New Build Handover Inspection | Safe Living Inspections
Service features
Your Dream Home Deserves a Flawless Start.
You’ve watched the plans become reality, and now the keys are almost yours. But is your new build truly complete? Our professional Handover Inspection is your essential final check before you accept the keys. We act as your independent expert, meticulously scrutinizing every detail to ensure the quality, finish, and function of your new home meet the highest standards and your contract specifications. Don’t just hope it’s right—know it is.
How We Do It: The Final Check Process
Comprehensive Room-by-Room Review: We methodically inspect every single room, checking walls, ceilings, floors, paintwork, tiles, and fittings for quality of finish and workmanship.
Systems and Functionality Testing: We operate every door and window, test every light switch and power point, run all appliances, check heating/cooling, and inspect taps, showers, and toilets for leaks and proper operation.
Exterior and Site Assessment: We review the external cladding, brickwork, roofing, gutters, drainage, driveways, and landscaping to ensure they are complete and installed correctly.
Detailed Photographic Report Generation: We don’t just list defects; we show them. You receive a easy-to-follow digital report packed with high-resolution photos that clearly circle and explain every single issue, making it simple for the builder to understand and action.
Create Your Defects List (The Right Way)
We provide a comprehensive, professionally formatted list of defects—from minor cosmetic issues to more significant functional problems. This gives the builder a clear, actionable document to rectify, ensuring nothing is missed or dismissed.
Avoid Post-Move-In Hassle and Disruption
Identifying issues now means the builder’s team can fix them while the house is empty. This saves you the immense inconvenience of having tradespeople in your new home, dusting up your belongings, weeks or months after you've moved in.
Ensure Everything is Functional and Complete
We test outlets, taps, doors, windows, appliances, and systems to ensure they are not just installed, but working perfectly. We verify that what you were promised is what you are getting.
Gain Leverage for a Conditional Handover:
Our detailed report provides the evidence needed to formally delay final payment or key handover until agreed-upon defects are satisfactorily rectified, protecting your financial leverage.
How It Can Be Helpful: Your Advocate Before Acceptance
This service is your key to a smooth transition. It transforms an emotional moment into an informed process. You’ll gain:
- Clarity and Objectivity
- It's easy to overlook details on your final walkthrough. We bring a trained, unbiased eye to spot the issues you might miss in the excitement.
- Professional Documentation:
- Our report, filled with photos and descriptions, becomes an official record. This prevents "he said, she said" disputes and ensures the builder addresses every item.
- Confidence and Peace of Mind
- Walk across your threshold on moving day with the confidence that your home is ready, complete, and built to the standard you paid for.
Popular questions
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Doesn't the builder have to fix defects anyway?
Yes, builders have a contractual obligation to rectify defects. However, without a detailed, professional report, items can be missed, overlooked, or poorly documented. Our report ensures everything is captured formally, making the builder’s rectification process efficient and complete.
Can't I just do the final inspection myself?
While you absolutely should do your own walkthrough, a professional inspector brings a trained eye for detail and knowledge of building standards that most homeowners don’t have. We know where to look for common issues and how to identify problems that aren’t immediately obvious.
When is the best time to book this inspection?
The ideal time is after the builder has notified you that the home is complete and ready for handover, but before you have made your final payment or accepted the keys. This is when you have the maximum leverage to ensure defects are fixed.
What kind of things do you typically find?
Common issues range from minor cosmetic flaws (scratches on surfaces, paint drips, poorly aligned cabinets) to more functional problems (windows that don’t lock, faulty electrical outlets, inadequate drainage, appliances not plumbed in correctly).
What happens after you provide the report?
You provide the report to your builder or site supervisor. They should then coordinate trades to address every item on the list. Once they confirm all rectifications are complete, we highly recommend a re-inspection (often at a reduced fee) to verify that all work has been done to standard before you finalise the handover.
