Concerned About My House Build Quality
ConsulTec assists our Clients in achieving acceptable standards of Quality -Workmanship and finish in their Building – Construction Projects.
Our investigative Site Surveys and Comprehensive Building Reports identify and report on all aspects of ‘below standard’ works. If requested, recommendations for rectification works can be included.
Who Ensures My Build Quality Standards are achieved?
Let’s take the confusion out of how your build is monitored during construction and who is responsible
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Your Registered Building Practitioner (RBS) the building inspector performing the stage inspections to ensure compliance to:
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The Building Permit, Plans and Documentation
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Compliance to the National Construction Code
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Compliance to the relevant Australian Standards
In his role roll:
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He is not deemed to ensure workmanship standards (beyond compliance to the above items)
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Usually performs only limited inspections:
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Base Stage or pre-concrete placement
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Frame Stage prior to roof and wall cladding installation
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Practical Completion and / or Occupancy
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Clearly this leaves a significant scope of works being completed escaping inspection – defect detection. By nature of construction methods, multiple elements of the build are completed, with potential to obscure suspect items of works beneath wall cladding, plaster and other.
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Noting potentially, multiple items of works can achieve compliance to the Building Codes, VBPC and AS. Standards, but still fall short on acceptable Workmanship and Quality standards and finishes.
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To answer the opening question above simplistically, It is often You, the Home Owner left to identify workmanship and quality issues. As your construction marches on, workmanship and quality issues unrectified can remain present when your house is completed.
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To enhance your building experience and enjoy peace of mind, Call ConsulTec can assist.
How Workmanship and Build Quality Standards might be compromised
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Busy Building Supervisors or Site Manages can overlook potential defects or poor workmanship
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Trades and Subcontractors are often working to challenging timelines, budgets, and weather conditions, various times unsupervised
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Further pressure from the Builder to meet narrow build times from commencement to completion of the project.
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For the trades whom by law must provide you with a VBPC Compliance Certificate for their work, have some indirect monitoring (inspections mainly absent) The remaining trades (compliance certificates not required) often perform their work unsupervised.
Consequently, your overall build quality depends heavily on the trade’s integrity, ability and performance in the absence of their work being inspected independently, to deliver an acceptable workmanship standards, is this something you choose to leave to chance?
Consider the Waterproofing Contractor who installs the waterproof membrane to the wet areas, he completes his work and is promptly followed by the Tiler who diligently covers up the Waterproofing work, inspection absent. Further noting internal bathroom water leaks rank very high in common building defects.
How to Ensure Your Build Quality, Mitigate Risk and Protect Your Investment.
Engage your Expert Independent Building Inspector, to mitigate potential: defects, non-compliance and workmanship issues become unwanted elements of your build integrity and future performance of your new home through:
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More frequent stage inspections
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Independent monitoring of your build’s compliance to, relevant building codes and standards
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Monitoring off standards of workmanship at ‘key one time opportunities’
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Regular Independent Reporting to you and any stakeholders you elect, detailing items of works requiring further action(s)
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Verification of required completed works and compliance prior to each stage claim being paid to the builder, being of the absolute importance prior to you paying the final contract payment.
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Liaise with your builder (if requested) on your matters of concern to ensure acceptable outcomes.
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Provides you with collaborative and concise management of your construction process
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While the cost of engaging an independent inspector might appear an ‘Unnecessary Expense’ it often proves to be a proactive approach ensuring avoidance of both potential defects and noncompliant works going unnoticed.
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Your Independent Inspector can navigate and resolve potential conflict and disputes with your builder to ensure acceptable standards of workmanship are delivered.
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Engaging your Independent Inspector alerts your Home Builder to his due diligence obligations and responsibilities to gain more favourably performance and outcomes.
ConsulTec’s Construction Specialist Expert Witness services delivered by your new home inspector will assist you avoiding potential pitfalls to confidently recognise and exercise your rights during your new build journey.
Many professionals and Consumer Resource Bodies recommend engaging a private building inspector in Melbourne when entering into a Building Contract.
It’s clearly in Your, the Home Buyer’s interest to detect, identify and make good poor workmanship – noncompliant items of works early before they escalate into major problems that require more complex rectification, let alone maintaining confidence and peace of mind through your building process.
From our experience performing Building Inspections and preparing Building Reports for our Clients, especially customers finding themselves in a domestic building dispute with their builder, regret not having engaged an Independent Building Inspector earlier in their build. Often lamenting being faced with the challenge of achieving acceptable dispute resolutions.
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You benefit from engaging your ConsulTec Building Inspector at any stage of your build, the earlier the better for your most effective protection, even if you only use our final home inspection checklist prior to handover and making your final payment to your builder can avoid multiple issues.
Contact ConsulTec for your new home inspections Melbourne to arrange your building inspection report on your Class 1 Building
Many new home buyers engage a Mortgage Broker to shop and manage their finance; few consider how their new home build process will be effectively controlled – managed and advocation of their rights under the Building Contract
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ConsulTec Inspections and Reports are prepared in accordance with Australian Standards – AS4349.1 – 2007 and further Associated Requirements
Independent Authority Article & the Industry's Ability to Deliver Quality
You can read more on this topic and to potential pitfalls at our Blog we are currently developing: ‘Meaningful insights into the industry’s ability to deliver quality build standards’ with contributions from Melbourne University’s Dr Paulo Vaz-Serra’s dialogue around build quality and regulatory process combined with the market pressure forecasting 1.2 million homes to be built in five years. Alternatively visit https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/topics/building-codes
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