Lock-up inspection in Catherine Field

Stage4 of 7

When to bookAfter roof, cladding and external doors, before plaster

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 Catherine Field 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 Catherine Field builds

Lock-up is where the outside of the house gets its one unobstructed examination. The Austral lock-up records carry an expansion joint not continuous, excess mortar in the cavity and mortar work described as poor, render damaged, a flashing poorly installed, a parapet capping area not complete, downpipes on the first floor only, ceiling insulation not installed, a roof ventilator missing and an external door never hung. One record simply reads: rectifications required prior to plastering. We would rather tell you that than let another job pass as a local one.

What we find at this stage in Catherine Field

Expansion joints continuous through their full height
Mortar work, and mortar dropped in the cavity
Flashings and parapet capping installed properly
Downpipes present and connected on every level
Insulation, roof ventilation and external doors

Poor mortar workmanship, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Mortar work recorded as poor, Austral

Ceiling insulation not installed, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Ceiling insulation not installed, Austral

Rectifications required prior to plastering, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Rectifications required before plastering, Austral

Sample findings

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

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

Expansion joint not continuous, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Expansion joint not continuous, Austral

Excess mortar, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Excess mortar in the cavity, Austral

Roof area not complete, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — Parapet capping area not complete, Austral

External door not installed, recorded at a lock-up inspection in Austral — External door not installed, Austral

The other stages of a Catherine Field build

All construction stage inspections in Catherine Field →

Guides

Construction stage guides for Catherine Field

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FAQ

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

Why must an expansion joint be continuous?

It is there so a masonry wall can move without cracking. Interrupt it and the wall is continuous through the interruption, so the movement finds a crack of its own choosing instead.

What does mortar in the cavity do?

It bridges the gap between the two brick skins. Water crossing the cavity then has a route to the inner leaf, rather than running down to a flashing and out through a weep hole.

Is a missing downpipe serious at this stage?

At lock-up it is an unfinished item, which is exactly why it is recorded then. Left to handover it becomes a roof discharging beside the footing every time it rains.

Why record insulation now?

Because ceiling insulation goes in before the plasterer and is very hard to verify afterwards without lifting batts in a finished roof space.

What is the duration of the visit?

Around two hours, with the report the same day, since the plasterer is usually only days off.

What if plastering has started?

Anything still open is assessed, and the parts already sealed up are noted as such.