Building a home is a new experience in everyone’s life. But before settling down in your new home, an important step to make is a PCI. A PCI is a chance for you to Practical Completion Inspection a new home along with the builder before it is handover to you. This inspection checks alterations or repairs.
This inspection allows you to figure out the mistakes before they will hand over to you. Knowing everything about your home gives you peace of mind. Hiring a professional as a non-expert cannot detect defects efficiently. If there are any major issues, use the inspection report to negotiate with the homeowner.
What Are The Things You Should Look For In A PCI?
You have to check the final finishes at the end of the construction and examine that all the features are working correctly. Make sure that the builder delivered all the things mentioned in the contract. Besides the building standards and codes, the builder should show consistency with the approved plans. Below are the things you should check in the practical completion inspection checklist:
Internal areas – Internal construction areas include inner walls, paintwork, lights, tiles, slab, plaster, door and windows installations, ceilings, and floor coverings.
External areas – You have to evaluate the paintwork, fly-screens, portico, taps, exterior walls, brickwork compliance, outdoors, and render installations.
Roof coverings – Flashing, hip covering, fascia, gutters, eave installations, ridge capping, box gutters, and down pipes.
The main issues faced during the practical compliance inspection are:
- The finished quality of the construction
- Structural damages
- Incomplete work
- Presence of appliances
- Cosmetic defects
- Safety issues
- Building defects
- Fittings and fixtures
- Faulty windows and doors
Tips For The Building Completion Inspection
Here we discuss some tips to make your PCI an easier task to do.
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Note everything
Never ask the builder to provide you with a checklist of what to inspect. It would be best to have a downloadable practical inspection checklist to endnote what you will be inspecting. Note the issue you will notice and present this problem to the builder for the solution.
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Check the agreement
Check the agreement and assure that your builder has followed everything listed.
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Scheduled the inspection day
You have to schedule the inspection day to avoid any problems. Schedule the PCI day a week or two before the settlement day. However, some defects may arise when the house is left vacant. You will not want to uncover those problems when you have already settled down in the house. In addition, your builder will take time to rectify the main issues that are identified during the inspection before the inspection day.
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Fix the issues
As a client, if you find any problem that needs to be fixed, insist on getting them solved before moving in.
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Hire a professional
Different specialized contractors are involved in the construction of different areas of your home, so you have to hire an expert who knows how to inspect the home and the requirements to correct any issue.
How To Conduct A Completion Inspection?
Here are some points to be followed while doing a PCI:
- Take time to examine things. You have to spend a considerable amount of money on your home, so it’s the last chance to fix things.
- Try to evaluate everything. Sometimes you miss things while standing, so sit down on the floor in each room and have a good look.
- You have to turn on the water taps. Fill the sinks, basins, and bath to overflow level. So in this way you can check for leaks.
- Make sure to run the showers and check whether they drain properly.
- Check the toilets thoroughly. Check that the flushes are fixed securely with the floor and should not leak.
- You have to check the locks. Always try to make sure that the locks of the bathrooms and toilets are properly worked
- Check the switches of the home. Make sure to test the power points.
- Make sure to check the sensors. If you have any sensors in the home, always check the delay and sensitivity are set correctly.
- You have to check the rough edges. Check the rough edges of paintwork, particularly on window sills. These rough edges would catch your curtain and can pull the threads from the curtain.
- Note everything you noticed in the home. Make sure to note down all the issues on paper.
Importance Of Completion Inspection
The PCI is the most important time when you are ready to move into the new home. Getting the practical completion inspection from a professional can clear your doubt or concerns about your new home. He will provide you with a proven track record, so you must fix things before moving into a new home.
The completion inspection is the essential inspection for your new home. It is a chance for you to identify the defects and correct them on time. In this section, every room of the home will inspect one by one to ensure that everything will come according to the standards. Anything that bothers you will note on paper, and a builder will have to fix those issues as soon as possible. Once the repair is made, a second inspection will conduct to make sure that all the issues will resolve.
Conclusion
However, it is crucial to hire an experienced and qualified inspector to assess the building. Sometimes inspectors will also mislead you that they are qualified and professional. Getting the right PCI makes it easy for you to fix all the issues before you settle in your home. It will help to reveal all the defects of the building.
Building and pest Inspection: Deal in all kinds of properties (Commercial and Residential)
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Particular Completion Inspection.
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Timber Pest Inspection.
Descom Consultant – Building and Pest Inspections offering house and independent building and pest inspections to all suburbs of the Perth, Western Australia.
Our teams consist of Certified Builders and specialized pest technician contractors that have full Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurances. We guarantee complete customer satisfaction and peace of mind.
