Gaps in the mortar under a window sill
Why open joints in brick sills appear on so many Pakenham handover lists.
Your last chance to list everything before you sign for the keys. We walk the whole house, inside and out, and hand you a numbered list your builder can work through.
One of our inspectors will call you back. If it is urgent, call 1300 471 805.
A pre-handover inspection measures the finished house against your contract and selections, the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015, the National Construction Code and ABCB Housing Provisions, AS 3700 for masonry and AS 3740 for wet areas.
30 checkpoints across 9 areas on a standard Pakenham pre-handover (PCI) inspection. If a roof space, subfloor or room cannot be safely reached on the day, the report names it as not inspected and says why.
Why open joints in brick sills appear on so many Pakenham handover lists.
Window sill flashings cut short or pushed up, and head flashings without side dams.
Blocked and broken stormwater, loose downpipes and condensate on the ground at Pakenham handovers.
New Construction Stage Inspections Seven inspections through a Pakenham build, each booked while the work is still visible. 
Pre-Purchase Building Inspections AS 4349.1 inspection of an established Pakenham home, from the roof space to the side path. 
Building and Pest Inspections Building and timber pests together, with the garden checked as closely as the house. 
Defect Investigation Reports One problem examined properly, with its cause and the requirement it fails set out in writing. 
Rental minimum standards (Victoria) inspections All 15 Victorian rental minimum standards checked in your Pakenham property before it is listed. 
Dilapidation Reports Photographs and notes of your home's condition before a neighbour's demolition or build begins. 
Expert Witness Reports For matters heading to VCAT, prepared to the tribunal's expert evidence practice note. 
Pre-Listing Inspections See your Pakenham home the way a buyer's inspector will, before the board goes up. 
Insurance Claim Assessments An independent view of damage, or of repair work carried out under a claim. Instant online pricing, or talk to the booking team on 1300 471 805.
Once the builder tells you the house is ready for practical completion, ideally a week or more before the handover meeting. That leaves time for the list to reach the builder before you are asked to sign.
Because open mortar joints under window sills and at the base course let wind driven rain into the cavity, and they are cheap to fix only while the builder is still on site.
Control joints in panel cladding let the wall move without cracking. Where they wander off line or stop short, cracking often follows at that point, so we record it.
We look into every pit and pipe end we can open by hand. Debris left in the system and pipes left broken are common at handover and cause blockages later.
No. Circuits are not energised or tested, plumbing is not pressure tested, heating and cooling are not commissioned and appliances are not run. A licensed electrician or plumber covers those.
Electrical, gas and plumbing testing, appliance and system commissioning, smoke alarm testing, anything concealed inside walls or under floors, roofs that cannot be reached safely, and certification of compliance or occupancy. The occupancy permit is issued by your building surveyor, not by us.
Yes. The reinspection checks every item on the original report and gives you a fresh dated record before settlement.
Two to three hours for a typical single storey Pakenham home, longer for a double storey.
You do, within 24 hours. Most owners forward it straight to their builder's customer service or site supervisor.