Building a new home in Perth is a major milestone. By the time your builder advises that the property is approaching practical completion, it can be tempting to focus on collecting the keys and moving in.
But handover is also an important opportunity to look carefully at the completed work.
A Practical Completion Inspection (PCI) can help identify visible defects, incomplete items and workmanship concerns before or around handover. From doors and tiling to roof components, cabinetry and external finishes, there is more to check than many homeowners expect.
This PCI inspection checklist for Perth homeowners explains the key areas worth reviewing and where an independent inspection can provide additional clarity.
What Is a PCI Inspection?
A Practical Completion Inspection is generally carried out when construction has reached practical completion and the home is close to handover.
The purpose is to assess accessible completed work and document relevant defects, incomplete items and workmanship concerns.
A PCI should not be confused with a pre-purchase inspection of an established property. It is specifically relevant to the final stages of a new-home build.
If your property is approaching handover, StructSure’s independent practical completion assessment explains how a professional PCI works.
PCI Inspection Checklist: What Should Be Checked?
A proper PCI is much more than walking through the home looking for paint marks.
The inspection should consider the property systematically, subject to the agreed scope, completion status and safe access.
Here are the major areas homeowners should pay attention to.
1. Walls and Internal Finishes
Start with the walls throughout the home.
Look for:
- Visible cracking
- Poorly finished patches
- Uneven paintwork
- Chips or damage
- Incomplete painting
- Gaps around fittings
- Poorly finished junctions
- Visible workmanship concerns
Minor cosmetic imperfections and potentially significant building concerns should not automatically be treated as the same type of defect.
Location, extent and surrounding conditions matter.
2. Ceilings and Cornices
Look carefully where walls, ceilings and cornices meet.
Possible observations include:
- Cracks
- Cornice gaps
- Uneven joints
- Visible patching
- Paint defects
- Damaged plasterboard
- Poor finishing around light fittings or vents
A small finishing issue may require straightforward rectification, while recurring cracking or displacement may deserve closer investigation.
3. Doors and Door Frames
Open and close accessible doors rather than simply looking at them.
Check for:
- Smooth operation
- Alignment
- Handles and locks
- Door stops
- Visible damage
- Gaps around frames
- Poor finishing
- Doors rubbing against frames or floors
A door that sticks does not automatically indicate structural movement. Installation and adjustment issues can also affect operation.
4. Windows
Windows should also be operated where appropriate.
Your checklist can include:
- Opening and closing
- Locks and latches
- Frame condition
- Visible glass damage
- Seals
- Gaps
- Finishing around openings
- Cracking near window corners
Specialist glazing or compliance concerns may require further professional assessment.
5. Floors and Floor Finishes
Walk through each accessible room and pay attention to both the floor surface and how it feels underfoot.
Look for:
- Damaged flooring
- Chipped tiles
- Poorly finished joints
- Loose-looking finishes
- Uneven transitions
- Visible gaps
- Scratches or construction damage
- Areas requiring further assessment
The expected finish will depend on the material installed and the agreed specifications for the home.
6. Bathrooms and Wet Areas
Wet areas deserve particular attention because multiple trades and building components come together in a relatively small space.
Check accessible areas for:
- Tile condition
- Grout
- Sealant
- Fixtures
- Shower screens
- Taps
- Basins
- Toilets
- Visible leaks
- Damaged finishes
- Drainage observations
- Incomplete work
One important limitation should be understood: by practical completion, waterproofing membranes are generally concealed behind finished surfaces.
A PCI can identify visible wet-area and moisture-related observations, but it should not claim that every concealed waterproofing membrane has been directly inspected.
7. Kitchen
The kitchen contains cabinetry, plumbing fixtures, appliances and numerous finishes.
Check:
- Cabinet doors
- Drawers
- Handles
- Benchtops
- Splashbacks
- Sink and mixer
- Visible plumbing connections
- Sealant
- Cabinet alignment
- Damage or scratches
- Missing components
- General finishing
Open cabinets and drawers where appropriate rather than assessing appearance alone.
8. Laundry
The laundry may receive less attention during a homeowner’s walkthrough, but it still deserves a careful check.
Review accessible:
- Cabinetry
- Sink and taps
- Wall and floor finishes
- Plumbing connections
- Sealant
- Drainage-related observations
- Visible leaks
- Incomplete fittings
Any unexplained moisture should be investigated rather than simply painted or sealed over.
9. Plumbing Fixtures
Accessible plumbing fixtures should be reviewed within the scope of the inspection.
Relevant observations can include:
- Taps
- Mixers
- Toilets
- Basins
- Showers
- Baths
- Kitchen sink
- Laundry fixtures
- Visible leakage
- Fixture installation
A PCI is not specialist plumbing certification. Where technical plumbing concerns are identified, a licensed plumber may be required.
