A common misunderstanding when it comes to building inspections is the role of a building surveyor and the stages the surveyor needs to inspect in order to progress the build.
A building surveyor is by law only required to inspect the following mandatory stages:
-Pre Slab Inspection;
-Steel Inspection;
-Frame Inspection; and,
-Final Inspection.
It becomes quite clear, that a large number of defects may be missed and completely dependent on the builder to identify and rectify.
At First Step Building Inspectors we offer inspection stages at each progress payment stage to ensure you are covered at every stage of the build.
As we mentioned earlier, a Building Surveyor is not required to inspect every stage of the build, leaving some (not all) builders a loophole to leave behind poor workmanship and many defects.
With our specialised inspectors we make sure you are covered.
Our team of inspectors consists or engineers, and registered builders who live and breathe the National Construction Code (NCC), Australian Standards and VBA standards and tolerances guide ensuring our reports cover every defect we can see.
Our reports provide references to the relevant sections of the NCC, Australian Standards or Standards and Tolerances Guide ensuring our clients and their builders are clear on why the items are defective and require repair.
At First Step Building Inspectors we ensure each progress payment stage of your builders contract is inspected, by doing this we arm each one of our clients with the information needed to comfortably proceed with making a progress payment or just simply knowing their home is being built correctly, we provide that added value.
Depending on the type of builders contract, the most common progress payment stages are:
These stages are prescribed within the Domestic Building Contracts Act, and form part of a Method A type progress payment scheme with the builder. Having each one of these stages privately inspected provides the added reassurance that your home has been built correctly.
Depending on your builders contract and specific definitions of each of the above stages, the minimum required items to be completed per stage as per the Act include:
Slab Pre-Pour or Base Stage – Stumps, Brickwork to floor level or concrete slab has been completed as per drawings and standards;
Slab Post Pour or Frame Stage – Timber and/or Steel Frame work has been completed and fixed as per the required standards and engineering drawings;
Lockup Stage – External wall cladding and roof covering is fixed, the flooring is laidand external doors and external windows are fixed (even if those doors or windows are only temporary);
Fixing or Pre-Plaster Stage – All internal cladding, architraves, skirting, doors, built-in shelves, baths, basins, troughs, sinks, cabinets and cupboards are fitted and fixed in position;
Completion Stage – The home has been completed in accordance with the builders contract, drawings and specifications (appliances may be with held until handover of keys);
In addition our inspection service offers Waterproofing Stage defect inspections to ensure the most important areas of you home comply with the AS 3740 Waterproofing of Domestic wet areas and AS 4654 External Waterproofing Membranes. Areas we inspect for waterproofing compliance include: