Construction Stage Inspection
In newly built house construction inspections, our concrete pouring inspection is divided into two parts: one before pouring and the other after pouring.








1. Slab Inspection
The first part of the inspection, conducted before concrete pouring. It primarily focuses on complying with the BCA (Building Code of Australia), Australian Standard AS 2870-2011 for Residential Slabs and Footings, and AS 3600:2018 for Concrete Structures requirements regarding reinforcement structures.
Key inspection points include, but are not limited to:
- Verifying the actual dimensions, heights, and positions align with the drawings.
- Ensuring reinforcement dimensions match the drawing specifications and that materials meet the required standards.
- Confirming the proper positioning and wrapping of pipes to be poured, including appropriate lagging.
- Checking if bar chairs correctly support trench mesh and steel reinforcing bars.
- Verifying the implementation of DCP waterproofing measures.
- Confirming termite protection measures.
- Reviewing the proper process for tying steel reinforcement.
- Checking that rebate dimensions adhere to drawing specifications.
Ensuring external and internal beams align with the drawing requirements.
The second part of the inspection, usually conducted alongside the framing inspection, involves assessing the finished concrete floor’s evenness, checking for any damage to edges, measuring height variations in all directions, and identifying any significant cracks.
Key inspection points include, but are not limited to:
- Verifying that post-pour dimensions align with the drawings for the new house construction.
- Ensuring no visible exposed steel reinforcement.
- Checking the levelness of the cement surface.
- If termite protection is installed, ensuring its proper installation.
- Identifying visible cracks on the cement surface.
- Inspecting the proper sealing of service pipe penetrations.
- Ensuring the cement surface’s evenness to avoid affecting subsequent construction.
- Checking the cement’s compaction and vibrating by assessing the edges.
- This inspection phase helps ensure the quality and structural integrity of the newly poured concrete floor and its compatibility with the construction plans.
2. Framing Inspection
Typically, after completing the walls and roof frame, a new house undergoes a step known as house frame inspection. During this phase, a building surveyor assigned by your construction company will conduct the house frame inspection. However, building surveyors often juggle inspections on 6 to 8 construction sites daily, spending around 10 to 20 minutes at each site. This scenario increases the likelihood of overlooking some frame construction defects.
This is why A Plus always recommends an independent and thorough third-party house frame inspection for our clients. It’s the only way to ensure there are no construction defects in your beloved house. Especially when multiple frame construction defects go unnoticed, they can lead to significant repair costs and delays in property handover if not corrected promptly. Our inspectors are all licensed architects with extensive experience in the Australian construction industry. With our expertise and understanding of structures, we can accurately pinpoint defects and installation quality issues in building structures.
In Australia, all house frames must comply with the Australian Standard AS 1684.2-2010 – Residential Timber-Framed Construction Non-cyclonic areas (Link: https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/others/sa/as–1684-dot-2-2010). This standard is divided into four parts, covering design standards for timber frames, construction practices, fixation of houses and building materials, and support and span data tables.
Our house frame inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to:
- Verifying wall alignment, both horizontally and vertically.
- Ensuring proper support for timber frames.
- Checking the alignment of timber frames with the foundation.
- Inspecting concrete foundations, particularly exposed rebars, sagging, and cement cracks (if necessary, concrete strength testing is performed).
- Verifying correct installation of roof framing.
- Assessing plumbing and drainage compliance with drawings and Australian standards.
- Inspecting fascia and gutter installation for accuracy.
- Ensuring proper installation of windows.
- Evaluating door openings.
- Verifying termite barriers for installation and accurate positioning.
- Ensuring plumbing and drainage compliance with drawings and Australian standards.
- Reviewing pre-certified engineer’s drawings to ensure finished structure aligns with requirements.
Conducting a comprehensive inspection of the overall installation process for the entire structure.
3. Lockup Inspection
The lockup stage typically occurs after the installation of the external wall structure. By this point, the roof and roof waterproofing, external door frames, and windows should be in place. During this stage, our focus is on overall waterproofing and security issues of the house. Therefore, we allocate more time for a thorough and meticulous inspection at this stage. The primary goal of this inspection is to ensure the safety and waterproofing of your house. This is why we conduct comprehensive inspections of both the interior and exterior of your new house. Usually, after completing this stage’s inspection, the bank releases a significant portion of the stage payment to the builder. So, before making any further payments, relying on us to conduct a comprehensive and reassuring inspection ensures dual security for both your property and your house.
