A brand new home should be defect-free. That is the expectation, and it is a reasonable one. You have spent months watching the walls go up, made your selections, reviewed the plans, and trusted that a licensed builder has delivered what was agreed. But Bestwest Building’s extensive team of highly experienced registered builders inspects new homes every week across Perth and South West WA, and the findings tell a different story. Defects in new builds are common. Some are cosmetic. Others are structural. And once you have accepted handover, getting them rectified becomes much harder to force.
| New Build Inspections in Perth: At a Glance |
| • New homes regularly contain defects, including significant ones, at the time of handover |
| • Builder’s rectification window is typically 10 business days from notification of near-completion |
| • A practical completion inspection must be booked promptly after the builder notifies you |
| • Construction progress inspections catch defects during the build, before they are concealed |
| • All Bestwest Building inspectors are registered builders with hands-on construction knowledge |
| • 45,000+ inspections completed across Perth and South West WA |
| • Get an instant personalised quote at bestwestbuilding.com.au |
Why New Homes Are Not Automatically Defect-Free
The building industry in WA involves multiple trades working across a site over many months. Bricklayers, framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, tilers, and fit-off contractors all contribute at different stages. Coordination between trades is not always perfect, supervision levels vary between builders, and the volume of work involved in delivering a complete home leaves considerable room for things to be missed, rushed, or not completed to the required standard.
This is not necessarily a reflection of bad faith on the part of your builder. It is simply the nature of construction. What matters is that defects are identified and rectified at the right time, by the right person, at the right cost. An independent inspection from Bestwest Building’s registered builders gives you the documented evidence to make that happen.
What Defects Do New Builds Commonly Have?
Our inspectors see a wide range of issues in newly completed Perth homes. The most common include:
- Roof frame deficiencies: inadequate bracing, incorrect fixing of rafters or battens, or non-compliant tie-downs that may not be visible once the roof covering is in place.
- Waterproofing failures: incorrectly installed or incomplete waterproof membranes in bathrooms. These may not show as visible defects immediately but can cause serious water damage over time.
- Brickwork and mortar issues: missing or poorly installed wall ties, incomplete flashings, and mortar quality inconsistencies.
- Fit-off incomplete or incorrect: fixtures and fittings not installed correctly, missing or broken items.
- Stormwater management: drainage grading that doesn’t flow correctly, missing downpipes, or non compliant box gutter systems.
- Cracking and movement: early signs of settlement or structural movement that should be documented before handover.
- Building code non-compliance: elements that do not meet the requirements of the relevant Australian Standard or building code, which your builder is obligated to rectify.
Any significant defects identified should be addressed by the builder before major works continue. Some minor defects can be left until later in the building journey. The key is having a qualified, independent registered builder identify what falls into each category.
Two Ways to Protect Yourself: During the Build and at the End
There are two distinct points at which an independent new build inspection adds value: during construction, through construction progress inspections at key stages, and at the end, through a practical completion inspection before handover.
Construction Progress Inspections
Construction progress inspections are independent inspections conducted at key stages during the build. They are the most effective form of protection because they catch defects while they are still accessible, before the next stage of construction covers them over.
Bestwest Building offers five construction progress inspections as part of a standard package, which can be tailored to suit your build:
- Slab inspection: before the slab is poured
- Brickwork / Framing inspection: before the roof frame begins
- Roof Frame inspection: before roof cover begins
- Waterproofing & Roof Cover inspection: before wet area tiling is completed
- Practical Completion inspection: final thorough overview before handover
Defects identified at each stage are the builder’s responsibility to rectify. Having an independent registered builder document issues at each stage gives you a clear, timestamped record that is difficult for a builder to dispute.
Practical Completion Inspection
A practical completion inspection (PCI) is an independent inspection of a newly completed home at the end of the building contract, conducted before handover. It is for homeowners who have built under a building contract with a builder.
The builder typically notifies you approximately two weeks before the proposed handover date. From that point, builders work off a 10 business day rectification window. Any defects identified in the practical completion inspection must be rectified by the builder at their own cost before handover.
That rectification window is the single most important reason to book your PCI as soon as the builder notifies you of near-completion. Once you accept handover, it can become much harder to force the builder to rectify defects. If they refuse to rectify defects even when presented with the relevant information, you can contact the building regulator and lodge a formal complaint.
