Browse Forums Building A New House 1 May 05, 2016 11:09 am Hi all, Glad to find you here. I have the final inspection done which is exciting. However, the inspection report got me stressed. I have two main concerns as below: 1. the roof and ceiling cavity is inaccessible, which obstructed the way up for inspection. My inspector told me there is nothing I can do at this stage. He said if I have arranged inspection at earlier frame stage he could of inspect the roof but now is too late. Shall I just let it go? What I can do now? 2. the glass shower door when opens it hits the toilet. I dunno why my builder didn't install the glass door on the other side to allow the door to open towards the wall? However, as shown on the floor plan, the door would hit the toilet anyway which I did not expect when I signed the final plan. My inspector told me there is nothing I can do expect putting a bumper on the toilet (since I have a very little child he might open the door himself. the glass might break once hit the toilet). I am stressed out. I am not very impressed by my inspectors comments "there is nothing you can do". Thus I am trying to get some suggestions from experienced ppl. Is there anything I can ask the builder to do before signing for the final handover? Thanks, Sabrina Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 2May 05, 2016 3:31 pm It's pretty poor that no one noticed. Maybe ask the site supervisor their opinion and possible options. Maybe ask for it to be redone. Ask for costings Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 3May 05, 2016 4:38 pm sabrinahongyi Hi all, 1. the roof and ceiling cavity is inaccessible, which obstructed the way up for inspection. My inspector told me there is nothing I can do at this stage. He said if I have arranged inspection at earlier frame stage he could of inspect the roof but now is too late. Shall I just let it go? What I can do now? Sabrina Hi Sabrina, Do you mean there is no man hole to access the ceiling? Cheers, Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 4May 05, 2016 5:26 pm I'm not quite sure. I don't understand how it works. Is the inspector supposed to check the roof thru man hole? RegVic sabrinahongyi Hi all, 1. the roof and ceiling cavity is inaccessible, which obstructed the way up for inspection. My inspector told me there is nothing I can do at this stage. He said if I have arranged inspection at earlier frame stage he could of inspect the roof but now is too late. Shall I just let it go? What I can do now? Sabrina Hi Sabrina, Do you mean there is no man hole to access the ceiling? Cheers, Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 6May 06, 2016 11:04 am If you look at the floor plan. It should be mentioned where the man hole is (at least in mine). It is not just for inspection but any access to ceiling cavity (say if you want to run some cables over the ceiling). Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 7May 06, 2016 3:54 pm Have a look on your plans and see if there is a manhole anywhere (usually marked MH on your plans in a square - they often get put in the laundry, garage, and/or the hallway where the bedrooms are). It would be so strange if there is no manhole access into your roof (what do you do if your heating or cooling systems need servicing or you want to run extra wires/etc?) Do not sign off on anything until you are 100% happy with things! We built the Rathdowne with Simonds Express in Western Melbourne Site start Oct. 2015 Keys Jan. 25th, 2015 My build thread -here- Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 8May 06, 2016 4:27 pm Hi Sabrina There is a reason why we recommend at least four inspections during your build. It is precisely because if you don't then some items become covered up or inaccessible. There is no point checking your roof frame at PCI when it should have been done at frame stage when all members are exposed and not obscured by insulation ducting etc. If you don't invest in your independent stage inspections you then have to live with the risk that something substantial has been missed or covered up. At pre final inspection we look for: 1 unfinished work 2 Defective work 3 Non compliance with regs 4 Non conformance with contract We also do thermal imaging scan that can detect insulation defects and roof leaks We don't look at items that should have been picked up at pre slab stage,framing stage and pre plaster stage. So if you have missed those then yes there is nothing you can do, or more correctly yes there is something you can do but it will cost you a lot more for invasive inspections. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 9May 10, 2016 11:08 pm I disagree with BE that there is nothing you can do. Some building consultants actually climb into the roof cavity carefully (and this must be possible or you would not be able to rectify leaking heating ducts or insulation installation, or put in new lights and so on. Building consultants use the code for building inspections as an out, referring to reasonable access. These people do not want to do the hard yards(metres) or are not fit enough to do the work. Before you hire such a person, ask if they will carefully walk over the roof and get inside the roof. That will get rid of most of them. As to defects being looked for, I suggest you ask if they have a full definition of defect which includes reasonable life expectancies, manufacturer requirements and lack of short-changing as well as good workmanship and compliance with the documents and relevant codes including the Building Code of Australia. Roof tile installations for instance are often short-cut because the tradesmen are paid less than is reasonable in my experience. Every tile in every second row must be fixed. In over 50 inspections I carried out (in a row) this was not complied with. Pointing final coats must also be a minimum of 3 mm thick. I have never seen this complied with on any job. Unfortunately I am retired... so good luck choosing. Re: final hand over inspection-defetcs 11May 11, 2016 9:30 pm Leonardo_23 I disagree with BE that there is nothing you can do. Some building consultants actually climb into the roof cavity carefully (and this must be possible or you would not be able to rectify leaking heating ducts or insulation installation, or put in new lights and so on. Building consultants use the code for building inspections as an out, referring to reasonable access. These people do not want to do the hard yards(metres) or are not fit enough to do the work. Before you hire such a person, ask if they will carefully walk over the roof and get inside the roof. That will get rid of most of them. We are never going to agree on this and that does not bother me however before you start complaining about the code and it being used as an out perhaps you should have mentioned that you are complaining about Australian Standards Residential Pre Purchase Building Inspection is AS 4349.1 Timber Pest Pre Purchase Inspection Is AS 4349.3 Residential Building Inspection is AS 4349.0 All of these are subject to reasonable access(including safe access) I doubt that you ever were accredited for professional indemnity insurance (for pre purchase inspections)or else you would have to abide by your insurers guidelines and format and I doubt that you ever employed anyone as inspector for you are advocating breaches of OH&S Law. My guess is that you were a lone wolf inspector doing what you wanted to do regardless of your own safety. That's fine but don't advocate others do the same. Inspections are inherently risky and no one should take unnecessary risks. If I am employing an inspector I want him to work safely and go home to his family. I too want to go home to my family. That is not lazy. Once I watched young inspector crawl under a house without PPS even after I told him I would not because I could see from manhole sub floor space was strewn with broken asbestos sheets from prior renovations. Who was lazy and who was stupid? Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog If there have been changes, variations, during construction then the drawings should be revised, the building permit amended and the current, as built drawings given to… 2 4475 i would suggest nothing is unreasonable for PCI. we did all sorts, including checking the hot water, checking all the GPO's had power, testing that the showers were… 9 98623 The significant date is when receive final payment invoice Check that section of contract Bit of fluff by builders prior to that 1 15909 |