Our lockup inspection is divided into two parts: internal and external.
External Inspection Focus:
- Verify correct installation of external wall cladding.
- Ensure proper installation of roofing and truss, including share blocks and brackets.
- Confirm correct installation of all external door frames and windows.
- Inspect windows, doors, and glass for any damage.
- Check window arms, switches, locks, and keys for proper placement and absence of damage.
- Verify appropriate spacing between windows and brick sills, and check installation of window flashing.
- Confirm proper installation of eaves.
- Verify accurate positioning of brick walls.
- Inspect brick walls for proper horizontal and vertical alignment, as well as squareness of external and internal corners.
- Test the strength of cement in bricklaying.
- For timber-veneer structures, inspect the cavity.
- Check for proper alignment, horizontal and vertical levelness of external walls, and look for cracks.
- Inspect exterior paint for common issues like paint build-up.
- Confirm the installation of weepholes and articulation joints.
- Ensure complete coverage of sarking on the exterior walls and address any overlooked corners.
- Check the sealing of the roof and exterior walls to prevent small animals from entering the roof space.
Internal Inspection Focus:
- Check proper installation of water and electrical rough ins without damaging existing structures.
- Examine whether the cement floor has been damaged during construction.
- Verify correct installation of yellow tongue flooring on the second floor, including proper gluing and absence of noise.
- Confirm the correct placement of plumbing waste outlets.
- Ensure proper installation of shower bases on both upper and lower levels.
- For more specific details, you can refer to our lock-up inspection report. The report provides comprehensive and visual information on various aspects of the inspection process, highlighting the encountered issues in a clear manner.
4. Pre-paint Inspection
Why we need Pre-Paint Inspection?
Many flaws are not visible after painting, tiling, and flooring are completed. These imperfections remain hidden, and this means they won’t be discovered until after you’ve moved into your new house.
However, these flaws may gradually become apparent with use. For instance, inadequate waterproofing, improperly fixed cabinets, or misaligned plasterboards might surface over time. Therefore, a pre-paint inspection helps us identify potential future issues before they become visible, allowing us to address them before proceeding to the next steps.
The pre-paint inspection takes place after plastering and internal installations are completed. These internal installations encompass fitting internal doors, door frames, skirting boards, internal decorative layers, built-in cabinets, bathtubs, sinks, and cabinets. With years of extensive experience, A Plus inspectors ensure that each stage inspection assists our clients in completing their new houses with confidence.
These inspections include, but are not limited to:
- Installation of doors and windows.
- Checking toilet doors for outward opening or using lift-up hinges.
- Smoke alarms.
- Skirting boards and window reveal.
- Proper installation of shower bases as per manufacturer’s instructions.
- Pergolas, decking, sunrooms, carports, and storerooms.
- Use of safety glass.
- Air switches and switchboards.
- Pest protection.
- Staircase height compliance with building codes.
- Handrail height and placement adhering to safety requirements.
Roof completion height meeting minimum habitable room requirements.
5. Pre-handover Inspection(Final Inspection)
For new house construction, the pre-handover inspection is arguably the most crucial among all inspections. It represents the final opportunity to ensure that all construction standards meet Australian regulations. Once you pass the final inspection and make the last payment to the builder, rectifying any flaws or issues can become considerably more challenging.
A Plus House Inspection’s pre-handover inspection is a comprehensive and meticulous examination of your new house before the handover process. Our goal is to identify any potential problems or defects before the keys are handed over to you and present them to your builder for final repairs. This ensures your satisfaction and a smooth transition into your new house.
Our pre-handover inspection typically takes place after all plumbing and electrical work is completed. By this point, most painting, tiling, carpeting, shower screens, and ceiling insulation should be in place, along with the installation of various electrical appliances. We also inspect fences, exterior concrete pavements, sidewalks, on-site drainage, and any additional features outlined in the architectural plans, such as pergolas, decking, rainwater tanks, and retaining walls. This thorough process is tailored to your specific building contract and plans, ensuring every aspect of your new house is examined. This is why our pre-handover inspection can provide you with peace of mind.