quote, you’ll want to receive one that covers both materials and labour. It’s
important to shop around to see what kind of inclusions are being offered across the board and
what are non-negotiables for you.
How is payment completed?
Don’t proceed with companies that expect a large sum all at once. Set up some payment
expectations where payments are made at key stages where you can see that work is actually being
carried out.
Can you set a timeframe for completion?
Timelines are never definite when it comes to projects that rely on situations out of our control such
as weather. However, a builder should be able to give you a realistic timeframe that will allow for a
couple of delays. As well as an end date, establish progress milestones so you can be sure each stage
of your home is given the attention and care it deserves.
How long will you guarantee your work?
While it may look great when you decide to move in, it’s important to cover yourself if anything goes
wrong shortly after building completion. Do your research to see what the standard period is in your
state.
What next?
Once you’ve chosen your builder, keep those lines of communication open. You’ll want to be
informed on the progress of the build as well as any hiccups or delays that are foreseen for your
project.
For further peace of mind and to ensure everything goes according to plan, we recommend home
owners get inspections completed at the important stages of construction. This ensures that the
quality of the workmanship and the materials used are creating a structurally sound property. By
taking a look at these important stages, you get to see part of the construction that will be hidden
from view once the project is complete.
So you’ve decided a fixer upper is the right choice for you. A great option for those who are looking to enter the market at a reasonable price, and a popular choice with first home buyers, investing in a renovator’s delight could be a strategic decision to get the home you’ve always wanted without paying a fortune.
Before you sign that contract and get started with your renos, take a look at our top tips.
Find that perfect ugly duckling
In our last blog, we touched on some of the things you will need to consider to make sure a fixer upper is worth it. While a good price is one of the biggest drawing cards of a fixer upper, it’s not the only thing you should be thinking about. Make sure that that the neighborhood, the level of renovations and your experience is all being taken into account to find the perfect ugly duckling for you.
In terms of finding renovators delights, often you can use search filters to find the right property. Use ‘renovators delight’ or ‘renovator’s dream’ in your search terms, lower your price range and consider deceased
estates.
Crunch the numbers
Before you put in your offer, you’ll need to crunch those numbers to not only find how much money you’ll need for renovations, but what you look to make back when you choose to sell. Take a look at newly renovated properties in your chosen suburb to get a feel for the quality of workmanship and their final sale prices.
Attend inspections so you can see for yourself the standard of the work, the finishing and fittings to determine how much you would need to budget for to achieve similar results. When assessing the budget, be sure to take note of which jobs will require you to hire contractors.
There are sites you can use that will show you the history of properties so you can accurately see the before and after prices that the renovations have achieved as well as the popularity of the suburb. All of this background information will help you determine the sale price you can afford and the type of budget you will need to save or apply for to complete the renovations.
Remember, your home loan will not cover the cost of the renovations, this will need to be a separate personal loan or you’ll need to use your own funds.
Focus on changes that make a big impact
Most home owners know that the bathroom and the kitchen are two of the biggest draw cards when it comes to choosing your next home. When renovating, choose to focus on areas that will make the biggest impact overall. Flooring changes, kitchen and bathrooms should be a big focus and every change you make should really focus on areas you can see.
If you’re going to do it, make sure and do it right
A renovator’s delight could pay off, but only if you do it justice. Give yourself enough budget to ensure quality fittings and finishes. After all, skimping out on a renovation will achieve nothing in terms of value adding and potential sale prices. This may mean you need to add more time to the schedule in order to save up more renovating money, or you may need to focus on one room and do it well rather than taking on multiple smaller jobs.
With DIY shows hitting our screens in steady waves, renovations seem like a fun and effective way to turn an average property into an incredible home. However, while you may be able to picture the perfect home when visiting a fixer upper, do you really have what it takes to make it work?
Here is some helpful information to help you determine whether a fixer upper is the best way to be spending your time and money.
How experienced are you in renovations?
Renovations can be a tricky business and they can become quite a guessing game when it comes to time and money. If you’ve never done a renovation before, and you don’t have any close relatives or friends that have either, it doesn’t mean you should avoid a fixer upper, but it does mean you should be very selective of the one you choose.
For your very first reno, getting a complete gut job may not be the wisest idea; you’ll be fresh to the process and how to go about budgeting and timelines. Stick to properties where only a couple of areas need work.
