When you build your own home, you'll have to commission various building inspection reports. These reports ensure that your build meets regulations and your plans.
One of the most important inspections during this process is a slab report. What does this inspection do and why do you need it?
What Is a Slab Report?
A slab inspection looks at the concrete foundation slab upon which you build your home. Typically, your building surveyor runs two checks during this inspection.
First, they make a pre-build slab report. They check out the ground after your builder prepares it for the slab but before they pour the concrete.
Here, your surveyor checks that your builder has laid out the ground according to your plans and approved building permissions. They check out the internal parts of the build such as reinforcing bars, meshes and membranes.
If your build passes this inspection, then your builder can lay the actual slab. Your surveyor then completes the second part of the inspection.
Here, they look at the slab itself. They ensure that it meets your plans, that it is level and that it has no defects. If you're installing termite prevention measures in your foundations, such as a barrier, then they also check that your builder has installed this correctly.
Why Is a Slab Report Important?
While you need to pass all your building inspections, the slab inspection is really important. The slab you lay creates the foundation for your home. If you get this part of the build wrong, then you could have a lot of future problems.
For example, an uneven or damaged slab won't support your house correctly. You might suffer from problems such as subsidence. So, you might end up with cracks in your walls, uneven floors and sticking doors and windows. Or, if your termite barriers aren't laid correctly, then your home could be open to termite attack.
If you have a two-stage slab inspection, then you get the peace of mind that your foundation is sound and meets all necessary building standards. Your surveyor also checks that your builder is following your plans. They can tell you whether your slab is up to doing its job.
It's a lot easier and cheaper to spot slab problems at these stages. If you don't run this inspection, then you won't know that you have a problem until your home is built. Make-good or remedial work at that stage is costly, time-consuming and intrusive.
To find out more about slab reports and other vital new-build inspections, contact local building inspection services and ask for advice.
For more information on building inspection services, contact a professional near you.