Inspection Stages
Post hand over and Maintenance period
These inspections are carried out after you have moved into your home and can generally be conducted up to 10 years after the initial occupancy permit was issued. There are two main types of post-occupancy inspections:
1. Post-Handover Inspection
A post-handover inspection is conducted within your home’s maintenance period, which is commonly 90 days, though some builders extend this to 12 months. It is important to check your contract for the exact timeline. During this period (also referred to as the defect’s liability period) it is your responsibility to provide a list of defects to the builder.
A post-handover inspection is often arranged if you have concerns after moving in, or if you were not aware of your rights to an independent inspection. For clients with an HIA contract, these rights are outlined in Sections 36 & 37, and for Master Builders contracts, in Section 17. While a final inspection is preferable—because you have more rights to report “like new” defects—a post-handover inspection still ensures early issues are documented and addressed.
2. Post-Maintenance Inspection
A post-maintenance inspection is conducted after the maintenance period ends, and can be carried out anytime up to 10 years after your occupancy permit was issued.
During these inspections, we focus on common issues that may appear once your home has been lived in, such as:
Cracking of walls or bricks
Water pooling or drainage issues
Occasional concerns regarding slab movement or “slab heave”
These inspections are vital because some problems only become apparent after the home has been exposed to daily use, weather, and natural settling. By identifying issues early (or at the right stage) you can address them with your builder while your rights under the contract are still valid.
