PCI & Handover Inspection Melbourne
Don't Sign Off Until It's Done Right
Practical completion is when your builder says the home is finished and asks for the final payment. Once you’ve paid and taken the keys, getting defects fixed becomes much harder. Your strongest position is before handover.
A BuildInspect Melbourne practical completion inspection (PCI) is a detailed, room-by-room inspection of your finished home before handover. We check workmanship, finishes and fittings against your contract, the National Construction Code and the VBA Guide to Standards and Tolerances, flood test the showers, inspect the roof space, and give you a clear photo report to hand to your builder so everything is fixed before you pay the final claim.
Doing your own walk-through as well? Download our free PCI handover inspection checklist.
What Our PCI Handover Inspection Covers
A complete, room-by-room inspection of your finished home before you take the keys.
- What We Check
Inspected against your contract, the NCC and the VBA Guide to Standards and Tolerances.
- Incomplete work, defects and damage throughout the home
- Paintwork, plaster finishes, cornices and ceilings
- Wall and floor tiling, grout and silicone
- Flood test of shower areas to check for leaks
- Doors, windows, locks, hardware and seals
- Kitchen, bathroom and laundry fixtures and fittings
- Flooring, skirtings and architraves
- Plumbing and electrical fittings where accessible
- Roof space: insulation, framing and roof covering
- Driveway, paths, external finishes and site grading
- When to Book
Book once your builder notifies you of practical completion.
- When your builder gives notice that the home is complete
- Before you pay the final progress claim
- Before you sign handover or completion documents
- Allow time for a re-inspection to confirm defects are fixed
- Common Handover Defects We Find
Items many owners miss at a quick walk-through.
- Paint runs, patchy finishes and plaster cracks
- Chipped, hollow or uneven tiles and missing silicone
- Doors that bind, don't latch or have damaged frames
- Leaking taps, showers and poorly sealed wet areas
- Scratched benchtops, windows and fittings
- Gaps in insulation or debris left in the roof space
- Your Inspection Report
Clear, easy to read and delivered fast.
- Detailed report with photos of every issue found
- Each defect referenced to the relevant standard or plan
- Plain-English explanation of what needs fixing
- Report usually delivered within 4 hours of the inspection
- Easy to forward straight to your builder
- Free lifetime phone support to talk through the findings
- Pricing
Clear, fixed pricing. All prices include GST.
- Apartment: from $400
- Single storey home: from $500
- Double storey home: from $600
- Included in our 5-stage package from $2,000 single storey / $2,200 double storey
- Other Stage Inspections
Book individual stages or save with our 5-stage package.
Why a PCI Handover Inspection Matters
Your strongest position to get defects fixed is before final payment.
A trained eye finds far more than an owner’s walk-through.
Shower flood testing finds leaks before they damage your new home.
Gives your builder a clear, itemised list to work through.
Reduces maintenance problems after you move in.
Documents the condition of your home at handover for warranty claims.
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We Cover All of Melbourne
All Melbourne, Covered
We cover the entire metropolitan Melbourne area.
Key suburbs we service in this area:
- Inner Melbourne
- Inner North
- Inner East
- Eastern Melbourne
- South East Melbourne
- Bayside Melbourne
- Western Melbourne
- Caroline Springs Region
- Northern Melbourne
- Outer Northern Growth Corridor
PCI Handover Inspection FAQs
What is a PCI inspection?
PCI stands for practical completion inspection. It’s a detailed inspection of your new home when the builder says it’s finished, carried out before handover and before you pay the final progress claim.
Should I do the PCI inspection with my builder?
Many builders arrange a walk-through with you. We recommend having an independent inspector check the home first, so you go into the walk-through with a professional, itemised defect list.
What happens after the inspection?
You receive a photo report listing each defect and incomplete item. You give this to your builder to fix before handover. We can return for a re-inspection to confirm the work has been done.
What if defects appear after I move in?
Your builder has ongoing obligations under the statutory warranties in the Domestic Building Contracts Act. We also offer an end of warranty inspection, and every inspection includes free lifetime phone support.
Is BuildInspect Melbourne insured?
Yes, it holds both professional indemnity insurance and public liability insurance.
How much does a PCI handover inspection cost?
PCI inspections start from $400 for an apartment, $500 for a single storey home and $600 for a double storey home, including GST. It is also included in our 5-stage package from $2,000.
What qualifications do your inspectors have?
All of our building inspectors are Registered Building Practitioners, licensed carpenters, building surveyors and qualified timber pest inspectors in Victoria, with over 30 years experience in residential and commercial construction. They are trained in Tramex moisture detection and thermal imaging equipment.
Book an Inspection
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At BuildInspect Melbourne, we pride ourselves on delivering honest advice, detailed reporting, and reliable service you can trust.
Contact us today to arrange your pre-purchase building and pest inspection and ensure you know exactly what you’re buying before you commit.