Are you completing the work yourself?
If you plan on fixing up the place on your own, make sure you’re taking on a project that is within your means. While things like repainting or changing cupboards might be something you can easily tackle on your own, there may be some jobs that are best left to the experts to ensure the renovation actually adds value to the home.
Make a list of the jobs that you’ll need to bring in a team to do and have a think about how this will affect your budget. Remember, always add extra funds to account for those emergencies that arise.
If you plan to do the work yourself, make sure and get the opinion of a professional such as an inspector before you begin to make sure you aren’t doing damage to the property or yourself with things like asbestos for example.
Are you focusing on the things that can actually be changed?
It can be so easy to let our imaginations run away with us and concoct whole new house designs that turn that average home into your private mansion. However, it’s really important to be realistic on what the results will be and how much you’ll be able to take on. An eyesore of a bathroom or kitchen can definitely be improved, but if the problems are structural or the layout is completely wrong, it may be time to cut ties and let this property go.
It’s not just about the house
You may get the perfect fixer upper at the right price and have the means and experience to do something with it. But if it’s in a terrible location it will be for nothing. Look at the neighboring properties, have a walk around the neighborhood; if things are looking worse for wear and properties are run down and boarded up, it’s unlikely to attract a high price no matter what you do with it.
Luckily, during the rest of the pre-purchase inspection we did not find any live termites. But it did raise a question that is often asked when termite damage is discovered in a home. Is this damage covered by insurance..?
Is Termite Damage Covered By A Home Building Insurance Policy..?
Unfortunately the answer is no, termite damage is not normally covered by your home building policy.
We suggest that you refer to your insurer’s home building product disclosure statement under the section for exclusionsor things that are not covered which will state something along the lines of:
“We will not pay for any damage to your building or contents caused by vermin that also include rats, mice, or insects”
Termites are an insect.
Termites are capable of doing tens of thousands of dollars damage in a short period of time, but the damage caused is considered a preventable maintenance issue.
What Is The Ideal Cover?
Like all things, the best cover for termite damage is prevention. And the best way to prevent a termite attack is with either a passive physical barrier or a chemical barrier in concert with regular termite inspections. Additionally, all termite barriers require a termite inspection, by a licensed pest inspector, at least annually to maintain the associated warranty.
As mentioned in the video above, a passive physical barrier does not prevent termites from entering your home. Its purpose is to force the termites to go around the barrier, thus making them visible during a termite inspection.
Below is a video from a Building & Pest Inspection Coboolture that shows how termites get around a physical termite barrier and what to look out for.
What’s The Good News..?
The good news is that termite inspections are relatively inexpensive. ASBIR have a team of experienced, qualified and licensed Building & Pest Inspectors available to help you protect your home or investment property.
With our head office centrally based north of Brisbane 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
Subsidence is a scary word for homeowners, investors and would be home purchasers and a Building Inspector is usually the first point of contact when subsidence is suspected.
While cosmetic things like an outdated kitchen or ugly wallpaper are unlikely to scare off prospective buyers, structural issues such as subsidence can potentially be a deal-breaker.
What Is Subsidence
So, what is subsidence. Simply put, subsidence is when the ground beneath the building settles downwards, sinks lower or collapses. If this movement varies in one part of the house to another then it can cause cracks to occur.
The good news is, although subsidence can certainly be a serious problem, it need not be an out-and-out deal-breaker. Most cases of subsidence are perfectly manageable and there are homeowners who have happily lived for years in properties with a history of subsidence.
A quick note for Sellers:
If your property has a history of subsidence you will likely not be able to conceal the fact from prospective buyers. Full disclosure is the best approach, as you would do if your property had problems with damp in the past, you will need to assuage prospective buyers that you have dealt with the problem satisfactorily and competently.
Thankfully it is extremely rare for a house to collapse but it can be an expensive issue to rectify if it is not dealt with quickly and appropriately.
How To Spot Subsidence
The more overt effects of subsidence are obvious, even to a person who is not a Building Inspector. They are visible in the form of new or expanding cracks in plasterwork or exterior brickwork. FYI not all cracks are caused by subsidence.
