Zenith Inspection and Building Consultants

Stages of Inspection

Pre-Pour

This inspection is conducted once all steel works have been completed and before the slab pour. The inspection is generally conducted the afternoon before the slab is scheduled for pouring the next morning.

In some circumstances (weekend/late evening setups) the inspection may be required the same morning as the slab being poured however this is rare. With the scheduling of pre-pour inspections, they often get rescheduled due to the following components:

Weather (too windy, too hot, or rainy)
Concreters availability and completing the prep work

The areas that are covered as part of the Pre-Pour/Steel inspection are as per the engineering detail and site plans. We will visibly check retaining walls as per the plans, this may be carried out as part of the Pre-Pour inspection if the retaining walls have been completed at this time.

The specific components of the Pre-Pour/Steel inspection that will be inspected include:

Vapour barriers
Stormwater
Steel
Pipe penetrations
Termite protection
Secondary earth
Excess sagging (raft slab)

Measurements of throat angles (raft slab)
Mesh touching pods (waffle pod)
Termite collar (waffle pod)
Additional assessments as per the engineering

"If the client is wanting the base quality to be inspected a separate base inspection would need to be conducted prior to the Pre-Pour/Steel inspection as the base will no longer be visible or accessible at this time."

Slab/Frame

The frame inspection is a very thorough and detailed inspection covering all slab and frame items. For the slab inspection, we are examining:

Levelling
Cracks and
Signs of concrete cancer
Over pour

We examine the frame to ensure that it is structurally sound, as together with the slab it forms the foundations of your home.

We are inspecting:

Noggings
Bulkheads
Nails
Bracing
Wall straightening
Brackets
Appropriate use of correct materials and signs of weathering

The frame is generally required to be inspected upon completion once the roof trusses are installed and all frame items have been braced off. No sisilation wrapping is to be on the dwelling at the time of this inspection as is can hinder our view checking the bracing on the outside of the frame.

If the roof tilers are scheduled to be on site at the time, we are to conduct our inspection, we will not enter the site due to OHS restrictions. The inspection is best being carried out prior to any roof installation and/or once completed.

It is always best without so that all defects can be rectified prior to any weight load being installed on the roof.

Pre-Plaster (Lock up)

The terminology 'lock up' is an industry standard expression to describe a stage claim and does not necessarily mean the home is securely 'locked up'. Zenith prefer not to use the term ‘lockup’ as this term can be defined differently by each builder.

We prefer to state the term pre plaster, as this reinforces the fact that we need to inspect the property prior to plaster installation. This is very important! It is important that the plaster is not installed before the pre plaster inspection, although often the builder has delivered the plaster already.

The following should be completed

All wall straightening is completed
All outstanding frame inspection defects are completed
Plumbing rough ins done
Electrical rough ins done
Ducted heating rough-ins done
Ideally the brickwork should be completed or at least a large amount so we can check the brick veneer wall cavity compliance. If the brickwork is not completed at this time and your builder is conducting a “reverse build” of your dwelling, the brickwork will be checked at both the Fixing and Final stages of inspection

It is best to ask the client to confirm the dates for both insulation and plaster installation so that we can assist with the scheduling of this inspection.

Pre-Paint/Fixing

With a Pre-Paint/Fixing inspection please refer to the guideline below in scheduling this inspection:

Prior to any paintwork commencing or flooring having been installed
Preferably prior to the installation of cabinetry however this is not detrimental if completed
Plasterwork must be fully completed (stopped up) including architraves and skirting
All internal doors need to be installed

This inspection covers all aspects of the plasterwork as well as the skirts, architraves and cornices. We will check all doors & windows as well as fittings and fixtures including all cabinetry. We will also further inspect the brickwork following on from the Pre-Plaster inspection. All defects outstanding from your Pre-Plaster/Lockup inspection will also be checked and addressed within this report.

If the waterproofing has been completed and is able to be inspected at this time, we are able to combine this with your Pre-Paint/Fixing inspection for the reduced.

Waterproofing

Water is the biggest threat to any home. Water causes rotting and allows the propagation of:

Mould, Mildew and Infestation of destructive creatures
Termites love wet areas Waterproofing is required to be applied to:
Bathrooms, Powder Rooms, Laundries and Balcony areas

It is to be applied in a manner that fully prevents the ability of water to penetrate any membranes. When organising a waterproofing inspection, please ensure that the membrane has a minimum of 24 hours to dry before conducting the inspection.

Final

The Final inspection is conducted once the house is fully complete as per the contract. We generally allow 2 hours for this inspection; however, this may vary depending on the size of the home and the number of defects noted.

For larger homes 40sq + we would allow additional time. If you are unsure, please ask the consultant conducting the inspection if they require more or less time on a particular job.

Once the client has received the notice of completion and the final claim invoice from the Builder, this is the time to schedule the final inspection. It is preferable to have this inspection conducted at the same time as the new home presentation /walk through presentation with the builder.

We ask our client to confirm with their builder that the certificate of occupancy has been obtained prior to this final inspection.

If they have a HIA contract we would refer the client to Section 36 & 37 for the final stage of the house and providing their builder with a list of known defects.

We ask the clients to please ensure that the house is 100% complete as per their building contract prior to scheduling the final inspection.

Post-Handover / Post Maintenance (3 months)

These inspections are conducted once a client has moved into the property. As a general rule, we can conduct these inspections up to 10 years after the initial occupancy permit was issued to the client.

The difference in terminology is as follows:

A post-handover inspection is conducted within the first 90 days after handover. This is also called the maintenance period, or can be referred to as a defect’s liability period
It is preferable to conduct a final inspection, rather than a post-handover inspection, as the client has more rights to “like new” defects at the final inspection
However, a post-handover inspection is likely to occur if a client has concerns and they weren’t aware of their rights to an independent inspection OR if the client has a HIA contract and they had completed their walkthrough and did not contact us to arrange an inspection within 7 days of this walkthrough (refer to legislation – Section 36 & 37 of HIA contract)
A post-maintenance inspection is conducted anytime from 3 months after handover, up until 10 years after the occupancy permit has been issued
The most common issues that clients will express is cracking of walls/bricks, issues with water pooling and occasionally will express concerns regarding “slab heave”

Building Consultant Qualifications and licenses

M.B.A, Diploma in Construction (Building), Cert IV in Building & Construction (Building), Cert IV in Ageing Support, Cert III in Urban Pest Management, inspection and reporting)

Registered Building Practitioner (DB-U 63850 & CB-L 100048), Building Consultant Qualified Trainer & Assessor, Timber Pest Inspector, Licensed Pest Controller (L011043) & Termatrac T3i Certified Technician

Memberships:

Housing Industry Association (HIA)
Building Dispute Practitioners Society (BDPS)
Australian Society of Building Consultants (ASBC)