The vapour barrier and steel cover under a new slab
A Maddingley pre-pour inspection found the vapour barrier stopping short of edge beams and steel without enough cover. Why it matters on cold, wet ground.
Lock-up means the shell is closed: roof on, windows and external doors fitted, cladding up. Inside, the frame, insulation and services are still in plain sight, and that is what we inspect before plaster covers them.
One of our inspectors will call you back. If it is urgent, call 1300 471 805.
A Ballarat winter is long and cold, so wall and ceiling insulation and the wrap between garage and house earn their place every season. Gaps left now cannot be fixed without pulling sheets off later. Frosty mornings and damp air also make a well lapped wall wrap and roof sarking worth checking closely.
Annotated findings from Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections.
1Bored piersAfter drilling and cage placement, while every hole is still open2Slab pre-pourSteel, pods and pipes done, formwork braced, pour not yet started
3FrameWalls standing and trusses braced, before wrap or sarking closes it in
5FixingLinings, doors, trims and cabinets fitted, painter yet to start
6WaterproofingMembrane on and cured, no tiles yet
7Pre-handover (PCI)Builder has notified completion and the final claim is pendingA Maddingley pre-pour inspection found the vapour barrier stopping short of edge beams and steel without enough cover. Why it matters on cold, wet ground.
Bottom plates hanging off the slab, trusses without tie-down grips and roof load sitting on a non-loadbearing wall, from a Maddingley frame inspection.
Lock-up is the last look inside the walls. A Maddingley inspection found insulation not yet in, wall wrap missing and bracing cut. Why that matters in a cold climate home.
Instant online pricing, or talk to the booking team on 1300 471 805.
Because once plaster goes up they disappear. We list which earlier items have been fixed and which are still open, so nothing slips through.
We note whether wall and ceiling batts are installed, fitted without gaps and present between the garage and the house. Missing insulation in a cold climate shows up on every energy bill.
Bracing resists wind and racking loads. A cut brace no longer does its job, so the builder must replace or repair it to the bracing design.
Visually. We look at clearances such as gas to hot water separation and whether pipes are clipped and capped. Testing is for the licensed plumber.
Yes. We look at how frames are fixed and flashed and whether all external openings are actually closed in, as the contract stage requires.
Often, yes. That is why the report is useful before you pay the lock-up claim: you can show the builder exactly what is incomplete.