Handover from your builder

[Julie-Ann]

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?

[Elements]

-Take a phone and plug it in to check your phone lines have been installed correctly
Experiencing this one now

[Julie-Ann]

Excellent suggestion. Sorry you are having that problem though

[MareeJaeger]

Cool list! Not that I will be using it anytime soon...its a great ref list to have.

[Lanne]

THANKS! I have saved the list. very useful indeed.

[yvette72]

check your tv points work ours did work when we moved in they had not even been conacted at all

[Katrina]

Fantastic points! Most builders have a 12-24 week maintenance period. This give the house time to settle from winter to summer and vice versa. Plaster cracks become visible in this time. All builders should be happy to fix these.

Also make sure baths don't leak, doors aren't squeaking, rainwater tanks are doing their jobs etc.

Most builders will however give you warranties for all appliances at handover. It's up to you to fill out what is necessary to ensure appliances are covered. Most builders will not want to know that your oven/dishwasher is not working after you move in.

[Milena]

These are very good and handy points. Thank you all for sharing it
Also make sure the gas heater is commissioned before you move in. We were freezing for 3 days because it hadn't been commissioned.

[stormy]

Great list, Julie-Anne!

I also took my shoes and socks off and walked around the tiled bathrooms and shower hobs in bare feet, as that is what you will do every day! You wouldn't want any rough or uneven tiles in your showers!

Don't forget to test your privacy locks to see if they work! 3 out of 5 of ours didn't work during our inspection, and needed adjusting.

We took along light globes to make sure all the lights worked, and were wired correctly to switch in the right places. Our builder supplied the globes after handover, not before.

We also took along a small portable electrical device ( a shaver!) to see if all the powerpoints worked....and were in the correct place.

Don't forget to thoroughly check the outside of the property as well! We had several mortar blow outs and a few gaps around windows that were fixed after our inspection.

Also make sure that everything you asked for and signed off on in your contract is correct! Are all the cabinets in the right colour? Did you get that extra hand towel holder you asked for in your bathroom? Are the cabinet handles and door furniture the correct ones?

[Belinda]

Thanks, that list is going to be very helpful in the next few months!! THere are quiet a few things there I wouldn't have even thought of!