Building & renovating
Owner-builder inspections
Independent inspections and written reports for owner-builders: a check during your build, a record once it is finished, or, where we can help, a report before you sell a home you built. We explain what we observed in plain language.
Illustration. Not an actual property or real inspection work.
- Owner-builders who want an independent look at their work at stages of the build.
- Owner-builders planning to sell a home they built, who may need an inspection report before the sale.
- Owner-builders who have finished a project and want a dated record of the home's condition.
- Owner-builders working on an extension or major renovation, not only a whole new home.
- Independent inspections at stages of your build that you choose, as agreed in the scope.
- A visual inspection of the accessible areas of a completed home, inside and out.
- The roof space and subfloor, where there is safe and reasonable access.
- Visible defects, unfinished work and items worth a closer look, recorded with photos.
- If the report is for a sale, we first check what it needs to cover and confirm whether we can help, before anything is booked.
- A written report describing what was observed at the time of the inspection, organised area by area.
- Photos supporting key observations.
- A clear list of areas that couldn't be inspected, and why.
- A plain-language explanation from VicWide, with the chance to ask questions.
Tell us what the inspection is for (a stage of your build, a finished project or a planned sale) and any key dates.
If you plan to sell, check the current owner-builder requirements with the Victorian building regulator, and tell us what they say a report needs to cover.
Have your building permit, plans and any inspection records or certificates from the build ready to share.
Make sure all rooms, the roof space, subfloor, outbuildings and outdoor areas can be reached safely.
Tell us about any work that is still unfinished, or anything you're unsure about.
Can’t see your question? Send an enquiry and we’ll come back to you.
More detail
More about owner-builder inspections
How it works
Tell us what you've built, where the property is and why you want the inspection: a stage of the build, a finished project or a planned sale. We'll confirm the scope and provide a quote (for a planned sale, we'll first check whether we can help). On the day, we inspect the accessible areas visually and take photos to support key observations. You then receive a written report, and we can talk you through it.
Selling a home you built
Selling as an owner-builder can come with extra obligations, and they may include an inspection report prepared before the sale. What applies depends on your situation, and the rules can change, so check the current requirements with the Victorian building regulator before you list, and ask your conveyancer or lawyer how they apply to your sale.
Once you know what the report needs to cover, tell us about the property and your timing. We'll confirm whether we can help before anything is booked. If we can't, we'll say so and suggest the kind of practitioner to look for.
It also helps to have your build paperwork in order. Documentation assistance can help you work out what you have and what is missing.
Inspections during your build
As an owner-builder, you are responsible for the building work, and your building permit sets out mandatory inspections carried out by, or on behalf of, the relevant building surveyor. An independent inspection is different. You commission it for your own information, at stages you choose, so you have a second pair of eyes on the work. It doesn't form part of the permit process and doesn't replace any mandatory inspection. New-building inspections explains stage inspections in more detail.
What this inspection is not
It isn't one of the mandatory inspections for your building permit, a certificate of compliance, a warranty or a structural engineering assessment, and it isn't legal advice about selling. It can't see work that is concealed inside walls, under floors or in areas that are unsafe to reach. If you're buying a home that an owner-builder built, see Pre-purchase inspections.
Learn with VicWide
Showing 3 topics
Inspections
How do I read an inspection report?
An inspection report records what was observed at the time of the inspection, where it was observed, and what couldn't be inspected. This topic walks through a typical report structure and how to use it when you talk with builders, agents or other advisers.
Key points 5
- A report describes observations at the time of the inspection. Conditions can change afterwards.
- Read the scope and limitations first, so you know what was and wasn't inspected.
- Observations are grouped by area, so you can find what matters to your decision.
- A report is not a certificate of compliance, a warranty or an insurance policy.
- If something isn't clear, ask us to explain it in plain language.
Related service: Compliance & reporting
Building
What should I ask while my new home is being built?
Building a new home involves several construction stages, a building permit, and a builder who remains responsible for the work. This topic explains how independent stage inspections sit alongside the mandatory inspections for the building permit, and which questions are worth asking along the way.
Key points 5
- Mandatory inspections for the building permit are carried out by, or on behalf of, the relevant building surveyor.
- Independent stage inspections are ones you choose to commission. They don't replace the mandatory inspections.
- Commonly requested stages include slab or base, frame, lock-up, fixing, and completion or handover.
- Check your building contract for how each stage is defined and how you'll be told a stage is reached.
- Your builder remains responsible for the building work, whatever inspections you commission.
Related service: New-building inspections
Permits & documentation
Which permits and documents might my project need?
Planning permits and building permits deal with different things, and a project may need one, both or neither. This topic explains the difference in plain terms, the kinds of documents authorities commonly ask for, and why the decision always sits with the relevant authority.
Key points 5
- A planning permit generally relates to how land is used and developed. Your council administers planning.
- A building permit relates to the building work itself and is issued by a building surveyor.
- Whether a permit is needed depends on the project and the property, so check before work starts.
- Authorities commonly ask for plans, specifications and supporting reports. Exact requirements vary.
- Decisions and timeframes sit with your council, the relevant building surveyor or the relevant authority.
Related service: Permits & approvals
Ready when you are
Enquire about owner-builder inspections
Tell us about the property. We confirm the scope and a quote with you before anything is arranged.