10. Visible Electrical Items
Check accessible visible electrical fittings for obvious damage or incomplete installation.
These may include:
- Switches
- Power points
- Light fittings
- Exhaust fans
- Visible switchboard components
- Other installed electrical fixtures
An independent building inspection is not a substitute for electrical testing or certification.
Concerns about wiring, electrical safety or compliance should be assessed by an appropriately licensed electrical contractor.
11. Cabinetry and Joinery
Don’t limit cabinetry checks to the kitchen.
Review accessible cabinetry in:
- Bathrooms
- Laundry
- Wardrobes
- Storage areas
- Other built-in spaces
Look for poor alignment, loose components, damaged surfaces, incomplete hardware and doors or drawers that do not operate properly.
12. Roof Exterior
Where safe access and the inspection scope allow, roof components may also be assessed.
Possible observations include:
- Damaged roof materials
- Fixing concerns
- Flashing issues
- Incomplete components
- Gutters
- Downpipes
- Visible workmanship concerns
- Signs requiring further investigation
Homeowners should not climb onto a roof themselves simply to complete a handover checklist.
Roof access involves safety risks and should be handled appropriately.
13. Roof Space
Where safely and reasonably accessible, the roof space can provide information that is not visible from the rooms below.
An inspector may consider accessible:
- Roof framing
- Connections
- Visible damage
- Moisture staining
- Incomplete work
- Other relevant observations
Access can be restricted by insulation, ductwork, electrical services, low clearance or construction conditions.
Any important limitation should be recorded in the report.
14. External Walls and Render
Walk around accessible exterior areas of the home.
Check for:
- Visible cracking
- Render defects
- Paint defects
- Damaged finishes
- Incomplete areas
- Gaps around openings
- Poorly finished junctions
- Other visible deterioration or workmanship concerns
Again, not every crack has the same significance. Its location, pattern and surrounding condition matter.
15. Gutters, Downpipes and Drainage
Water needs to be managed effectively around the completed home.
Inspectors may consider visible:
- Gutters
- Downpipes
- Discharge points
- Surface drainage
- Ground levels
- Ponding evidence
- Incomplete drainage work
This is particularly relevant when considering how the property will manage rainfall over time.
The focus should remain on the site’s actual condition rather than making assumptions based simply on Perth’s climate.
16. Garage
The garage can contain several easily overlooked items.
Check:
- Garage-door operation
- Internal finishes
- Floor condition
- Doors between the garage and home
- Visible wall or ceiling defects
- Installed fixtures
- Incomplete work
Where specialist mechanical adjustment or electrical work is needed, the appropriate trade may need to assess it.
17. External Fixtures and Finishes
Walk around the accessible perimeter and inspect completed external work.
Depending on the build, this may include:
- External doors
- Windows
- Meter-box areas
- Taps
- Posts
- Balustrades
- Eaves
- Fascias
- External paintwork
- Other installed fixtures
Check both workmanship and whether obvious components remain incomplete.
18. Incomplete Work
One of the most useful parts of a PCI is documenting work that simply has not been finished.
Look for:
- Missing fittings
- Missing hardware
- Unfinished painting
- Incomplete sealant
- Missing covers
- Unfinished cabinetry
- Incomplete external work
- Outstanding repairs
Photographic documentation makes these items easier to identify when discussing them with your builder.
19. Damage to New Finishes
Construction activity can cause damage even when the underlying work is otherwise complete.
Check for:
- Scratched glass
- Chipped tiles
- Damaged flooring
- Dented doors
- Scratched cabinetry
- Damaged benchtops
- Marked fixtures
- Cracked fittings
These items may be comparatively minor, but documenting them before handover can help establish their condition at that stage.
20. Items Against Your Plans and Specifications
Where your inspection scope includes relevant document review, completed work may also be considered against supplied plans or specifications.
Homeowners can separately check whether agreed inclusions appear to have been provided, such as:
- Fixtures
- Finishes
- Cabinetry selections
- Specified appliances
- Hardware
- Other contracted inclusions
A standard PCI should not automatically be assumed to include a complete contract audit. Confirm what document review is included when booking.
What Can’t a PCI Inspection Check?
Understanding the limitations is just as important as having a checklist.
By handover, many components are already concealed.
A non-destructive PCI generally cannot directly inspect every:
- Waterproofing membrane
- Concealed pipe
- Electrical cable
- Enclosed structural connection
- Component behind finished walls
- Area without safe access
This is why inspections during construction can complement the final PCI.
StructSure’s guide to independent checks throughout the building process explains how earlier inspections can assess work before later finishes conceal it.
PCI vs Construction Stage Inspections
These services should not be treated as interchangeable.
Construction stage inspections occur while the home is being built.
