Fast New Home Building Inspections in Melbourne From Authorised Building Inspectors
At Solid Start Property Inspections, we specialise in making sure your new home in Melbourne is up to scratch with a completely independent new home building inspection service.
A house might be the largest and most exciting purchase you make. So, it makes sense for your peace of mind to have a private, independent and fully qualified building inspector to provide a comprehensive report on your behalf throughout the property buying process.
What you can expect from our new home stage inspections in Melbourne
We make sure your builder has completed every stage in compliance with the relevant building codes, standards and practices. This way, if we do find missed defects or mistakes, your builder can be notified and they can be rectified at that stage saving a lot of stress and costs later. So, you can feel reassured and confident about your builder and home build.
We conduct independent, unbiased and accurate visual property examinations. All our inspections are carried out using our very detailed point-form reports to ensure no necessary points or issues are missed.
Expert Melbourne Based New Home Inspectors & Comprehensive Stage Reports
Our team checks compliance at four stages:
Slab Stage (Pre-Concrete Pour)
The first inspection is carried out prior to pouring concrete. We make sure that everything has been set up in compliance with the approved engineer’s design, the working drawings and the relevant Australian standards. It is important to ensure the slab is free from defects as these can cause serious problems in the future.
At the pre-slab stage Solid Start Property Inspections check:
- All beam sizes and membrane placement
- Steel for correct size, layout, overlap and support
- Clearances to exposed slab edges, correct tying and lapping
- Placement of penetrations (plumbing) termite barrier fitting
- Re-entry bars, step downs and more
- All as per engineer’s design
- As well as floor height and set-out (position on the property)
- Also, a structural examination is conducted after the framing is completed.
We make sure that everything has been built in compliance with the approved engineer’s design, the working drawings and the relevant Australian standards.
The frame stage inspections includes:
- Room sizes and window placements
- Wall framing, plumb and fixings
- Engineering, timber sizes, beams, lintel sizes and support points
- Correct fixings and spacings
- Correct bracing, placing and fixing
- Posi struts or floor joist fixings, blocking and support
- Truss layout, fixing, bracing, support and hold down points
This step is important as small issues now can cause serious problems in the future.
Lock-Up or Pre-Plaster New Home Building Inspection Stage
After your home is “locked up” we check the lining of the walls and ceilings. This is important because a lot of tradies work in the frame area and cut, move or alter the frame during their work and it is important to re-check the frame.
We are not checking the structural integrity at this point but ensuring that all the works to date comply with all the relevant codes and standards.
Some of the things reviewed at this stage are:
- The wall frames are straightened, plumbed and fixed correctly
- The window frames are correct
- The insulation in the walls
- All the external works like the brickwork for correct laying and placement on the slab or footings*
- Correct placing of expansion joints, weep holes etc*
- Eave linings fitted*
- Downpipes correctly placed and installed*
- External doors fitted correctly*
- The shower bases are correctly installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- The baths are properly supported.
* Denoted works that may not be completed at this stage.
Pre-Paint
After your home is plastered and the internal fix is completed (doors hung, architraves and skirtings fitted, waterproofing) this inspection is carried out prior to the painting and tiling stage.
This has become a necessary stage as modern builders don’t always get all the building works done at the lockup stage. For instance, they may be plastering the inside at the same time the brickwork is going up.
This inspection is again not a full structural inspection but more of a compliance inspection to make sure all the works are done to this stage (and possible issues picked up at the last stage) comply with all the relevant codes and building standards.
Some of the things reviewed at this stage are:
- The window frames are correct
- The insulation in the walls
- All the external works such as the brickwork for correct laying and placement on the slab or footings
- Correct placing of expansion joints, weep holes etc
- Eave linings fitted
- Downpipes correctly placed and installed
- External doors fitted correctly
- The shower bases are correctly installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines
- Internally, doors fitted correctly
- Doors fitted correctly, opening and gaps
- Trims fitted correctly
- Plaster finish pre-paint
- Waterproofing
Final Handover
This is the last inspection prior to the builder handing the home over to you. It is important to do the final check to make sure your builder has complied with your contractual agreements and list of fittings and fixtures. This is the time when you can do a final quality control regarding finishes, materials and workmanship to make sure they meet the standards expected.
We will check:
- Stair tread and handrail heights
- Sanitary compartment requirements and shower screens
- Quality of finishes internally such as painting and tiling
- Smoke detectors, caulking to tiled areas, windows and doors
- Energy rating requirements
- Correct fitting of appliances
- Quality of finishes externally such as brickwork render and external linings
- Correct fitting of downpipes if not already done
- Quality of finish in paving
- Drainage and if necessary fire rating requirements
Find out more about our Melbourne new home inspection service by getting in touch
For your reassurance and peace of mind at this exciting time contact Ian at Solid Start Property Inspections on 0477 100 118 and make that appointment today.
We specialise in these local areas:
If you are looking for another one of services, click here for property inspections, dilapidation reports, swimming pool inspections and apartment handover inspections.
