Why do West Australians buying a new Strata Apartment need an Independent Practical Completion Inspection?

Generally speaking the Practical Completion Inspection (PCI) or Handover inspection is an inspection of the construction work of your new strata unit that is undertaken just prior to you taking control of your property from the builder. The PCI inspection is a reconciliation of the major construction items within your Unit boundaries, with a focus on the finish of key items in the construction.

The types of items we inspect during our PCI include:

• Workmanship follows Building Code of Australia and Australian Standards
• External Walls (directly adjacent to your Unit)
  • Brickwork, render, cladding
  • Lintels
  • External windows and flyscreens
  • External taps
• Flooring
• Roof space (top floor units only)
  • Internal roof cover
  • Frame
  • Insulation
  • Sarking
  • Party walls
  • Venting to external
• Individual Room (Room by Room) Inspections
  • Quality of finish
  • Ceiling and cornice
  • Walls and skirting
  • Windows, hardware and frames
  • Doors, hardware, finish
  • Cabinets, closets
  • Electrical
  • Tiling
  • Water/drainage
  • Exposed brick, render, plaster, paint, cladding
  • Floor cover
  • Scratches to window glass, cabinet tops, mirrors, shower screens, ceramic tiles, bath, spa bath, cisterns, pans, toilet seats, cupboard doors, sinks
• Open and shut all doors and windows
• Open and shut all cabinet doors and drawers
• Drainage to basins and basin overflows and WCs
• Make sure HWS heats, run hot and cold water to all points, check water flow
• Check operation of hot plate, oven (does it turn on), rangehood (paper test on suction), air-conditioner (does it turn on, does it blow air), garage door up and down
• Any specific concerns can be reviewed and checked against plans and contract

What are the benefits of a PCI?

The goal of the PCI conducted between you, your builder’s representative and Houspect, is to conduct a review of the key construction elements of your Unit, along with the final finishes that have been achieved. For Unit owners, considerable satisfaction can be obtained through having an independent building inspector acting as their advocate, to ensure that the construction has in fact reached a stage where handover is imminent, subject to the resolution of any issues identified during the PCI/Handover inspection.

About your Houspect Building Inspector

In WA, building inspections and building inspectors are unregulated. As a consequence it is important that you have total confidence in the quality, skills, experience and professionalism of your building inspector. At Houspect WA:

• Every one of our building inspectors is a WA Registered Builder in their own right. Their Builders Registration number is recorded in every report.
• Every building inspector has a minimum of 20 years direct construction industry experience.
• Our building inspectors are fully insured with Professional Indemnity and Public Liability.
• Every inspection report produced by Houspect WA is subject to a minimum of two levels of quality assurance review prior to being released.
• Our state wide clients and building inspectors are supported by a dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced customer service team based in our Balcatta operations centre.
• All calls, enquiries or bookings are addressed promptly and professionally by our customer service team during our business hours of 8.30 am to 5.00 pm.
• Our building inspectors are located across the entire Perth metropolitan area and in most major regional centres in WA.

Houspect WA or its Directors maintain a number of important professional memberships including:

• Master Builders Association of WA
• Housing Industry Association
• Strata Community Association of WA
• Australian Institute of Conveyances WA

During the 20 plus years of operating in WA, Houspect has conducted in excess of 50,000 quality building inspections.

Buy, build and invest with confidence with Houspect WA.

For more information or to book a PCI/Handover Inspection, call Houspect on Ph: 9240 8855, email us at info.wa@houspectwa.com.au or complete our online enquiry form.