The fixing stage is when the inside of your home takes shape: plasterboard, doors, architraves, skirting, cabinetry and wet-area waterproofing. A fixing inspection checks this work before it is painted and tiled over, when corrections are still simple.
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- Led by Patrick Dunne, a registered builder with an Advanced Diploma in Building and Surveying.
- Around 12,000 inspections completed, including about 1,100 in the last 12 months.
Building a new home? Book a stage inspection online or call (03) 8797 2639.
Why an independent fixing inspection matters
Under Victoria’s Building Regulations 2018, your builder must notify the building surveyor at four mandatory stages: before a footing is placed, before nominated reinforced concrete is poured, at completion of the frame, and at completion of the building work. An independent inspection is carried out for you, the owner, and records defects and incomplete work in a report you can give your builder.
The fixing stage is not one of those mandatory stages, so an independent inspection is the check most owners rely on here.
When should I book a fixing inspection?
After plasterboard, internal doors, architraves, skirting and cabinetry are in, and ideally before tiling covers the waterproofing.
What we check at fixing stage
- Plasterboard fixing, joints and finish
- Wet-area waterproofing, falls and bond breakers where visible
- Internal doors, frames, architraves and skirting
- Cabinetry alignment and fixing
- Staircases, balustrades and handrails where fitted
- Items from earlier stages that were to be rectified
Why check waterproofing before tiling?
Once tiles are laid, the waterproofing underneath cannot be seen. In the building regulator’s own proactive inspections, waterproofing has been among the top non-compliant items in domestic building work (Victorian Building Authority, 2022), so checking what is visible before tiling is worth doing.
What happens after the fixing report?
The report lists each item with a photograph so your builder can fix it before painting and final finishes. Items carried over from earlier stages are noted so nothing is lost before handover.
Before and after this stage
Before: the lock-up and pre-plaster inspection. Next: the PCI and handover inspection. See every stage on our new home stage inspections page.
