When building a house, there are a variety of build stages to be aware of. One in particular is the key handover.
The key handover consists of a few important events. Here we highlight the build stage in more detail.
House clean
Now that the build has reached practical completion, it’s time the home gets cleaned. As a number of trades have been walking through the home on a daily basis, the foot traffic tends to leave some mess.
A house clean includes wiping windows and door entry, the removal of any glue, cement and rubble to name a few.
If the house build has been done within a new land estate, it’s still likely you’ll need to clean the home again. The estate will be undergoing a lot of construction activity with other new homes and parks being installed. These tend to cause dust in your home.
Practical completion inspection (also known as the PCI)
The PCI is where you have the opportunity to review your home before final settlement. The builder’s construction supervisor will be present to showcase their finishing product and help answer any queries you may have.
During the PCI you have the chance to look for any defects within the home. For example, are the doors opening and closing properly, is their any scuff marks on the walls, paint marks on the floor etc.
For additional comfort, some buyers like to employ an independent building inspector to also look over each room for defects.
Once the PCI is completed and all items recorded, the construction supervisor will attend to all of the items and ensure they meet your satisfaction.
Site Clean
In preparation for the key handover a cleaner will attend to a site cleaner. The site clean includes removing any remaining construction materials left over. This is often more an external clean. The builder generally holds a bin during construction. During the site clean, the bin and any other excess items are removed.
Practical Completion Inspection 2 (also known as PCI 2)
Once everything has been fixed, you are entitled to a second inspection. The construction supervisor will again walk you through the home. A PCI checklist will be completed confirming everything has rectified.
Key Handover
Once you have paid your final invoice, a key handover will be scheduled. This is the final step where you collect keys, manuals and any other items contained in a settlement pack. The manuals will include all the manufacturing warranties or institution manuals.
This is when the home becomes officially yours! You should also have a defect warranty period. This is where the builder will fix any issues that may arise within a certain period of time. This is normally 90 days.
If you’re interested in buying a property we welcome the opportunity to help. You can contact us at anytime to discuss your objectives. We can assist you further.
While we have taken care to ensure the information above is true and correct at the time of publication, changes in circumstances and legislation after the displayed date may impact the accuracy of this article. If you want to learn more, please contact us. We welcome the opportunity to assist you.
October 2020
