Julie-Ann
04-06-2010, 01:45 PM
The handover of your newly built home is exciting, it means you will be moving in soon. I thought we would go over some of the things to be aware of on this day. You will be meeting your building supervisor to go through the property and check for any areas that will need fixing and repairing.
Often the homeowner doesn’t want to make the final payment until absolutely everything is perfect. Whilst I understand their apprehension it is not legal to with hold the money. The final payment is due at the end of the practical completion of the home. This means the home is fit for you to occupy. If there is a problem with the hot water or the toilets are not working then that is a different story. Your builder will fix any minor problems after you have completed handover.
So what to look for when walking around the home with your building supervisor? Firstly make sure you have pen and lots of paper.
1. Open and shut every cabinet and door.
2. Flush the toilets.
3. Turn on all the taps.
4. Look for scratches and cracks on any window or glass surface.
5. Check all the appliances are working.
6. Open and shut all the windows and doors, and check they lock and unlock correctly.
7. Check all the garage door remotes.
8. Check for chips on any bench tops and on any doors and cabinet doors.
9. Check for chips in plaster, cornices, and tiles or other flooring already installed.
10. Check for drips and patchy work on painted surfaces.
11. Check gutters are cleaned out (we found a lot of building rubble in ours).
This is your time to be picky. Most builders we fix the items very quickly without any complaint.
If any faults become obvious after you move in you have a period of time to notify your builder. I would suggest you write yourself a reminder in a diary of when those dates are due.
Can you make any other suggestions for new homeowners to check during their handover meeting?
Often the homeowner doesn’t want to make the final payment until absolutely everything is perfect. Whilst I understand their apprehension it is not legal to with hold the money. The final payment is due at the end of the practical completion of the home. This means the home is fit for you to occupy. If there is a problem with the hot water or the toilets are not working then that is a different story. Your builder will fix any minor problems after you have completed handover.
So what to look for when walking around the home with your building supervisor? Firstly make sure you have pen and lots of paper.
1. Open and shut every cabinet and door.
2. Flush the toilets.
3. Turn on all the taps.
4. Look for scratches and cracks on any window or glass surface.
5. Check all the appliances are working.
6. Open and shut all the windows and doors, and check they lock and unlock correctly.
7. Check all the garage door remotes.
8. Check for chips on any bench tops and on any doors and cabinet doors.
9. Check for chips in plaster, cornices, and tiles or other flooring already installed.
10. Check for drips and patchy work on painted surfaces.
11. Check gutters are cleaned out (we found a lot of building rubble in ours).
This is your time to be picky. Most builders we fix the items very quickly without any complaint.
If any faults become obvious after you move in you have a period of time to notify your builder. I would suggest you write yourself a reminder in a diary of when those dates are due.
Can you make any other suggestions for new homeowners to check during their handover meeting?