Guide · updated November 2026
Practical completion inspection: a buyer's guide
Practical completion (PC) is when the builder says the home is finished, and it usually triggers the final payment. It's your best chance to get defects fixed.
Before the inspection
- Ask for the inspection date in writing, and tell the builder if an independent inspector is coming
- Re-read your plans and inclusions list
- Bring a torch, coin, phone charger, masking tape, and your phone for photos
During
- Go room by room. Don't let anyone rush you
- Photograph every defect: a wide shot for location, then a close-up
- Run every tap and shower, and test every power point and light
After
- Send a numbered defects list in writing the same day
- Agree in writing what's fixed before handover and what's fixed after, with dates
- Re-inspect before handing over the keys and final payment
Inspect your new home on your phone
Work through 80+ checks room by room and log every defect with photo references. Then get a numbered defects report and a letter for your builder. The checklist is free.
Start my inspection My deadlinesMore: New home handover checklist (room by room) · Shower ponding: test the falls before you take handover · Drummy tiles: check them before handover · Weep holes: check they're clear before handover · New home defects in NSW: your warranty rights · New home defects in Victoria: your rights · Queensland: the defects document and home warranty deadlines · Documents to collect at handover