When you sell a property built as an owner-builder and it is within the standard warranty period, your conveyancer or solicitor will advise you to obtain the required warranty insurance. To do so you will need a Houspect Builder’s Indemnity inspection and report in accordance with the regulations and as defined in the Victorian Building Act under section 137B.

Houspect conducts Section 137B Owner-Builder (Builders Indemnity) inspections by using the prescribed format from the Victorian Building Act. We allocate inspectors to your job that meet the regulations for licensing and building knowledge.

The requirements apply to renovations, additions such as a pergola, garage and other structures that required a building permit.

Required Documentation and What Your Report Provides

We will need the approved drawings, the building permit, the certificate of occupancy and other certificates of compliance (plumbing, electrical, drainage, etc, as appropriate to your site). These details will be noted in the Houspect report. As required under section 137B, the report must also note any incomplete works and use of second hand materials, if appropriate.

Our qualified inspectors take on the responsibility to verify that your property has been built to Australian building codes and tolerances and is to an acceptable standard. The report may list defects and incomplete works.

The Houspect report will be forwarded to you and/or your conveyancer and you would then send our report to the insurance company to support your application for warranty insurance. Our report would typically be included in the Vendors Statement (section 32) for prospective purchasers as part of the vendors responsibility of full disclosure to prospective buyers.

What is Houspect’s Method?

Houspect conducts owner builder inspections by checking that the builder has built structures to the construction plans to ensure the house or additions have been built according to;

1. Your final plans and specifications, as described in the building permit
2. The requirements of the Building Codes and Tolerances
3. A good standard of workmanship.

The Inspection Report is a comprehensive and detailed report about the works, taking into consideration the age of the works, and includes the following (as relevant to the structures);

• Brickwork and cladding, straight, cleaned, mortar rough or voids, render
• Balconies and stairs
• Roof frame, insulation and sarking
• Roof Cover – breakage or cracks in tiles (inspection is sometimes limited by safety regulations).
• Metal sheeting fixed firmly, ridges, valleys, pipe penetrations, flashings
• Guttering and downpipes fitted, falls, clean of debris. Rain heads, overflows
• Fixtures and fittings
• Plasterwork and ceilings, straight, dented, marked
• Paintwork and sealants, starved, runs, over-painting
• Showers, baths, vanities, WC
• Tiling, grout voids, caulking and finishes
• Kitchen benches, splash backs, tiling, cabinetry fixing and caulking, shelving, pantry, appliances, fittings
• Laundry trough, benches, taps, drainage outlet, tiling
• Windows and glazing, (scratches, breakages, gaps)
• Doors (dimensions, margins, hung straight, handles and locks)
• Architraves and skirting, (mitres, finishes)
• Flooring
• Fences and out-buildings

For more information or to book an Owner-Builder inspection in the greater Melbourne and Central Victoria region, call Houspect on 03 9808 4000, email us at info@houspectvic.com.au or complete our online enquiry form.