For new home buyers · NSW · VIC · QLD
Don't sign off on your new home until every defect is on paper.
Handover is your best leverage: the builder still wants the final payment. HandoverCheck walks you through 80+ checks room by room on your phone, logs every defect with photo references, and turns it into a numbered defects report and a letter your builder can't ignore. Then it tracks your warranty deadlines.
Checklist and defect logging are free. Reports and letters from A$39. Works on your phone, and nothing is uploaded.
Defects buyers commonly miss
- 💧 Shower floors that pond instead of draining
- 🔨 Hollow ('drummy') tiles that crack later
- 🧱 Weep holes blocked by mortar or garden beds
- 🔌 Dead power points and non-interconnected smoke alarms
Your handover rights and deadlines Free
Room-by-room inspection
Mark each item OK, defect or not applicable. For defects, note where it is and take a photo (write the photo number). Everything saves on this phone as you go.
Add another defect
Unlock your defects report
Inspection Pack
A$39
- Numbered defects report by room, with severity and photo refs
- Letter to your builder requesting rectification before handover
- Handover day checklist and documents to collect
- Photo log
Defects Pack
A$79
- Everything in the Inspection Pack
- 12-month defect tracker with your warranty deadlines
- Follow-up and final notice letters
- Step-by-step escalation for your state
- Use it for re-inspections all year
Pro
A$129/yr
- Everything, for unlimited properties
- Your business name on every report
- Save and reopen each property
- For buyers' agents, conveyancers, property managers and owner-builders
Secure payment by Stripe. Tax invoice emailed with every order. Packs stay unlocked on this device for 12 months.
Saved properties
Pricing
Free
A$0
- Full room-by-room checklist
- Defect logging on your phone
- Warranty deadlines for your state
Independent inspectors commonly charge several hundred dollars per inspection, and they're worth it for structural and compliance issues. HandoverCheck makes sure nothing visible is missed, and that every defect is documented and followed up. Use both if you can.
FAQ
Can I do my own pre-handover inspection?
Yes. Owners can inspect before handover, and many bring an independent inspector too. Tell your builder in advance who will attend.
What if the builder says a defect is 'within tolerance'?
Each state publishes a guide to standards and tolerances. Ask the builder to point to the specific tolerance, and get an independent inspector's opinion for anything significant.
Should I withhold the final payment?
Check your contract. Final payment is usually due at practical completion, and withholding without a contractual basis can put you in breach. Use the defects list to agree what's fixed before handover and what's fixed after, in writing.
Is this a building inspection?
No. It's a structured checklist and documentation tool for visible defects. It doesn't replace a licensed building inspector, especially for structural, waterproofing or compliance issues.