Lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise

Stage4 of 7

When to bookWindows, external doors and cladding done, services roughed in, plaster not started

Time on site1 to 2 hours on site

Inspected againstAS 3700 (masonry), AS 4773, AS 2047 (windows), NCC Part 3.5 roof and wall cladding, manufacturer flashing details

What is included in a Fraser Rise lock-up (pre-plaster) inspection

Wall wrap and roof sarking coverage, laps and tears
Head, sill and jamb flashings to every window and door
Weep holes clear and correctly spaced
Articulation joints and cavity clearance
Mortar joints, brick ties and bed joint reinforcement
Lintels over openings and their bearing
Roof battens, tile or sheet fixing and ridge details
Valleys, penetrations and box gutter supports
Roof space insulation, sarking and services
Exhaust and rangehood ducting runs
External cladding fixing and clearance to ground
Garage, porch and alfresco set-downs
Site drainage and grading before landscaping
Debris and mortar droppings at the slab edge

Why it matters here

Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections on Fraser Rise builds

At lock-up the plumber and electrician have been through, and the walls show it. On Fraser Rise jobs we keep recording cables run hard against gas and water pipes where a 25 mm gap is required, top plates notched deeper than allowed to fit services, and sewer pipes left open for debris to fall in. Up top, sarking missing or only part laid under tiles takes away the backup layer for wind driven rain. We also go back through the frame list and record which items were actually fixed.

What we find at this stage in Fraser Rise

Cable touching a gas or water pipe
Top plate over notched for services
Sarking missing or part laid under tiles
Open sewer pipes catching debris
Frame items still not rectified

Partially completed ceiling insulation, recorded on a lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise — Ceiling insulation only partly laid before plaster

Sample findings

Sample defects found during our lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections in Fraser Rise

Annotated findings from Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections.

Cable in contact with a gas pipe, recorded on a lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise — Electrical cable run against a gas pipe without the 25 mm gap

Sarking under a tiled roof not installed, recorded on a lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise — No sarking under the roof tiles where the backup layer was expected

Over notched top plate, recorded on a lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise — Top plate cut too deep for a service run and left unreinforced

Sewer pipe not capped, recorded on a lock-up inspection in Fraser Rise — Sewer pipe left uncapped where debris can drop in and block it

The other stages of a Fraser Rise build

All construction stage inspections in Fraser Rise →

Guides

Construction stage guides for Fraser Rise

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FAQ

Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections in Fraser Rise: common questions

Why must cables stay clear of gas pipes?

A 25 mm separation is required between consumer gas pipes and electrical cables. Contact over years can damage insulation, and it is only easy to fix while the wall is open.

Is sarking compulsory under a tiled roof?

It depends on the design, the wind and bushfire requirements and the specification. Where it is specified and missing or partial, the report says so and asks the builder to confirm the requirement.

What is an over notched top plate?

A plate cut deeper than allowed to pass a pipe or duct. The cut weakens it, so it needs reinforcing before it is covered.

Do you recheck the frame report?

Yes, item by item. The lock-up report has a section showing which frame items were fixed and which were not.

How long does lock-up take?

Around two hours, more on a double storey where the upper ceilings and roof space take longer to cover.

What if plastering has already begun?

We inspect whatever is still open and list the areas that were already lined, so it is clear what was not seen.