Final Inspections
When all your new building work is complete the builder will give you his last invoice and want payment.
A Final Inspection of the works will identify:
 any things which are unfinished (incomplete work)
problems which need fixing (defective work)
certification we recommend you ask the contractor to give you. This certification is proof that major parts of the work have been properly inspected.
Often there can many minor issues which can be quite difficult or expensive to rectify.
Trusting the system or the contract is foolish and the reason why there are so many expensive and frustrating disputes between consumers and builders.
Whilst we never recommend that you unfairly withhold payment from
your builder, we are now convinced that the best way to get the quality
of the work you are paying for is to:
obtain a Final Inspection
obtain advice about any other issue of concern such as variations and extras
delay making your final payment to the contractor until all work is completed satisfactorily.
If the contractor becomes unhappy, simply ask him to not to pay his
subcontractors and suppliers until they fix up or complete their work.
In the end the use of the Final Inspection is cheap insurance. No
one is fighting or waiting months or years for problems which should
never have occurred to be properly dealt with. Your contractor will
be happier in the long run because he was able to address problems
which can be so much more expensive to fix if you have moved in or
his own subcontractors or suppliers won't cooperate.
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