PCI handover check, Wollert

Stage7 of 7

When to bookAt practical completion, before you sign anything or hand over the final payment

Time on site2 to 3 hours on site

Inspected againstThe VBA Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015, the NCC, your contract drawings and inclusions

What is included in a Wollert pre-handover (PCI) inspection

Every room: paint, plaster, cornices, doors, windows and floors
Wall and ceiling finish in natural light
Wet areas: tiling, grout, silicone, screens and drainage
Kitchen and laundry: cabinetry, benchtops and appliances installed
External: render, brickwork, cladding, caulking and paint
Roof, gutters, downpipes and stormwater connection
Roof space where safely accessible
Garage door, slab falls and driveway
Paths, porch, alfresco and step compliance
Site drainage, ponding and slab edge exposure
Fencing, gates, letterbox and clothesline where in contract
Contract inclusions and selections against what was built
Compliance certificates available for waterproofing, termite and glazing
A numbered, photographed defect list for the site supervisor

Why it matters here

Pre-handover (PCI) inspections on Wollert builds

A new Wollert home is handed over onto ground that will move through its first seasons, so the handover list matters for what it records as much as what it fixes. Establishing the condition of the slab, the brickwork and the internal finishes at handover gives you a clear baseline if cracking appears in year one.

What we find at this stage in Wollert

Paint finish patchy, with roller marks, misses and overspray on trims
Doors and windows not closing cleanly, or locks and catches not aligned
Chips and scratches to benchtops, baths, tiles, glass and door hardware
Site works incomplete, including driveway levels, gates and external paths
Gutters holding debris or water, and downpipes not connected to drainage
Contract items missing or substituted against the inclusions you signed for

Roof cappings fixed from the top instead of the sides, which invites water in, Wollert — Roof cappings fixed from the top instead of the sides, which invites water in

Noggings needed to pick up the plaster to most ceilings, Wollert — Noggings needed to pick up the plaster to most ceilings

Site not graded, so rainwater can run back and seep under the slab, Wollert — Site not graded, so rainwater can run back and seep under the slab

Sample findings

Sample defects found during our pre-handover (PCI) inspections in Wollert

Annotated findings from Pre-handover (PCI) inspections on Wollert builds. Client addresses withheld.

Metal roof dented or scratched, which can lead to early rusting, found during a practical completion inspection in Wollert — Metal roof dented or scratched, which can lead to early rusting

Anti-capillary breaks missing from the metal cappings and flashings, found during a practical completion inspection in Wollert — Anti-capillary breaks missing from the metal cappings and flashings

External glazed door fitted inside out, so the glass can be removed from outside, found during a practical completion inspection in Wollert — External glazed door fitted inside out, so the glass can be removed from outside

Toilet pan loose and not properly fixed to the floor, found during a practical completion inspection in Wollert — Toilet pan loose and not properly fixed to the floor

Cracked and chipped tiles that need replacing, found during a practical completion inspection in Wollert — Cracked and chipped tiles that need replacing

The other stages of a Wollert build

All construction stage inspections in Wollert →

Guides

Construction stage guides for Wollert

6 March 2026 · 7 min read

When to book each stage inspection on a Wollert build

How to time the pre-slab, frame, lock-up, waterproofing and fixing inspections on a new Wollert home so faults are found while work is open.

21 March 2026 · 7 min read

Reactive clay and slab design on Wollert building sites

Wollert sits on Newer Volcanics basalt with heavy reactive clay above it. What that means for slab design and your pre-slab check.

4 April 2026 · 6 min read

If your Wollert builder refuses an independent inspector

What to do in Victoria when a builder blocks your private stage inspector, including contract access, written notice and the BPC dispute pathway.

All guides →

FAQ

Pre-handover (PCI) inspections in Wollert: common questions

What is measured against at handover?

Your contract and selections first, then the NCC and the ABCB Housing Provisions, then the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015. That guide is the Victorian benchmark for finish, level, plumb and straightness.

Should I pay the final claim before items are fixed?

Take advice on your own contract before paying. Most domestic building contracts allow the final claim at practical completion, with defects attended to in the rectification period, so raise items in writing early.

How long does the builder have to fix the list?

That comes from your contract, which normally sets a defects liability or rectification period after handover. Report items in writing within that period and keep the correspondence, because dates matter later.

Is the PCI report usable at VCAT?

No. A handover report is written for you and your builder. VCAT needs an expert witness report prepared for that purpose, and we can prepare one separately if a matter goes that far.

What if the builder disputes the list?

Raise it with the builder in writing first. If it stays unresolved, the Building and Plumbing Commission runs a dispute resolution service, formerly DBDRV, and VCAT's Building and Property List comes after that.

Do you check the appliances and the power?

No. We do not test, operate or energise electrical work, gas appliances or cooktops. Those are for a licensed electrician or gasfitter. We do report visible damage and obvious incomplete work.