At or after handover

Defect

Know what you can rightfully raise, and how far you want me in the room while it gets fixed.

The three levels

Choose your level

Not everything you don't like is a defect, and not every defect is obvious. Every level is assessed against the standards and tolerances that apply to residential building work in NSW, so what you raise stands on solid ground.

Defect Resolution

The report, plus I stay involved until the defects are signed off.

  • Initial site visit, opening with a meeting so we walk the works together
  • The full defect report, delivered to your builder
  • My written responses to your builder's replies and any clarification needed
  • Remote involvement while the rectification work runs
  • A final visit to sign the items off against the report
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Defect Statement

Know what you are rightfully able to raise, and handle the conversation yourself.

  • Desk-based, no site visit needed
  • From a conversation and a few photos of your project, a written statement of what you are able, and rightfully able, to raise as a defect
  • Assessed against the standards and tolerances that apply to residential building work in NSW
  • You take it to your builder and work through the process yourself
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Not sure which level fits? Get in touch and Shane will recommend one.

Timing

The right time to raise it

Handover, before final sign off, is the strongest moment. What gets agreed there sets the tone for everything that follows, and it is far easier to hold a standard than to claw one back.

The second window is the months after handover, while your builder is still responsible for coming back and fixing faults. Raising the right items, the right way, keeps that process working and keeps the relationship with your builder intact.

Either way, what you raise stands on the standards and tolerances that apply to residential building work in NSW, so the conversation starts on solid ground rather than on opinion.

Common questions

FAQ

Do you visit the property for the Defect Statement?

No. The Statement is desk-based: from a conversation and a few photos of your project, you get a written statement of what you are able, and rightfully able, to raise. If you want me on site inspecting the works, that is the Defect Inspection Report.

What actually counts as a defect?

Not everything you are unhappy with. Every level is assessed against the standards and tolerances that apply to residential building work in NSW, so what you raise stands on solid ground and what does not qualify is flagged before it costs you goodwill with your builder.

What is the defects liability period?

The months after handover when your builder is still responsible for coming back and fixing faults, under most residential building contracts. It is one of the windows where raising the right items, the right way, matters most.

Can I start with the Statement and step up?

Yes. Each level builds on the one below it, so starting small and stepping up costs you nothing but the difference.

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What you get: an independent position on what is genuinely a defect, held to the same standard whichever level you choose. What it is not: legal advice, structural certification, or a guarantee of your builder's response. Anything with legal weight should be confirmed with your solicitor before you rely on it. NSW only, for now.