Other, less obvious, warning signs are windows and doors becoming harder to open and shut or sticking for no reason or gaps suddenly appearing, floors no longer level and / or cracking of tiles and most obviously cracking of the concrete slab of your home. None of the above symptoms are caused solely by subsidence, and therefore a Brisbane Building Inspector should be consulted to puts all the evidence together to make a ‘diagnosis’ of subsidence. Similar to the way a medical practitioner assess a patient.
What To Do About Subsidence
If you suspect your home has been affected by subsidence and particularly if you are planning to put your property on the market, you need to take remedial action.
The first step is to get a licensed Building Inspector in Brisbane, especially one experience in identifying subsidence, such as All Suburbs Building Inspections, to conduct a thorough inspection and assess the situation. If subsidence is confirmed, the cause of the subsidence should also be identified in order to be addressed.
Common causes of subsidence are:
Large trees with roots extending under the foundation (these trees can often being in neighbouring properties)
Inadequate drainage causing water retention around the foundations
Old mine shafts under the property
The next step is to address the cause of the subsidence. If it is tree roots, the offending tree may need to be removed. If it is water retention, addressing the drainage around the structure will help.
In extreme cases, it may be necessary to underpin the foundations of the house.
Underpinning
Underpinning a house is the method used to repair a house’s foundations, so they are stable again. It is a specialized process that usually involves building additional concrete or steel footings. These new footings are placed in strategic areas underneath and around the existing foundations.
A tip for owners (even if you aren’t thinking of selling)
Keep documented proof of the steps you have taken, the reports you have received and of any works that have been carried out along with any relevant warranties. This way you will be able to put your property on the market with confidence that the incident of subsidence will not be a negative and costly negotiation tool.
A tip for Buyers
The above advice for sellers also applies to buyers. If you suspect subsidence or your pre-purchase report identifies subsidence, then request documentary proof of rectification.
Whether you are selling or buying, the key thing is to be logical and practical in the way you deal with the problem. Keep a level head, take sensible precautions and there is no reason why subsidence should ruin your dream of home ownership.
This section of the house is falling away from the other section causing this gap to open up.
The above gap is also visible from the interior of the house.
If you suspect subsidence in your property or potential purchase, All Suburbs Building Inspections ASBIR are specialist building inspectors and can confidently assist you to identify an issues related to subsidence.
Our Service Areas
With our head office centrally based north of Brisbane at Kallangur and technicians that live both northside, southside and the Gold Coast, 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, Ipswich, Manly and windsor, 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
A little bit of information about a Frame Stage Inspection we conducted recently in Cashmere.
What Do You Need To Know About Frame Stage Inspections?
The frame stage inspection is one of the most critical Building Stage Inspections you can have conducted on your new home.
This stage inspection is conducted after the builder has made their Frame Stage payment for a few important reasons. When the frame is erected it has temporary bracing insitu, this brace artificially straightens the frame until the frame is secured to the slab and the roof is put on.
Once the roof is on, the temporary bracing removed and the carpenters have been through to straighten the frame, is it then ready for the frame stage inspection. You can tell when the build has reached this stage because the windows are ready to be installed and the frame wrrapped in builders paper.
What Is Checked At Frame Stage?
At the Frame Stage Inspection your ASBIR technician will use his level to ensure the frame is plumb, square and true to plans. He will also ensure that the frame has been secured adequately and that it has been constructed in accordance with the Australian Standards and Building Codes.
In addition to the above, your inspector will assess the quality of workmanship and ensure that there are no errors or omission that should be corrected prior to the frame being covered up.
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
Are you searching for a Building Industry Professional around Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Ipswich for the Combustible Cladding Checklist?
The Safer Buildings Combustible Cladding Checklist is a three-part checklist that will help authorities identify buildings with a fire risk due to combustible cladding.
There is a good chance your building won’t be at risk but a check needs to be conducted for the safety of all.
The use of combustible cladding on buildings is a safety concern for all Queenslanders. Building owners & Body Corporates are responsible for ensuring the safety of occupants.
Non-Conforming Building Products (NCBPs) have the potential to cause serious helath and safety issues. NCBPs are building products and materials that are not safe, not of acceptable quality, do not meet Australian Standards, or are not fit for their intended purpose.
An Example Of Cladding That Needs To Be Checked
Buildings that are higher than two storeys, and built or refurbished since 1994, are the most likely to contain potentially combustible external cladding. Buildings that match a certain usage type, height and size are classified as being “in-scope”.
