23/05/2026
Pre-completion inspection - aborted visit
“Situations like this are incredibly frustrating for both the customer and independent inspector.
The original pre-completion inspection was scheduled for a Monday and was only postponed after I proactively chased on the Friday prior to confirm whether the property was genuinely ready for inspection. Unfortunately, despite the inspection then being moved, no further communication was provided to advise that the home was still not at a suitable stage for a meaningful pre-completion inspection.
On arrival, the property still had active trades working within the home, commissioning had not been completed, and key systems/items were not operational or safe to fully assess. This ultimately resulted in an aborted visit.
Beyond the wasted time and cost implications, situations like this also create a negative experience for the customer and can quickly undermine trust and confidence that the home will be completed and handed over in a professional manner.
It’s also one of the main reasons there continues to be such a large debate around whether customers should undertake a pre-completion inspection or wait until after legal completion for a post-completion inspection instead.
The reality is that pre-completion inspections can be extremely beneficial for both the customer and developer when managed correctly — allowing issues to be identified before move-in and helping deliver a smoother handover experience. However, this only works when the property is genuinely ready for inspection and communication between all parties is clear and honest.
To be fair, this issue only seems to occur with a select few developers STILL. Many developers and site teams communicate very well, manage expectations properly, and will only proceed with a pre-completion inspection once the home is at the correct stage and ready to be assessed professionally. That approach benefits everyone involved and helps build customer confidence from day one.
Hopefully lessons are learned from situations like this, as aborted inspections create unnecessary delays, costs, frustration, and avoidable concerns for all parties involved.”