PCI inspections occur near practical completion.
Earlier inspections can provide an opportunity to assess accessible construction before concrete, plasterboard, tiles or other finishes conceal certain components.
The final PCI then focuses on accessible completed work, visible defects, workmanship and incomplete items.
For this reason, homeowners building from the ground up may benefit from planning inspections across the construction process rather than relying solely on the final walkthrough.
Should You Attend the Practical Completion Walkthrough?
If your builder provides a practical completion walkthrough, use it carefully.
Bring:
- Your relevant plans/specifications
- Notes
- Your phone or camera if permitted
- A room-by-room checklist
- Any previously documented issues
Avoid rushing.
Work methodically through the property and record the location of concerns clearly.
An independent PCI can provide another level of assessment by having someone with relevant building experience systematically review the accessible completed work.
What Should You Do With Your PCI Report?
Once the report arrives, read the whole document.
Don’t focus only on how many defects are listed.
Pay particular attention to:
- Significant observations
- Incomplete items
- Workmanship concerns
- Photographs
- Recommended further investigation
- Inspection limitations
Then discuss relevant findings with your builder using the processes provided under your building contract.
The report provides evidence of what was observed. Your contractual rights, rectification processes, payment obligations and handover arrangements depend on the applicable contract and circumstances.
Should Every PCI Defect Delay Handover?
Not necessarily.
Practical completion does not necessarily mean there are zero minor defects or omissions remaining.
The significance of each issue and the applicable rectification process should be considered separately.
This is why a useful PCI report should distinguish between significant concerns, incomplete work and relatively minor finishing observations rather than presenting every item as equally serious.
Our guide to defects commonly identified around WA handover provides examples of the issues homeowners may encounter.
Why Use an Independent PCI Inspector?
Your builder may conduct internal quality-control checks, but an independent inspection provides a separate assessment of accessible completed work.
An engineer-led inspection can help document:
- Significant visible defects
- Incomplete work
- Workmanship concerns
- Relevant moisture observations
- Accessible building elements
- Areas requiring specialist investigation
- Important inspection limitations
The goal is not to produce the longest possible defect list.
It is to provide a clear, useful report that helps you understand the condition of the home at an important stage of construction.
Quick PCI Checklist Before Handover
Before completing your walkthrough, make sure the following areas have received appropriate attention:
- Walls and paintwork
- Ceilings and cornices
- Doors and frames
- Windows and locks
- Floors
- Bathrooms and wet areas
- Kitchen
- Laundry
- Plumbing fixtures
- Visible electrical fittings
- Cabinetry and joinery
- Roof, where safely accessible
- Roof space, where accessible
- External walls and render
- Gutters and downpipes
- Drainage
- Garage
- External fixtures
- Incomplete work
- Damaged finishes
- Relevant plans and specifications
Keep in mind that this homeowner checklist is not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions About PCI Inspections
What does PCI mean in building?
PCI stands for Practical Completion Inspection. It is an inspection carried out around the practical completion stage of a new-home build to identify relevant visible defects, incomplete work and workmanship concerns.
When should I book a PCI inspection in Perth?
A PCI is generally arranged when the builder advises that the home is approaching practical completion. Coordinate timing and property access with your builder and inspector.
How long does a PCI inspection take?
Inspection time varies depending on the home’s size, complexity, condition, accessibility and the agreed inspection scope. A larger or more complex property can require more time than a smaller home.
Does a PCI check waterproofing?
A PCI can assess visible wet-area conditions and relevant moisture observations. However, waterproofing membranes are commonly concealed by practical completion and cannot simply be directly inspected through finished surfaces.
Does a PCI include electrical testing?
A building PCI is not specialist electrical testing or certification. Where electrical concerns are identified, assessment by a licensed electrical contractor may be recommended.
Roof areas may be assessed where they fall within the inspection scope and safe, reasonable access is available. Any access restrictions should be documented.
Is a PCI worth getting on a new home?
A newly constructed home can still contain visible defects, incomplete items or workmanship concerns. An independent PCI provides a documented assessment before or around handover.
Is a PCI the same as a construction stage inspection?
No. Construction stage inspections occur at selected points while the home is being built. A PCI takes place near practical completion, after much of the construction has already been covered by finishes.
Book Your Practical Completion Inspection in Perth
Handover is one of the most important stages of your new-home journey. Before focusing only on the keys, make sure you understand the condition of the accessible completed work.
StructSure provides engineer-led building inspections across Perth, helping homeowners identify significant visible defects, unfinished work and workmanship concerns with clear photographic reporting.
Visit the StructSure Perth inspection hub to learn more about our approach, or explore our engineer-led PCI inspection service when your new home is approaching handover.
Book your Practical Completion Inspection with StructSure and approach handover with clearer information about your new home.
