Once the dust settles

A new home or renovation often symbolises a new beginning or a new chapter in most people’s lives. As the construction keys go from the builder’s pocket to your keychain, the unboxing, flat pack assembly and inevitable argument around the correct placement of the television happen over the next few weeks.

It’s when this initial flurry of excitement begins to wear off that you might notice a few things – for example, a small chip in the plaster, a missed paint touch-up, a small crack in the cornice or the like. It might seem confusing to find minor issues in a new product, but your newly finished home is unlike anything else you’ll ever buy.

When your new home or renovation is finished, it’s still subject to a defects liability period. This is separate from your six-year statutory warranty, and is a period not less than four months per the Home Building Contracts Act. It’s an accepted understanding that houses settle after construction – different materials cure at different rates, roof timbers take the weight of their first winter rain and bricks continue to dry. This four-month period is provided to give the house a chance to settle, so touch-ups and corrections aren’t made piecemeal or are masking other problems.

One of the most important things to do during this period is take accurate notes of defects which might appear. This list will guide the builder at the end of the period, and short of obvious issues the builder can’t control like having gutters full of leaves or toddlers climbing the pantry shelves, they will then inspect and rectify these defects as part of their requirements under the Home Building Contracts Act.

Some of the most common defects reported such as cornice cracking, efflorescence (white salts on brickwork) and sticking doors are minor, non-structural and easily rectified. Only if a defect is persistent does it point to a wider latent issue. Any issues you may have at any time with water, electricity, security or large cracks should be treated as urgent.

If you are concerned about any element of your new home or renovation, download the free Western Australian Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2019 from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s website, to better understand the quality of work and finish you should expect.