In-scope buildings are the focus of the Safer Buildings Combustible Cladding Checklist that must be completed by building owners, with the help of a Building Industry Professional.
If you’re a unit owner in one of these buildings, it’s your body corporate’s responsibility to co-ordinate what needs to be done, and to complete the checklist for the whole building. When there are multiple owners of a private building, you may nominate 1 owner or engage an agent to act on behalf of all owners.
It is estimated that as many as 12 000 privately owned buildings are in-scope.
The Combustible Cladding Checklist is seperated into 3 parts. Building owners may not have to complete all 3 parts. The answers to the checklist questions will determine if an owner is required to engage a building industry professional such as an All Suburbs Building Inspections inspector or if they will be instructed to exit the process after part 1.
The deadline for part 1 passed on 29th March 2019. If you failed to complete Part 1 prior to the deadline you were automatically progressed through to Part 2.
Those building owners instructed to participate in part 2, this includes those who failed to meet the deadline for part 1, are required to complete the Combustible Cladding Checklist Part 2.
The deadline for Part 2 has been extended to 31st July 2019. Penalities will apply for those failing to meet this deadline.
Owners of buildings required to complete part 2 of the combustible cladding checklist will need to engage a Building Industry Professional to complete a Building Industry Professional Statement.
You may have a friend or contractor in the building industry but not all building industry members are qualified to assist building owners with their requirements under Part 2 of the Safer Buildings Combustible Cladding Checklist.
Note: Your property manager is not a Building Industry Professional.
A Building Industry Professional as defined in the Building Regulation 2006 is any of the following:
QBCC Builder Open Licensee
Building Certifier Level 1
Architect
Registered Engineer – Civil or Fire or Structural
A Building Industry Professional will need to come to your building and conduct an inspection that will enable them to complete the Building Industry Professional Statement (aka Form 34).
It is expected only a small number of buildings completing Part 2 will be required to continue to Part 3.
All Suburbs Building Inspections has a team of Building Industry Professionals that are not only fully qualified, licensed and insured building inspectors and building consultants but are ready and willing to help you comply with the Combustible Cladding Checklist Part 2.
Owners must complete the combustible cladding checklist (part 2) by 31 July 2019.
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
Cast your mind back to the last major purchase you made. Was it a car? Was it a TV? Or maybe that old dryer you were given as a wedding present 10 years ago has finally given up and almost started a fire in your laundry…or was that me?
In any case, when we make a purchase of a big ticket item, we normally consider the warranty associated with that purchase, and what it covers us for should something go wrong down the track.
Did you know that newly built homes also come with a warranty? In fact, they come with 2 different types. Structural & Non-Structural.
What Warranty Does My Home Come With..?
All new homes generally come with a statutory warranty period or Defect Liability Period which, depending on the type of property and contract, can be either 6 or 12 months from Practical Completion or Handover.
We suggest you check your building contract to verify this and find out the expiry date so that you do not miss out on being able to exercise that warranty as needed.
The End of Warranty Inspection focuses on incomplete defects or omissions identified during the original handover inspection (if available) and also documents any additional defects that have arisen since the completion of your house.
Defective building works fall into 2 categories – structural or non-structural defects
Structural & Non-Structural Warranty
Things like cracking of plasterboard such as cornices and skirtings or sticking doors or windows are just a couple things that are common non-structural defects, and are often the responsibility of the builder to rectify if documented prior to the end of the Defect Liability Period.
Structural defects are defects that affect the structural performance or the functional use of the building such as leaking roof, leaking shower or cracked brickwork. These defects are covered for 6 years and 6 months from Practical Completion or Handover.
How Do I Determine What Is Covered Under Warranty..?
We recommend you engage a highly experienced and qualified ASBIRbuilding expert, who is not only a licensed building inspector but also a licensed builder, to carryout the inspection so you can be sure all relevant defects, that are the builder’s responsibility, are identified and documented in a report you can send to your builder for rectification.
Sometimes real estate agents or property managers might offer to do the inspection for you and although they might know a lot about real estate they are most often not licensed builders or building consultants, so are not generally qualified or insured to carry out such building inspections services.
We are here to support you throughout the whole process by providing quality inspections and professional advice which will help give you peace of mind.
Our Service Areas
With our head office centrally based north of Brisbane at Kallangur and technicians that live both northside, southside and the Gold Coast, 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
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
