The handover inspection (sometimes known as the Practical Completion) is the final stage in the construction of a new home. However it does not include inspections of your drainage system, hence the Handover Drain Inspection.
This is particularly important as you cannot see if the drains have been installed correctly, are all there, or if they have been damaged during construction. This inspection “makes the invisible visible”.
Questions you may want to know the answers to include:
- Is everything all laid and connected correctly?
- Did the fencing contractor drilling with an auger drill down into your pipes and sewers unknowingly?
- Did the contractor doing the formwork for driveways or footpaths drive a stake through your pipes and sewers?
- Were any of your drains crushed by heavy equipment during the construction stage?
- Was there any damage caused through backfilling of drains by heavy machinery, including damage by large rocks or other sharp buildings materials on the site?
This handover drain inspection is a thorough and detailed examination of the internal and external drainage system of the new home. Any defects identified, damaged caused during construction and omissions found are itemised in a comprehensive written report that you can hand to the builder to remedy.
It is essential that all new home owners have this type of inspection completed to ensure all the drainage work carried out has been completed, is to the standard required and most importantly has not been damaged during construction.
This should be carried out BEFORE the final payment to the builder and will ensure the drainage is undamaged and to industry standards.
We pride ourselves on providing you with a drain inspection backed up with a comprehensive drain inspection report that meet the AS 3500..
Drain Defects We Look For In A Drain Inspection:
We conduct an inspection of the INTERNAL drains including:
- Removing the floor waste grates to enable us to insert a camera into the internal drainage system and systematically follow all the drains through until we reach the external drainage. We check for any damage from cracks, tree roots entering from outside, breaks, squashed drains, imperfections, etc.
- This process is repeated through each of the toilet, bathroom, laundry and kitchen floor waste grates.
We conduct an inspection of the EXTERNAL drains including:
- Removing the inspection openings in the sewer line to enable us to insert a camera and follow this down to the Council sewer main, out of the property and right down into the street so we can check the whole line.
- We check for:
- Broken pipes caused by large tree roots.
- Badly installed drainage causing “bellying” of the pipes; this results in water holding in the drains rather than flowing free and which then causes blockages.
- Badly installed drainage resulting in back flowing of the sewers towards the building, rather than out to the Council sewer main, again causing blockages.
- Cracked drainage pipes leaking water which can affect the foundations and cause cracking in your building; it also creates damp which is an attraction for termites.
- Provision of a written report on the internal and external drainage and any drainage issues identified. Plus where those issues are located will be marked on site.
Being in a position of knowledge, it will either be all clear which will set your mind at rest before auction day, or you will know what the “invisible” issues are underground, what they will cost to repair and either factor this into your negotiations on price, request the vendor to fix, or walk away from the deal. Either way, there will be no nasty, expensive surprises after you have purchased your property.
Want More? “Have it all” Pack:
All of the above PLUS
- We can provide you with a copy of the camera recording of all the internal and external drainage inspection for you to keep.
- Map out the drainage system for your property on the ground with white paint. This is useful if you are proposing putting in a driveway, a pool, an extension etc.