A new home can look finished at first glance: fresh paint, clean floors, working lights and a newly fitted kitchen. Yet the top defects found at handover are often concealed in the details that are easy to miss during a short builder walk-through. A door that catches, a poorly graded shower floor or missing roof drainage may appear minor, but each can affect performance, compliance, maintenance costs and your ability to have the work rectified.
Practical completion is the point at which a builder considers the home substantially complete under the contract. It is not the point at which a homeowner should assume every component is finished to an acceptable standard. A careful handover inspection provides an independent view of workmanship, visible defects and outstanding items before final payment and settlement place more responsibility in your hands.
Why Handover Defects Need Early Attention
The handover stage is your best opportunity to identify concerns while the builder remains responsible for completing contracted work. Most building contracts include a defects liability period, but relying on that period alone can create unnecessary difficulty. Once you have moved in, it can be harder to distinguish an original construction issue from damage, wear or changes made after handover.
A Practical Completion Inspection, often called a PCI or handover inspection, assesses whether the visible work is complete and finished to an acceptable standard. It is not a substitute for specialist engineering, electrical, plumbing or pest advice where those services are required. However, it can reveal issues that warrant further investigation and give you a clear, documented basis for requesting rectification.
The appropriate standard depends on the building contract, approved plans, specifications, manufacturer requirements and applicable building regulations. Not every mark is a defect, and not every defect has the same consequence. A sound inspection separates cosmetic touch-ups from matters that may affect safety, water management, durability or compliance.
Top Defects Found at Handover in New Homes
Incomplete and Poor-Quality Finishes
Incomplete finishes are among the most common handover findings. These include paint runs, patchy coverage, visible plasterboard joints, chipped tiles, damaged cabinetry, uneven silicone seals and poorly aligned trims. Individually, some are aesthetic issues. Collectively, they can indicate rushed workmanship and an incomplete final quality check.
Particular attention should be given to junctions between materials. Gaps around skirting boards, architraves, benchtops, wall tiles and external cladding are more than visual concerns where they allow water, draughts or pests to enter. In wet areas, poorly applied sealant can contribute to water damage behind finishes over time.
Doors, Windows and Joinery That Do Not Operate Properly
Internal doors that rub on flooring, fail to latch, swing open by themselves or leave uneven gaps are frequent findings. These problems may result from poor installation, inadequate adjustment, movement in framing or flooring levels that are not consistent.
Windows and external doors should open, close, lock and seal correctly. Inspectors often identify stiff sliding doors, damaged tracks, missing hardware, faulty locks or poorly fitted flyscreens. External openings are a key part of weatherproofing and security, so defects should not be dismissed as simple finishing items.
Kitchen and bathroom joinery also needs checking. Cupboard doors should align, drawers should run smoothly, hinges should be secure, and panels should not be damaged. Benchtops, particularly at joins and around sinks, should be properly sealed and free from obvious chips, scratches or swelling.
Waterproofing and Wet-Area Concerns
Bathrooms, ensuites, laundries and balconies deserve close inspection because water-related defects can be costly to rectify after occupation. Visible warning signs include cracked tiles, inconsistent grout, incomplete silicone, poor tile cuts around penetrations, unsealed edges and shower screens that do not contain water effectively.
Floor falls are especially important. Water should drain towards the waste rather than pooling away from it or flowing out of the shower area. A visual inspection cannot confirm every concealed waterproofing detail, but poor drainage, loose tiles or incomplete sealing may indicate a need for the builder to investigate further.
Ask for clarity where access panels, waterproofing certificates or relevant documentation are required under the contract or local requirements. Records matter if an issue develops later.
Roof, Gutter and External Drainage Defects
External defects can be overlooked when attention is focused on the interior. Common findings include loose or incomplete guttering, downpipes not properly connected to stormwater, damaged roof flashings, unfinished eaves, cracked render, gaps around service penetrations and inadequate sealing around windows and doors.
Water must be directed away from the building. Poorly positioned downpipes, missing drainage connections or ground levels that slope towards the home can increase the risk of moisture intrusion. The required drainage solution varies with the site, approved plans and local conditions, so the assessment should consider the home as a whole rather than a single downpipe or drain.
Landscaping can also conceal unfinished work. Check that paths, paving, retaining walls, fences, driveway edges and external steps are complete, stable and consistent with the scope of works. Uneven surfaces and unprotected level changes can create a safety issue as well as an appearance concern.
Roof-Space, Subfloor and Structural Warning Signs
Where safe and accessible, roof-space and subfloor observations can reveal items not visible from living areas. These may include displaced insulation, incomplete ducting, framing alterations, water staining, poor clearance around penetrations or debris left behind after construction.
A PCI does not ordinarily replace a structural engineering assessment. Still, cracks, uneven floors, excessive movement, damaged framing or signs of moisture should be recorded and referred to the appropriate professional where necessary. The key is not to diagnose beyond the evidence, but to ensure potential risks are not overlooked because the room itself looks complete.
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Items
Handover inspections commonly find missing covers, loose fittings, incomplete caulking around plumbing fixtures, leaking taps, incorrectly installed exhaust fans, poorly secured ducts and appliances that have not been commissioned or tested as expected. Visible electrical issues may include misaligned switches, incomplete faceplates or fittings that are not securely fixed.
An inspector should identify observable concerns, but licensed trades may be needed to test and certify specific systems. This distinction matters. A handover report can flag a concern and support a rectification request, while specialist testing determines the precise cause and remedy.
Missing Items and Contract Variations
Not all handover defects are construction defects. Some are omissions: a specified appliance is absent, a tapware upgrade has not been installed, a garage remote is missing, or an agreed finish differs from the contract selection. These issues are easy to miss if buyers rely on memory rather than reviewing the signed plans, inclusions, variations and schedules.
Bring those documents to the inspection or provide them to your inspector in advance. A home may look well finished while still failing to include work you paid for. Variations should be checked with particular care, as they are often agreed during construction and can be overlooked in the final rush to completion.
How to Use a Handover Inspection Report
A useful report does more than list faults. It describes the location of each issue, provides photographs where appropriate, explains the observed condition and identifies why the item needs attention. This allows you to communicate with the builder clearly and reduces the chance of a broad, unresolved request for “general defects”.
After receiving the report, provide the builder with the documented items and request a rectification timeframe in writing. Keep copies of emails, photographs, certificates, warranties and any agreed response. If an item is disputed, refer back to the contract, approved documentation and relevant technical requirements rather than relying on verbal assurances.
Some builders are responsive and address a clear defect list promptly. Others may consider certain items acceptable. That is where an independent, evidence-based assessment is valuable. It gives you a practical starting point for discussion without overstating the condition of the property.
When to Arrange Your PCI
Ideally, arrange the inspection once the home is genuinely ready for practical completion but before you sign final handover documents or make the final payment required under your contract. Booking too early can produce a report dominated by obvious unfinished work. Booking after settlement can reduce your leverage and delay rectification.
Allow enough time to review the findings carefully. Do not let a scheduled key collection or removalist booking pressure you into accepting incomplete work. If the builder proposes a handover date, confirm whether all utilities, appliances, access areas and relevant documents will be available for inspection.
For homeowners in Box Hill, Doncaster, Malvern and Chadstone, Apexi Building Inspections provides detailed PCI assessments designed to identify visible defects, incomplete works and issues requiring builder attention before handover.
A carefully documented inspection will not remove every future maintenance responsibility, but it gives you something far more useful than a quick walk-through: a clear record of the home’s condition at the point you take possession, and the confidence to ask for the work you contracted to receive.
ZH 
EN