Building a new home is the largest financial decision most Australians make. Six stage inspections — slab, frame, lock-up, fix, handover — cost less than 1% of build price and prevent the most expensive defects.
Why stages matter
Once a frame is closed up with plasterboard, you can’t see the bracing. Once a slab is poured, you can’t check the steel. Once the roof’s on, you can’t see the truss connections. Stage inspections exist because the only way to verify quality is before each stage is buried by the next.
We attend at the right point in the build, document what we see, and give you a written report. If the builder needs to remediate, you have a clear photographic record that prompted the request — not a vague “this doesn’t look right” text from the homeowner.
The five stages we inspect
1. Slab pour
- Reinforcement layout and cover
- Compaction and levels
- Pour quality, finishing
- Setdowns for wet areas
- Pier locations on stumped construction
- When to inspect: pre-pour, ideally morning of pour, while the cage is still visible
2. Frame
- Wall plate alignment, member sizing
- Bracing — type, location, fixing
- Roof truss design + tie-down
- Door and window opening sizing
- Floor framing on suspended slabs
- When to inspect: frame complete, before sarking and bracing is closed
3. Lock-up
- Roof — sheets, flashings, gutters
- Windows — installation, flashings, operation
- External walls — sarking, weatherboard or render base
- Wet area waterproofing
- When to inspect: house is “lock-up” stage — externally weatherproof, before internal lining
4. Fix (internal lining)
- Plasterboard fixing and finishing
- Skirting, architraves, doors
- Cabinetry and shelving rough fix
- Tiling and waterproofing in wet areas
- When to inspect: internal lining complete, before final paint and floor finishes
5. Practical Completion / Handover
- Finishes — paint, tiles, floor coverings
- Cabinetry — doors, drawers, alignment
- Doors and windows — operation, seals, locks
- Mechanical — taps, drains, switchboards
- External — paving, fencing, drainage
- Contract compliance — variations, inclusions
- When to inspect: builder has called PCI; you do this BEFORE handover signing
What you get per inspection
- 2-3 hours on site with the inspector + photographer
- PDF report within 24 hours: photographic, plain-English, severity-rated
- Defect list in a format your builder can sign off as remediated
- Phone call to talk through findings before the report is sent if needed
What it costs
Per stage inspection: $350-$500 depending on property size and location.
Most clients book the 5-stage package at a discount — typically $1,800-$2,400 for the lot, paid as we go (one inspection at a time). Compared to a typical defect that emerges 18 months in, this is rounding error.
Book your first stage → or ring us and we’ll talk through your build timeline.