Pre-handover Inspection Today

Colleen · May 02, 2008 9:56 am

I have my pre-handover inspection at 12 today. Kevin from New Home Inspections is coming out to help me. I think I was lucky to get him. I called him on Monday, and also sent a follow up email, asking for an inspection any time on Friday (my site supervisor was flexible) and he got back to me on Tuesday to confirm a time. Then he called me yesterday to double check that we were booked in as apparently several people called him yesterday asking for a 12 Friday appointment. So to anyone else hoping to use Kevin's services during their build, I recommend giving him as much notice as possible.

I've already received my final invoice and certificate of occupancy from the builder. Once I meet with my site supervisor today and set a date for handover, I'll arrange home insurance and then send the paperwork off to the bank.

It's getting exciting now

Kryten · May 02, 2008 10:01 am

That's fantastic news Colleen

Lots of luck with the inspection - I'll keep my fingers crossed that Kevin doesn't find too many issues for you.

The countdown to moving in to your lovely home begins ::cheerleader::

3timesbuilda · May 02, 2008 10:14 am

Has anyone had major issues pointed out by Kevin at the handover? Just wondering if it is really worth while?

Kryten · May 02, 2008 10:26 am

I believe that Matt had a number of issues identified before the inspection and Kevin found another page worth :shock:

I plan on using him - even if there's no major defects evident I'd want all defects to be rectified and I want the piece of mind that I've had an un-biased third party opinion.

Colleen · May 02, 2008 11:01 am

3timesbuilda

Has anyone had major issues pointed out by Kevin at the handover? Just wondering if it is really worth while?

I'm happy to pay for this as I am the first to admit I don't know anything about building. I can see obvious defects, like chips in the paint, or water stains, but there are a lot of things I'm sure I wouldn't even know to look for and wouldn't have the experience to spot.

Like Dana, I just want to know that as many defects as possible have been found and rectified, and I know I'm not going to be the person who spots them. Also, I'm already emotionally involved in this build, and I just want to move in as soon as possible. I'm likely to go in there and (hopefully) think "wow I love how this has turned out, I'm so excited" and not be able to detach myself enough to pick up on the flaws. I'm relying on Kevin to be the reality check.

mattwalker · May 02, 2008 11:19 am

3timesbuilda

Has anyone had major issues pointed out by Kevin at the handover? Just wondering if it is really worth while?

Major issues....

YES!!

Don't over estimate the builders ability to disguise defects...

They are ** little critters...

Kevin is sneakier!

oznow · May 02, 2008 11:59 am

Oh, please report back to us. Only hope the best thing for you

Colleen · May 02, 2008 6:44 pm

Firstly... I don't have any photos.

Handover will be on 16 May. I found a few issues, the site supervisor had already found a few of my issues and some of his own, and Kevin found a few more (he found the expensive to fix ones lol). He did find what he said is a big issue, I won't go into details as I have mentioned my builders name in the past and I don't want to land myself in trouble but hopefully they'll be able to rectify it. My brother in law is a builder in country Victoria so I'm going to give him a call over the weekend and talk to him about this issue and see what he thinks, not that I doubt Kevin, I just want someone to explain it to me in "dummy" terms :lol:

Kevin is sending me his report on either Monday or Tuesday and I will then send it on to the builder, he verbally went through his list of defects on site so we're already aware of what needs to be done. I was disappointed when I arrived as my carpet was supposed to have been laid on Wednesday but it was not there. They've had a set back and are now supposed to do it tomorrow - I imagine though that the weather might hold them up. Also, my driveway was supposed to have been done today but the ground is too wet for it so they are now hoping for Monday (assuming it stops raining long enough).

Like Ray (I think) said recently, you feel like you've placed about 300 dots around the place. I don't think it was that many but there sure is a lot of repainting to be done!

This afternoon, after the inspection, I arranged for Telstra to connect the phone line. My trenches and lead in pipe (or whatever the preliminary stuff is) has all been done as part of my build, so I just need Telstra to do their bit. I'm hoping it can be done by the end of next week and then I can aim to get my internet connected before I move in - I can't live without the net :twisted:

I've received all my final papers, and the certificate of occupancy, so I just need to get insurance and then I'll send all this stuff off to my lender with a request for a final cheque. I researched the home insurance thing a few months ago but I'm going to do some quick online quotes again to see if anything has changed.

I'd definitely recommend Kevin's services for anyone who is a newbie to building, like me. He found things I was too overwhelmed to even think of looking for internally, and he went over the external areas and found issues there too. He's also seems to have a good knowledge of the building code.

Oh, and I'd like to add my name to the list of people who aren't overly impressed with the "builder's clean". I actually had to ask whether the cleaner had even been (which apparently he had). I'm thinking then that the builder's clean doesn't include cleaning the floors, as the tiles looked the same as they did last time I looked through the windows, or cleaning the dust off the window ledges (or the dead flies), or cleaning the bench top... but the windows were fairly clean.