Don’t let hidden defects cost you later. Our qualified structural engineers inspect your build at every key stage — from slab to handover — so you know your home is safe, compliant and built to last.
Your build is moving faster than you can check it
Every construction stage covers up the one before it. Once concrete is poured, the reinforcement underneath it cannot be inspected. Once plaster goes on, the frame is hidden. Defects found at handover are expensive arguments; the same defects found before the next stage are a quick fix. Stage inspections exist because timing is the whole thing.
You are building and have no independent set of eyes on the work
Your slab is about to be poured and you cannot assess the formwork or reinforcement yourself
You have raised concerns with your builder and been told it is all within tolerance
You are an owner-builder and legally responsible for work you did not carry out
Handover is approaching and you need defects documented before you sign
How we help
A registered structural engineer attends at the stages that matter, checks the work that is about to be covered up, and gives you a written record. That record is what gives you leverage to have items rectified while rectification is still cheap.
When it happens: Slab (pre-pour) → Frame / Lock-up → Final / PCI (plus re-inspections if needed).
Why it matters: Catch defects early, avoid costly rework, and gain leverage to have items rectified before handover.
What we look for: Correct detailing and installation, load paths and tie-downs, bracing and lintels, visible signs of movement or poor workmanship, and adherence to relevant codes and standards.
How it works: We coordinate timing with you (and your supervisor if preferred), attend site, provide same-day verbal feedback, then issue a clear, engineer-signed report with photos and action-ready recommendations.
Extras (optional): Re-inspection after rectifications, additional stage checks, or targeted reviews of specific concerns.
Why owners and owner-builders trust our stage inspections
Qualified Structural Engineers Only
No Judgement, Just Help
Reports & Clear Recommendations
Peace of Mind at Every Stage
Private QA inspections and building surveyor inspections are not the same thing
Every permitted build in Victoria already has mandatory inspections carried out by the relevant building surveyor at set notification stages. Those inspections exist to satisfy the building permit. They are compliance checkpoints, they are typically brief, and the surveyor acts in a statutory role — not as your representative.
A private QA inspection is engaged by you, and the engineer reports to you. It looks at workmanship and structural quality in detail, and it can be timed around your build rather than around the permit schedule. Owners, owner-builders and builders use it to find problems while they are still cheap to fix.
Private QA inspection (this service)
Engaged by and reported to you
Detailed assessment of structural workmanship and build quality
Timed around your build, including stages the permit does not require an inspection at
Written report with photographs and specific defects listed, so you have something to hand the builder
Optional re-inspection to confirm defects have actually been rectified
Mandatory building surveyor inspection
Required under the building permit and carried out in a statutory role
Checks compliance at the mandatory notification stages only
Scheduled by the builder to keep the permit moving
Records approval to proceed; it is not a quality report written for the owner
Cannot be directed, expanded or timed by you
The five stages, and what we check at each
We coordinate timing with you, and with your site supervisor where you prefer, so the inspection lands before the stage is closed up. Most clients book two or three of these rather than all five — the slab and frame stages are the ones that cannot be revisited.
Stage 1 — Base / slab, before the pour
The last chance to see the reinforcement before it disappears under concrete. We check formwork and set-out, reinforcement size, spacing, laps and cover, setdowns, service penetrations, termite protection and vapour barrier, and site preparation against the engineering drawings and the soil classification. Defects found here are a morning’s work to correct; found later, they are unfixable without breaking concrete.
Stage 2 — Frame, before linings
We check wall and roof framing for member sizes, spacing, straightness and alignment, lintels over openings, bracing quantity and fixing, tie-downs and connections, and continuity of load paths from roof to footings. Framing is the element most often altered on site without engineering input, and it is completely hidden once plaster goes on.
Stage 3 — Lock-up
With the roof, external cladding, windows and external doors in place, we assess the structure as an enclosed shell — roof structure and support, cladding fixing and support framing, articulation joints, and any structural movement or deflection that has appeared since frame stage. Water entry paths that will later cause structural damage are noted here.
Stage 4 — Fixing
Internal linings, architraves, skirtings and cabinetry are going in. We look for evidence the structure has moved — cracking, sticking doors, out-of-level floors, ceiling deflection — and for structural work that has been cut, notched or drilled by other trades after frame stage. This is the stage most inspection schedules skip.
Stage 5 — Practical completion (PCI)
The final structural check before handover, while you still have leverage. We assess cracking, movement, floor level and deflection, external works such as retaining and paving where they affect the building, and any incomplete or non-compliant structural work. You receive a written defect list you can attach to your handover correspondence.
What you will receive
A written stage report after each attendance, in time to act on it.
A stage-by-stage record of what was inspected and what was found
Photographs of every defect, with the location and the reason it matters
An assessment of detailing, load paths, tie-downs, bracing and lining where relevant
A clear list of items to be rectified before the next stage proceeds
Optional re-inspection after rectification, so you have evidence the work was corrected
What happens next
Come to us early. The most useful call is the one before the slab pour, not after handover.
1. Tell us your build stage and construction programme. We will advise which stages are worth inspecting.
2. We coordinate attendance around your schedule so the inspection happens before the stage is covered.
3. You receive your written stage report, with re-inspection available once items are rectified.
What a QA inspection does not do
The relevant building surveyor must still carry out and sign off every mandatory notification stage. A QA inspection sits alongside that process and has no statutory effect on it.
Only the building surveyor can authorise the next stage of work. Our report does not permit, certify or clear any stage, and it does not amend or discharge any condition of the building permit.
The scope is structural workmanship and quality. Finishes, fittings, waterproofing, electrical, plumbing, energy and pest matters are not assessed, and no certificate of final inspection or occupancy permit is issued by us.
Work already covered up, or areas that cannot be safely accessed, cannot be assessed. Inspections booked after a stage has been closed up are limited accordingly.
Unless separately engaged to do so, we do not supervise, direct or take responsibility for the works, and we do not certify the design.
QA Inspections Frequently Asked Questions
Can you attend without notifying my builder?
Yes. We work for you, not the builder. You can coordinate with us directly and we’ll attend discreetly if needed.
Will this delay my build?
No. We schedule inspections quickly and provide same-day feedback so you can keep your project moving.
Do you inspect for code compliance or just structural issues?
Both. We check that your build is structurally sound and compliant with relevant standards.
Can I use your reports in a dispute?
Yes. Our engineer-signed reports are independent and defensible, making them suitable for disputes, insurance and legal matters.
Clear Pricing, No Hidden fees
+ GST
Re-inspection after rectification, or an extra stage check
+ GST
Notes
- The above are minimum fees only. Final pricing will depend on the property’s size, complexity, location, documentation provided and access requirements.
- A fixed quotation will be provided before work commences.
- Regional properties located more than 2 hours’ drive (one way) may incur an additional travel charge.
- All fees exclude GST.
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