Building a new home means paying for work in stages, usually without the training to judge it and often without the time to be on site. An independent stage inspection is one way to close that gap. You commission it, it looks at the visible work at a point you choose, and you receive a written record you can read, keep and discuss with your builder.
This guide is the starting point for our series on new builds and handover. It explains what an independent stage inspection is, how it differs from the mandatory inspections carried out for the building permit, which stages owners commonly choose, and how the reports are used through to handover. The guides that follow it take each of those subjects further.
What is an independent stage inspection, and how is it different from the mandatory inspections?
An independent stage inspection is a visual inspection of the accessible building work at a particular stage of construction, carried out because you asked for it and reported to you. It is independent in the plain sense: we are not engaged by the builder, the developer or the building surveyor, and the report is written for you.
It helps to be clear about the other inspections that happen on a new home, because the two are easily confused.
A new home is built under a building permit, which is issued by a building surveyor. A building surveyor is the practitioner who checks the design against the requirements that apply, issues the permit, and then carries out, or arranges, the mandatory inspections at the stages the permit sets out. Those inspections are part of the permit process. They belong to the relevant building surveyor, and no owner-commissioned inspection replaces them or changes them.
An independent stage inspection is a different thing. It is not part of the permit process, it does not approve or reject any stage, and it does not change your builder's responsibility for the work. It gives you your own record, in plain language, of what was visible on the day. Our guide to which permits apply to building work in Victoria explains the permit side in more detail.
Which stages do owners commonly have inspected?
Your building contract usually sets out the stages of the work and the payments that go with them. The stages owners most often ask us to inspect follow that pattern. They are a common set, not a required one; you choose which to include.
Slab or base
The base stage is the point when the footings and the slab, or the stumps and bearers for a suspended floor, are in place. An inspection at this stage looks at what is visible of the base before the frame goes up. Once the frame and flooring are on, much of this work can no longer be seen.
Frame
The frame stage is when the wall and roof framing is standing and before the linings go on. This is often the stage owners value most, because the structure of the house is open to view and will soon be covered. An inspection looks at the visible framing, bracing, tie-downs and openings, and notes anything that appears incomplete or out of line with the plans.
Lock-up
Lock-up is when the roof covering, external walls, windows and external doors are in place and the home can be locked. An inspection at this stage looks at the visible external work, the roof as it can be seen safely, flashings, windows and doors, and the state of the interior before plastering.
Fixing
The fixing stage covers internal linings, doors, architraves, skirtings, cabinetry and the fit-out of wet areas, before painting and final finishes. An inspection looks at the visible quality of that work and at items that may be easier to correct now than after painting.
Completion or handover
The completion inspection looks through the accessible areas of the finished home, inside and out, and lists unfinished or defective items for you to raise with your builder before you accept the keys. On its own, that check is our new construction and handover inspection. As the last of a series of stage inspections, it can be read alongside the earlier reports.
Why have them when the builder and the building surveyor are already involved?
A fair question. The builder supervises the work and is responsible for it. The building surveyor carries out the mandatory inspections for the permit. Why add a third set of eyes?
The honest answer is that each of those people is looking at the work for a different purpose. The builder is managing a program and a team of trades. The building surveyor is carrying out the inspections the permit requires, at the points the permit sets. Neither of them is engaged to walk the home with you and write you a plain-language record of what the visible work looked like at a stage you chose.
The reasons owners arrange independent inspections tend to fall into a few groups:
- They cannot visit the site often, or at all. Investors building interstate and families building across town both fit here.
- They want a record of the work before it is covered up, so that if a question arises later there is something dated and photographed to look back on.
- They want help understanding what they are looking at, so that when they do visit they know what to ask.
- They want to raise items with their builder early, while fixing them is simpler, rather than discovering them at handover.
