Lock-up inspection in Wollert

Stage4 of 7

When to bookAfter roof, windows and brickwork, before the plasterer arrives

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 Wollert 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 Wollert builds

Wollert is home to a Brickworks Limited plant described as Australia's largest brickmaker, so the corridor is full of brick veneer. Good bricks need correct articulation joints, clear weep holes and proper flashings, especially on reactive clay that lifts and drops with the seasons. Poor detailing shows up as stepped cracking.

What we find at this stage in Wollert

Weep holes blocked with mortar droppings or bricked over at the base course
Articulation joints missing, in the wrong place, or filled with hard mortar
Roof flashings short at valleys, parapets and where the roof meets a wall
Sarking torn, cut short at the eaves, or not carried into the gutter line
Window head and sill flashings missing, so water can track into the cavity
Termite protection to slab edges and pipe penetrations broken or covered

Debris sitting on the roof tiles that needs to be cleared before handover, Wollert — Debris sitting on the roof tiles that needs to be cleared before handover

Broken waste pipe with debris inside that could block the sewer, Wollert — Broken waste pipe with debris inside that could block the sewer

Brickwork not started, Wollert — Brickwork not started

Sample findings

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

Annotated findings from Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections on Wollert builds. Client addresses withheld.

Wall bracing not tightened properly, so it is not doing its job, found during a lock-up inspection in Wollert — Wall bracing not tightened properly, so it is not doing its job

Stormwater pipe not found where the plans show it, found during a lock-up inspection in Wollert — Stormwater pipe not found where the plans show it

Electrical cable touching a gas pipe, where 25mm of separation is required, found during a lock-up inspection in Wollert — Electrical cable touching a gas pipe, where 25mm of separation is required

Insulation batts loose or fallen out, which cuts the home's energy rating, found during a lock-up inspection in Wollert — Insulation batts loose or fallen out, which cuts the home's energy rating

Gaps around sarking penetrations still to be taped or sealed, found during a lock-up inspection in Wollert — Gaps around sarking penetrations still to be taped or sealed

The other stages of a Wollert build

All construction stage inspections in Wollert →

Guides

Construction stage guides for Wollert

6 March 2026 · 7 min read

When to book each stage inspection on a Wollert build

How to time the pre-slab, frame, lock-up, waterproofing and fixing inspections on a new Wollert home so faults are found while work is open.

21 March 2026 · 7 min read

Reactive clay and slab design on Wollert building sites

Wollert sits on Newer Volcanics basalt with heavy reactive clay above it. What that means for slab design and your pre-slab check.

4 April 2026 · 6 min read

If your Wollert builder refuses an independent inspector

What to do in Victoria when a builder blocks your private stage inspector, including contract access, written notice and the BPC dispute pathway.

All guides →

FAQ

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

What is lock-up stage?

Lock-up is the point where the house can be closed and locked: roof covered, external walls complete, windows and external doors installed. Internal linings have not started, so the building fabric is still visible.

Why inspect before the plaster goes on?

Because plasterboard hides the cavity, the wall wrap, the flashings and the framing behind them. Once linings are up, a water entry problem usually shows up months later as a stain rather than a fixable detail.

Which standard covers the brickwork?

AS 3700 covers masonry construction, with the NCC and ABCB Housing Provisions setting weatherproofing requirements. Tolerances for plumb, level and joint work come from the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2015.

Do you go on the roof?

We inspect the roof from safe accessible positions, which usually means from a ladder at the edge and from within the roof space where there is safe access. We do not walk roofs where it is unsafe to do so.

Is termite protection checked here?

Yes, visually. We look at the slab edge exposure, the perimeter and the penetrations to see whether the system installed is still intact and visible for inspection. We do not carry out treatment.

What if the builder has already started plastering?

We still inspect, and we say plainly in the report what could no longer be seen. It is worth booking early rather than losing access to the flashings and wall cavity entirely.