Quick answer: The lock-up (also called pre-plaster) inspection happens once the home is sealed against weather — windows, doors, roof on — but before plasterboard goes on. It’s your final chance to inspect waterproofing, electrical and plumbing rough-ins, insulation, and flashings before plaster hides them. An independent VBA-registered inspector spends 1.5-2 hours on site and delivers a same-day report.
Why pre-plaster matters
Lock-up sits between frame and fixing. By this stage:
– Roof is on, windows installed, external walls sheeted
– Plumbing rough-in is complete (pipes in walls, water service connected)
– Electrical rough-in is complete (cabling pulled, GPO and switch boxes set)
– Insulation is installed
– Sarking and roof flashing are in place
What’s missing: plasterboard. Once the plaster goes up, all of the above is hidden.
A defect in plumbing rough-in becomes wet plaster. A miss in waterproofing becomes mould in 18 months. An electrical fault becomes a switchboard call-out and a chase-out repair.
Lock-up is the cheap repair window for everything inside the wall cavity.
What we check at lock-up
A thorough lock-up / pre-plaster inspection covers:
- External weatherproofing — sarking continuous and lapped, flashings to windows and doors, no gaps where water could enter
- Roof flashings — chimneys, vents, valley gutters, ridge capping (where accessible)
- Insulation — type matches plan (R-value), correctly installed in walls and ceiling
- Electrical rough-in — cable runs in correct positions, GPOs at correct heights, no damaged sheathing, lights set out per plan
- Plumbing rough-in — pipe locations match bathroom/kitchen plans, hot/cold not crossed, taps and outlets in correct positions
- Waterproofing readiness — wet-area substrate, no gaps in framing where waterproofing would fail
- Window and door installation — sealed externally, flashed correctly, plumb and square
- Wall and roof bracing — confirmed permanent (temporary bracing removed where designed to be)
- Drainage — downpipes connected, stormwater rough-in
- Penetrations — every roof and wall penetration sealed
Common defects we find at lock-up
Across hundreds of pre-plaster inspections in Melbourne’s west:
- Missing sarking laps — water can drive in behind the cladding
- Damaged sarking from trades — plumbers and sparkies cutting through without retape
- Crossed plumbing — hot supply on the cold side
- GPOs set out wrong height — too low for kitchen benches, too high in kids’ rooms
- Insulation missing in difficult-to-reach voids — over recessed lights, behind windows
- Window flashings improperly installed — head flashing missing, jamb flashings reversed
- Penetrations un-sealed — vermin and weather entry points
Your contract right to inspect
Building right now?
Star catches stage defects while your builder still has to fix them. Slab, frame, lock-up, fixing, PCI.
Most domestic building contracts in Victoria recognise the buyer’s right to attend stage inspections, including lock-up. Independent inspection at this stage is not a courtesy — it’s contract due diligence.
The VBA’s Practice Standard requires builders to remedy defects identified at any inspection stage. A documented defect at lock-up is binding.
Frequently asked questions
When is lock-up reached?
After the roof is on, windows and external doors fitted, and the home is “weatherproofed” — but before plasterboard is hung. Your builder will notify you when this stage is achieved. Book the inspection within 2-3 days of that notification.
How long does the inspection take?
1.5-2 hours on site for a standard 4-bedroom home. Same-day photo-rich written report.
Will the builder fix defects found at lock-up?
Yes. Defects identified at this stage are clearly documentable (photos, location, NCC clause) and the builder is contractually required to rectify before plaster proceeds.
Should I attend?
Recommended — at least for the wrap-up. You’ll see the home with its bones still exposed; once plaster is on, you’ll never see it again.
Book a lock-up inspection
New Home Stage Inspections — Melbourne West — VBA-registered builder, four-stage inspections, same-day reports.
Related guides:
– The 5 Stages of a New Home Build
– Frame Stage Inspection — What Your Inspector Checks
– Pre-Slab Inspection — What’s Checked Before the Pour
– PCI Checklist — Practical Completion Handover
Call Michael direct on 0412 014 216 to book.
Lock-up / pre-plaster inspection sequence
What customers say about Star
How we grade defects
Your builder's "inspector" is paid by the builder. Their job is to sign off, not to find defects. By the time you spot the issue at handover, contracts are signed and the build company has moved on.
Star is an independent VBA-registered builder hired by you, not by the builder. We attend at slab, frame, lock-up, fixing and PCI stages — finding defects while the builder still has to fix them under contract.
Why customers choose Star
Across Melbourne's west
Chain inspectors vs Star
| Factor | Chain inspector | Star (independent) |
|---|---|---|
| Inspector continuity | Rotating staff | Michael every time |
| VBA-registered builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Report walkthrough | ✗ | yes — phone call |
| Same-day report | ✗ | yes (by 6pm) |
| Cost | $300-450 | $450-650 |
Why book Star Building Inspections?
Star Building Inspections is owned and operated by Michael Tuder — a VBA-registered builder with 20+ years inspecting homes across Melbourne's western corridor. Michael personally attends every inspection, writes every report, and calls every customer to walk them through the findings line by line. No contractors. No rotating staff. No outsourced sign-offs.
Book your stage inspection
Slab, frame, lock-up, fixing or PCI — independent oversight catches defects while your builder still has to fix them under contract.
