Understanding Construction Inspections

If you are building a new home it’s good practice to understand the checks and balances that are put in place when it comes to mandatory building inspections. In short an independent and formally qualified Registered Building Surveyor or Inspector will undertake site inspections to ensure that the physical building mirrors that set out in the architectural drawings, engineering plans, building permit, and relevant building legislation such as the Building Act (1993).

For a standard double story residential brick veneer home on a concrete waffle pod slab the mandatory inspection stages are as follows:

• before pouring the concrete (checks steel and beams referenced to engineering plans known as Base Stage)

• at completion of framework (checks frame and member sizes/positioning referenced to engineering known as Frame Stage)

• at final or completion of work (checks things like safety compliance…ie step heights, smoke detectors, fall protection…and calls for compliance certificates for glazing, electrical, plumbing, energy rating) in order to achieve the Certificate of Final Inspection or Certificate of Occupancy.

  However, it is important to realize that during the final inspection the main surveyor or building inspector is not concerned about the overall quality of your build so long as the building ticks the boxes from a compliance point of view.

  Based on the high number of construction disputes in Victoria, it’s good governance to also get independent building inspections done at the Lock-Up/Pre Plaster, Fix/Pre Painting, and Final stage before handover, known as a Final PCI Defects Inspection. This will enable value added quality control measures and peace of mind for you most important life investment.