New Home Stage Inspections
Independent checks of your build at pre-slab, frame, lock-up and completion.
Construction stage inspections give you an independent look at your new home at the main points of the build. A problem found at the slab or frame can be fixed before the next stage covers it and makes it harder and dearer to put right.
The stages we inspect
- Pre-Slab, $495 + GST: before the concrete slab is poured
- Frame, $495 + GST: when the frame is finished and approved by the building surveyor
- Lock-Up (Pre-Plaster), $495 + GST: when the external wall cladding and roof covering are fixed, the flooring is laid and the external doors and windows are in, before the plaster goes up
- Completion (PCI and Handover), $595 + GST: when the home is finished, before handover (see Pre-Handover Inspections)
Book every stage or only the ones you want checked.
What the rules say in Victoria
Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, your builder can't ask for more than the set share of the contract price until each stage is complete as the Act defines it. The frame and lock-up stages above use the Act's definitions. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests using an independent building inspector to check completed work before you make a progress payment.
Your building surveyor also inspects the work at the mandatory notification stages written on your building permit, including before the footings go in, at completion of the frame and at the final. Our inspections are separate, done for you as the owner.
What you get at each stage
You get a written report after each inspection listing what we found that needs attention. Give it to your builder before the next stage starts and before you pay for the finished one.
Who it's for
Stage inspections suit owners building a new home and developers who want independent checks on a builder's work on a dual occupancy or townhouse site.
How Stage Inspections Work
Tell us about the build
Your address, your builder and the stages you want inspected.
We book each stage
You let us know as each stage nears and we book a time to inspect.
We inspect the stage
The visible work at that stage, before the next trades cover it.
You get the report
A written list of items to take up with your builder.
Questions about Stage Inspections
What are the stages of a new home build in Victoria?
Victoria's Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 sets four stages for progress payments: base, frame, lock-up and fixing. The final payment follows once the work is complete and you have the occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection. Our stage inspections are at pre-slab, frame, lock-up and completion.
How much can my builder ask for at each stage?
On a contract to build all stages, Consumer Affairs Victoria gives the usual schedule as 10% of the price at base, 15% at frame, 35% at lock-up and 25% at fixing. The deposit can't be more than 5% on a contract of $20,000 or more, or 10% under that. Get legal advice before you sign a contract that sets different payments.
Do I need a stage inspection if the building surveyor inspects?
It's your choice, since the law only requires the building surveyor's inspections at the mandatory stages set on your permit. A stage inspection from us is a separate check done for you as the owner. Its report is yours to take up with your builder.
When is the frame stage?
Under the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, it's when the home's frame is completed and approved by a building surveyor. The surveyor's frame inspection is one of the mandatory notification stages on your building permit.
When is lock-up stage?
Lock-up is when the external wall cladding and roof covering are fixed, the flooring is laid and the external doors and windows are fixed, even if they're only temporary. It comes after frame stage and before fixing stage. Our lock-up inspection is before the plaster goes up.
When should I pay my builder for each stage?
Pay for each stage once it's complete. Consumer Affairs Victoria says to check the work has passed the building surveyor's inspection, meets your contract and is complete before each progress payment. Home warranty insurance may not cover work you pay for before it's done.
Do you inspect townhouse and dual occupancy builds?
Yes, along with single new homes. Stage inspections suit developers who want independent checks on a builder's work on a dual occupancy or townhouse site.
How much does a stage inspection cost?
Each stage is priced on its own: pre-slab $495 + GST, frame $495 + GST, lock-up $495 + GST and completion $595 + GST. Book every stage or only the ones you want checked. A travel fee of $100 + GST may apply in the Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo areas, down to Phillip Island and around Warragul.
Related Inspections
Pre-Handover Inspections
Defects picked up before you sign off and take the keys.
Pre-Purchase Inspections
Know the condition of a home before you buy it.
137B Owner Builder Reports
The defects report for selling an owner-built home in Victoria.
Building Inspections
Residential, construction stage and commercial inspections.
Book your stage inspections
Send us your address and the stages you want, or call us on 0421 307 603.