Pre-handover building inspection

[Kellie]

Hi everyone.

I bought my first apartment off the plan and it will settle in a few weeks. I've been told that the pre-handover building inspection will be very soon. 

I've heard a couple of horror stories from people who had a lot of faults in their apartments that were hard to rectify so I want to make sure I get it thoroughly inspected. 

Just wondering if some of the experts here could give me suggestions on what I should be looking for during the inspection? I think I'll be okay picking out faults in the finishing like paintwork and grout etc but obviously want to also make sure I notice anything more potentially serious like plumbing issues or anything that might crack or break over time. Thanks.

[BIM_Engineer]

@Kellieunfortunatley I have lost faith in body corporates & Statute Building Laws

Maintance repairs generally refers to 12 months

Structural repairs 6-7 years and if it goes over then read this.

Award-winning Landmark building at charleston has some problems

[Kellie]

Finally got a response from the builder to the building defects report. I'm pretty happy - they have seemed to have addressed a lot of the problems. 

One of the assumptions of the defect report was that the building was constructed of brick veneer cladding and had rising damp. But the builders have said that the building has brick tile glued to waterproofed concrete substrate so the efflorescence on the brick walls is actually "natural salts from the sand and cement facade brick tile grout". They reckon this will lessen over time and that it's only a problem in areas not exposed to the weather as they seem to be self-cleaning. A number of areas around the building have now been cleaned a look a lot better. 

A lot of the water problems in the "wet basement" seem to have stemmed from a leaking water main to the north of the propety. The leak has now been repaired and it seems to have reduced the amount of water coming in. The builder has also installed drip trays to direct water into spoon drains. 

I've had no problems inside the apartment.