A sagging stone benchtop: what a defect investigation looks for
How we investigated a visibly sagging stone benchtop near Truganina, and why the answer was full replacement.
When one thing in your Truganina home is wrong, such as cracking, a sagging bench or water where it should not be, we investigate that problem and explain what it is and who should fix it.
One of our inspectors will call you back. If it is urgent, call 1300 471 805.
Assessed against the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015, the National Construction Code and ABCB Housing Provisions, AS 2870 for footings on reactive ground, AS 3740 for wet areas and AS 3700 for masonry, alongside your contract and engineering.
26 checkpoints across 8 areas on a standard Truganina defect investigation report. Parts of the house we cannot reach safely on the day are recorded as limitations, so you know what was and was not seen.
Findings from investigations in Truganina and the suburbs next door.
How we investigated a visibly sagging stone benchtop near Truganina, and why the answer was full replacement.
A small pipe can keep the clay at your footings wet all summer. What we found on a Truganina investigation and how it is fixed.
Hairline plaster cracks, category 2 brick cracks and doors that stick. How we decide whether cracking is within tolerance.
New Construction Stage Inspections Seven visits timed to your builder's program, each one before the next trade buries the work we need to see. 
Pre-Handover (PCI) Inspections The last check before you sign off, listing every incomplete or faulty item the builder still has to fix. 
Pre-Purchase Building Inspections An AS 4349.1 visual inspection before you commit, reporting structural damage, its causes and safety hazards. 
Building and Pest Inspections Building and timber pest inspections done in one visit, with the conditions termites use spelled out plainly. 
Rental minimum standards (Victoria) inspections All 15 Victorian rental minimum standards checked in your Truganina house, with a written list of anything to fix. 
Dilapidation Reports A dated record of your home before a neighbouring lot starts building. VCAT Expert Witness Reports Evidence for a VCAT building dispute, written to the tribunal's practice note. 
Pre-Sale Inspections Know what a buyer's inspector will find before you list. 
Mould Inspections Finds the water behind the mould so the fix lasts. 
Insurance Claim Assessments An independent view of damage and its likely cause for a claim. 
Maintenance Inspections A yearly look over the house so small items stay small. 
Apartment Pre-Settlement Defects listed before you settle on an off the plan apartment. 
Reinspections A return visit to confirm each reported item was actually fixed. 
Timber Pest Inspections A standalone AS 4349.3 inspection for termites, borers and decay. 
Tax Depreciation Schedule Depreciation claims for a Truganina investment house. 
Commercial Property Inspections Condition reports for shops, offices and warehouses. 
Strata Reports Owners corporation records reviewed before you buy in. Instant online pricing, or talk to the booking team on 1300 471 805.
The specific problem you call us about, plus anything nearby that bears on its cause. We measure it, photograph it, check moisture where water is involved, and set out the likely cause and whether it falls outside the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015.
No. Our investigation report is addressed to you and to the builder who has to act on it. If the dispute is heading to the Building and Plumbing Commission's dispute resolution service (formerly DBDRV) or to VCAT, you need an expert witness report prepared to the VCAT practice note. See our VCAT expert witness reports.
By the nature of the problem and the size of the home. The instant quote form gives you the figure for your address before you book.
Some are. Hairline cracks in plaster and minor brick cracks can appear as a house on reactive clay settles. Width, pattern and whether they keep growing decide it, which is why we measure and categorise them rather than guess.
No destructive work such as cutting into walls or lifting tiles, no engineering certification, no geotechnical or soil testing, and no rectification. Wiring, gas lines and plumbing systems sit outside it and are left to licensed trades. If a structural engineer should look at it, the report tells you.
Normally the day after we have been on site.
In Victoria the builder's warranties under the Domestic Building Contracts Act run with the home, and section 134 of the Building Act 1993 sets a ten year limit for building actions. Get legal advice on your own dates.
Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) may respond where the builder has died, disappeared or become insolvent. The report documents the defect, and the insurer decides the claim.
Send it to the builder in writing and ask for a response by a set date. If they will not engage, the BPC dispute resolution service is the next step.
Yes, across Wyndham and Melton, including Tarneit, Derrimut, Deer Park and Ravenhall.