PCI pricing at Bestwest Building is $1,095–$1,495 for standard properties in our usual operating area. Get an instant personalised quote at bestwestbuilding.com.au.
What If I Haven’t Had Stage Inspections?
Many homeowners reach the practical completion stage without having had any construction progress inspections along the way. This is common, and it does not mean a PCI is any less valuable. A practical completion inspection covers all visible and accessible building elements of the completed home: the roof frame and covering, brickwork and external walls, wet area tiling, all fit-off items, fixtures, and finishes, and the structure throughout.
What a PCI cannot do is access elements that have been concealed by subsequent construction stages. This is the primary reason construction progress inspections add value that a PCI alone cannot replicate. But if the build is already complete, a PCI is still your best opportunity to have defects identified and rectified before you take ownership.
What About Buying a New Home from a Developer?
If you are purchasing a newly built home from a developer rather than building under a contract yourself, the process is different. You are a buyer signing a contract of sale, usually carried out after the contract is signed but before settlement. In this case, a pre-purchase building inspection generally applies rather than a PCI.
A pre-purchase building inspection on a newly built property follows the same scope as any other: all visible and accessible building elements, the roof space, subfloor if applicable, wet areas, and the structure throughout. The fact that the home is new does not reduce the value of an independent inspection. Our inspectors regularly identify defects in recently completed homes that the developer has not discovered.
Why Use Bestwest Building for Your New Build Inspection?
Every inspector at Bestwest Building is a registered builder under WA building regulations. That means they understand construction from the inside: how each stage is built, what the relevant Australian Standards require at each point, and what ‘good’ looks like versus what a builder might hope goes unnoticed.
With 200+ years of combined building experience across the team and 45,000+ inspections completed across Perth and South West WA, Bestwest Building brings a depth of construction knowledge to new build inspections that other inspectors cannot match. Reports are delivered the same day as the inspection for most domestic properties, as a digital document with full-resolution photographs, giving you the documentation you need to act quickly within the builder’s rectification window.
Builder notified you? Book your practical completion inspection now.
Get a free instant quote at bestwestbuilding.com.au or call us on (08) 9444 9562.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Build Inspections in Perth
Do I need a building inspection on a brand new home?
Yes. New homes regularly contain defects at the time of handover, including structural and building code issues that the builder is obligated to rectify. An independent inspection from a registered builder gives you the documented evidence to hold the builder accountable within their rectification window before you accept handover.
What is a practical completion inspection and when should I book it?
A practical completion inspection is an independent inspection of a newly completed home at the end of the building contract, conducted before handover. You should book it as soon as the builder notifies you of near-completion, which is typically approximately two weeks before the proposed handover date. Builders work off a 10 business day rectification window from that point, so acting promptly matters.
What is the difference between a practical completion inspection and construction progress inspections?
Construction progress inspections are conducted at key stages during the build, while elements are still accessible. A practical completion inspection is conducted at the end of the build, covering the completed home. Both have value: stage inspections catch defects before they are concealed, while a PCI is your final opportunity to have defects documented and rectified before handover. Bestwest Building offers both as a standard package, which can be tailored to suit individual builds.
What does a practical completion inspection cover?
A practical completion inspection covers all visible and accessible building elements of the completed home, including the roof frame and covering, external walls, brickwork, wet areas, all fixtures and fittings, internal walls, ceilings, floors, doors and windows, and the structure throughout. Reports are delivered the same day for most domestic properties, with full-resolution photographs.
What happens if the builder refuses to fix defects?
Any defects identified in the practical completion inspection are the builder’s responsibility to rectify at their own cost before handover. If the builder refuses to rectify defects even when presented with the relevant information from an independent inspection, you can contact the building regulator and lodge a formal complaint.
How much does a practical completion inspection cost in Perth?
A practical completion inspection at Bestwest Building is priced at $1,095–$1,495 for standard properties in our usual operating area. Price varies depending on the size, location, and complexity of the property. Get an instant personalised quote at bestwestbuilding.com.au.
I am buying a new home from a developer, not building myself. Do I still need an inspection?
Yes, but the relevant inspection is a pre-purchase building inspection rather than a practical completion inspection. As a buyer signing a contract of sale, you are purchasing an established property and a pre-purchase inspection applies, usually carried out after the contract is signed but before settlement. New homes purchased from developers are not exempt from defects, and an independent inspection is just as valuable.