None of this assumes anything about the builder. A good builder is generally comfortable with an owner taking an interest, and the report is a tool for a conversation, not a weapon. Whether your particular builder's contract says anything about independent inspections is worth checking before you book; if you are unsure what it means, ask your lawyer.
What does each inspection look at, and what do you receive?
Each inspection is visual and covers what is accessible and visible at that stage. We look at the work against the plans and specifications you have shared with us and record what we observe, with photos. Work that has already been covered up cannot be seen, and the report says so plainly.
For each stage you choose, you receive:
- A written report describing what was observed at the time of the inspection.
- Photos supporting the key observations.
- A clear note of what was not visible or accessible at that stage.
- A plain-language explanation from us, so you can discuss items with your builder with confidence.
The report describes visible condition at a point in time. It is not a certificate, an approval or a warranty, and it does not say that a stage is complete or that a payment is due. Those questions are answered by your contract and, where the permit is concerned, by the relevant building surveyor. If you are building as an owner-builder rather than with a builder, the same approach applies, with some differences our owner-builder inspections page describes.
How do you use the report with your builder, at handover and before final payment?
Read each report when it arrives, starting with the note on what was and was not accessible, then the observations. Where an item is noted, the usual next step is to share it with your builder and ask how it will be addressed. Most items on a new build are ordinary, and a builder who is told early can usually deal with them as part of the work.
Keep every report with your contract, your plans, your builder's program and your correspondence. They form a dated record of the build that is useful later, whether for a question about the home, a sale, or a dispute. Our guide to the property documents every owner should keep covers the records worth holding on to from a new build.
Handover is where the stage reports earn their keep. The completion inspection lists the unfinished or defective items in the accessible areas of the finished home, and the earlier reports show what was raised and when. You can then put a clear list to your builder before you accept the keys.
How the final payment and the fixing of items relate to each other is set by your building contract, and it often matters whether you raise items before or after you pay and take possession. We cannot advise you on the contract; your lawyer can, and it is worth asking before the final stage rather than after.
A building contract also usually sets out a period after handover during which the builder attends to defects that appear, often called the defects liability period. A dated record of the home at handover makes that process clearer for everyone.
How do you prepare, and what do the inspections not cover?
Preparation is mostly about information and access:
- Share your building contract's stage definitions and your builder's program, if you have them, so we can plan around the real stages rather than a generic list.
- Have the plans and specifications available, so the visible work can be read against them.
- Arrange site access with your builder ahead of each inspection, and check what your contract says about access.
- Tell us as early as you can when a stage is approaching. Building programs move, and a stage that is covered before we visit cannot be seen.
- Tell us about any specific concerns, such as drainage on a sloping block or a detail you have discussed with the builder.
Building in a growth estate adds a few things to think about, such as reactive soils in parts of Melbourne, estate design guidelines and the fences, retaining walls and drainage between new lots. The guides in this series on building in the western and northern growth areas look at those in detail. If you are still at the land stage, a land and property inspection looks at the site itself before you build.
As for what these inspections do not cover, the edges are worth stating plainly:
- They are not the mandatory inspections for the building permit, and they do not replace them.
- They do not approve a stage, authorise a payment or certify anything.
- They cannot see work that has already been covered up or areas that are unsafe to enter.
- They do not assess the design, the engineering or the contract. A structural question goes to a structural engineer; a contract question goes to a lawyer.
- They do not change your builder's responsibility for the building work.
Coverage across Melbourne and surrounds is confirmed per enquiry, so check the service areas page or send the site address and we will confirm what can be arranged. Tell us about your build and the stages you are interested in, send an enquiry through our contact page or call 0406 194 163, and we'll come back to you.
Sources and authorities
These public sources set out the requirements this guide refers to. They are the places to confirm what applies to your build; we help you understand and prepare for them.
- Building and Plumbing Commission: Victoria's building regulator, with guidance on building permits, building surveyors, mandatory inspections and domestic building contracts.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: consumer guidance on building a home in Victoria.
