Practical Completion Final Walkthrough: 3 Things NOT to Do

Practical completion final walkthrough? Learn 3 things not to do and how QBCC says finishes and defects should be correctly assessed before handover in QLD.

4/25/20265 min read

3 Things NOT to Do at Your Practical Completion Final Walkthrough

Your practical completion final walkthrough is one of the most important inspections of your new home.

It’s your opportunity to walk through the property before handover, identify defects or incomplete work and make sure those items are properly documented.

But there are also a few things not to do.

From shining torches along freshly painted walls to relying on a handshake agreement that something will be fixed later, here are three common mistakes to avoid at your practical completion walkthrough in Queensland.

Prefer to watch?

In the video above, we run through these three points quickly. Below, we explain what they actually mean and what Queensland homeowners should know before their final walkthrough.

1. Don’t Shine a Torch Along the Walls Looking for Paint Defects

You've probably seen people do this during a new-home inspection: hold a phone torch or bright light against the wall and shine it sideways across the paintwork.

It certainly makes imperfections stand out.

The problem is that this isn't the normal viewing condition used by the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide when assessing surface colour, texture and finish.

The QBCC states that these surfaces should generally be viewed from a normal viewing position with the surface illuminated by non-critical light. It defines non-critical light as diffused light that is not glancing or parallel to the surface.

Holding a torch close to a wall and shining it directly along the surface creates exactly the sort of harsh, glancing light that can exaggerate minor variations.

Does that mean paint defects don't matter?

Absolutely not.

Poor paint coverage, runs, damage, obvious surface imperfections and other unacceptable finishes may still need to be documented.

The point is that the finish should be assessed under the appropriate viewing conditions.

A tiny imperfection that can only be found by putting a torch against the wall isn't necessarily the same thing as a defect that's clearly visible when the surface is viewed normally.

View the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide

2. Don't Inspect the Wall From a Few Centimetres Away

The same principle applies to how close you are standing to the surface.

Getting your face right up against a wall and searching for every tiny mark might uncover things you'd never otherwise see, but that isn't how the QBCC guide says these surfaces should generally be assessed.

What is the QBCC normal viewing distance?

The QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide defines a normal viewing position as:

1.5 metres or greater for walls, ceilings, floors and roofs.

It separately specifies 600 mm for appliances and fixtures and 3 metres for glass.

QBCC Normal Viewing Positions

Walls / ceilings / floors → 1500 mm or greater
Fixtures / appliances → 600 mm
Glass → 3000 mm

Source: Queensland Building and Construction Commission, Standards and Tolerances Guide, Figure 1.4.

This doesn't mean you should ignore obvious problems simply because you're standing closer than 1.5 metres.

It means there is a recognised method for determining whether variations in the colour, texture and finish of these surfaces constitute defects.

The QBCC guide specifically notes that slight variations in the colour and finish of materials do not necessarily constitute a defect.

So yes, inspect your new home carefully.

Just don't spend your practical completion walkthrough with your nose against every wall trying to find something that's invisible from a normal viewing position.

Your builder will probably appreciate that too.

3. Don't Rely on Handshake Deals — Get Your Defects Documented

This is the most important point of the three.

During your final walkthrough, it's easy for something like this to happen:

"Yep, we'll get that sorted before handover."

That's fine—but make sure the item is documented.

The QBCC says the practical completion inspection is when the homeowner and builder undertake a detailed walkthrough to identify and document issues. Defects, incomplete work or items that don't match the specification are recorded on a defects list, which is usually signed by both parties.

This isn't just something building inspectors recommend.

The QBCC New Home Construction Contract actually includes Form 6 – Defects Document. Its purpose is to record agreed minor defects and omissions at practical completion, as well as additional items the owner believes are defects where the contractor does not agree.

What if the builder doesn't agree that something is a defect?

That's another reason documentation matters.

Under the QBCC New Home Construction Contract, the defects document can identify both agreed and non-agreed minor defects and omissions.

So an item doesn't simply have to disappear from the paperwork because you and the builder disagree about it.

Where an independent inspection report helps

If you've engaged an independent building inspector for your practical completion inspection, the report provides another detailed record of what was observed at the time of inspection.

At BSPI Inspections, our practical completion reports include written observations and photographs of identified defects and incomplete works.

That photographic record can be particularly useful for items such as:

scratched stone benchtops
damaged cabinetry
chipped tiles
paint defects
scratched glazing
damaged fixtures or fittings
incomplete work.

Once you've moved in, furniture has been delivered and people have been through the property, determining when a scratch, chip or other piece of damage occurred can become considerably more difficult.

That's why our advice is simple:

No handshake deals. If you've identified it, document it.

What Happens at a Practical Completion Inspection in Queensland?

Practical completion doesn't necessarily mean absolutely every minor item in the house has been completed.

QBCC explains that practical completion is reached when the contractor has fulfilled their contractual obligations except for minor defects, which can then be identified on the defects list. The home is then ready for the final inspection with the builder.

At that inspection, take your time and work through the home methodically.

Look at the finishes, operate fixtures and fittings, check cabinetry and benchtops for damage and make sure outstanding work is recorded.

And remember: the goal isn't to find the largest possible number of defects.

It's to identify genuine defects, damage and incomplete work, assess them appropriately and make sure there is a proper record before handover.

Should You Get an Independent Practical Completion Inspection?

You can undertake the final walkthrough yourself, but QBCC also confirms that homeowners can engage a building inspector to inspect the building work on their behalf.

An independent practical completion inspection gives you another set of experienced eyes before handover and a written photographic report of the items observed during the inspection.

BSPI Inspections provides independent Practical Completion Inspections throughout Brisbane and surrounding areas, as well as inspections throughout the new-home construction process, including pre-slab, frame, enclosed, waterproofing and fixing stages.

If your new home is approaching practical completion, you can contact BSPI Inspections for a free quote.

Building a new home? Get the defects documented before you get the keys.