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.
Practical completion is the point where the builder says the house is finished and asks for the final payment. Our PCI walks every room, the roof and the outside of the house so you have a written list before you sign.
One of our inspectors will call you back. If it is urgent, call 1300 471 805.
Rain and frost in Ballarat find any unsealed flashing or blocked weep hole quickly, and a new home in Lucas or Winter Valley faces its first winter soon after the keys change hands. Water entry items at handover are the ones we press hardest, because they are cheapest to fix before you move in.
Annotated findings from Pre-handover (PCI) 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
4Lock-up (pre-plaster)Roof, windows and cladding up, plasterboard not yet delivered
5FixingLinings, doors, trims and cabinets fitted, painter yet to start
6WaterproofingMembrane on and cured, no tiles yetA 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.
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The finished home against your contract, the NCC and the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015: finishes, roof, external walls, drainage, wet areas and fittings operated by hand.
Talk to your adviser about your contract, but most owners book the PCI first so the list of incomplete items is on record before final payment.
No. Electrical items, gas, heating and appliances are outside the scope. A licensed electrician or plumber signs those off.
A durable notice in the meter box that records the termite protection installed. The NCC requires it, and buyers and insurers ask for it later.
No. An occupancy permit comes from your building surveyor. A PCI is your own independent record of defects and unfinished work.
Put it to them in writing with the report. If that stalls, the next step in Victoria is the Building and Plumbing Commission dispute resolution service, then VCAT.