Practical completion inspection (PCI)

Practical completion is the point where the builder says your home is finished and asks for the final payment. Once you sign off, getting defects fixed becomes slower and harder. A practical completion inspection, often called a PCI or handover inspection, gives you a full list of what still needs work while the builder still has a reason to fix it.

What we check

• Walls, ceilings and cornices
• Paint finish and coverage
• Floor and wall tiling, grout and falls to wastes
• Shower screens, mirrors and wet area junctions
• Kitchen and vanity cabinetry, benchtop sealing
• Internal and external doors, gaps and hardware
• Windows, locks, glazing and safety labels
• Roof void: insulation, frame and penetrations
• Roof cover: tiles or sheeting, ridges, valleys, flashings
• Gutters and downpipes
• Paving, steps and drainage around the house
• Taps, toilets and drains running
• Power points, lights and smoke alarms working
• Air conditioning, exhaust fans and rangehood
• Garage door operation

Timing

Book as soon as your builder gives you a practical completion date. The best time is a few days before the builder's own handover walk-through, so you can bring our report to that meeting.

After handover

Many building contracts include a maintenance period of several months after practical completion. Some issues, such as settlement cracks or a slow leak, only appear once you have lived in the home. Our end of maintenance inspection ($695) is designed for the weeks before that period ends.

Questions