Buyer guide
Handover day on a new build: what to check before you accept the keys
Your new home looks finished, but finished is not the same as right. A practical completion inspection by someone independent of your builder gives you a written list of defects to raise before you hand over the final payment.
Your new home looks finished, but finished is not the same as right. A practical completion inspection by someone independent of your builder gives you a written list of defects to raise before you hand over the final payment.
Why inspect before handover
Once you accept the keys and pay the final instalment, you lose a lot of your leverage. Raising defects at practical completion is simpler than chasing them later under warranty.
What we look at
- Finishes: paint, plaster, tiling, joinery and floor coverings
- Wet areas: falls to waste, silicone, grout and visible waterproofing details
- Doors, windows and hardware operating properly
- Roof, gutters, flashings and downpipes where safely visible
- External drainage, paths, slab edges and termite barrier details
Stage inspections
If you are still building, independent inspections at slab, frame, lock up and fixing stages catch problems while they are still easy to fix. See new build inspections.