Roof on, brickwork up, services in, and the only clear view of the envelope.
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. The photographs below were taken in Leppington, Oran Park or Austral, between two and eight kilometres from Catherine Field, and each caption names its suburb. We would rather tell you that than let another job pass as a local one.
Annotated findings from Lock-up (pre-plaster) inspections on Catherine Field builds. Client addresses withheld.
1Bored piersAfter boring and cage placement, before concrete
2Slab pre-pourThe day before the pour, steel and formwork complete
3FrameOnce frame and trusses are up and the roof is on, before lining
5FixingAfter mouldings, doors and joinery, before the painter6WaterproofingAfter the membrane is applied and before any tile is laid
7Pre-handover (PCI)Two to three weeks before your handover dateInstant online pricing, or talk to the booking team on 1300 471 805.
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.
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.
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.
Because ceiling insulation goes in before the plasterer and is very hard to verify afterwards without lifting batts in a finished roof space.
Around two hours, with the report the same day, since the plasterer is usually only days off.
Anything still open is assessed, and the parts already sealed up are noted as such.
