When to book each stage inspection on a Wollert build
How to time the pre-slab, frame, lock-up, waterproofing and fixing inspections on a new Wollert home so faults are found while work is open.
In short: Stage inspections only work if they land before the next trade covers the work. Here is how the timing runs on a typical Wollert build, stage by stage.
Why timing matters more than the report
A stage inspection is worth something only while the work is still visible. Once a slab is poured, the reinforcement and the vapour barrier under it are gone from view for the life of the house. The same is true of frame bracing behind plaster and membrane under tiles. Booking a day or two early is cheap.
Bored piers and the pre-slab stage
On the basalt plains around Wollert many lots carry deep reactive clay and some need bored piers. The pier and pre-slab stage is the one to attend before concrete is ordered. Depths, mesh and bar placement, chair support, set-downs to wet areas and the plumbing penetrations all have to match the engineering drawings and AS 2870.
Frame stage, and why it is the big one
Frame is usually the highest value inspection on a Victorian build. Wall plumb, stud spacing, bracing, tie-down, lintels over openings and notching of studs for services are all assessed against AS 1684 and the engineering plans. Roof trusses and their bracing sit in the same visit.
Lock-up and waterproofing, two separate visits
Lock-up covers the roof, external cladding, windows, doors and flashings once the house is closed in. Waterproofing is a different visit and a different standard. AS 3740 governs wet area membranes, and the membrane must be seen before screed and tiles go over it.
Fixing stage and the run to handover
At fixing the house has plaster, architraves, skirting, cabinetry, tiling and the internal doors. Faults found here are still simple to fix because painting and final trades have not signed off. A fixing inspection also gives a realistic picture of what the PCI list will look like, which helps if you are trying to plan settlement of your loan and a moving date.
How to give the builder notice without a fight
Tell the builder at contract signing which stages you intend to inspect, then confirm each one in writing a week out. Most Victorian domestic building contracts allow reasonable access for an owner's consultant. Put the request in email so there is a record, and give the builder the report promptly so responses can happen before the next trade arrives.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Wollert. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
