When is a defect actually a defect
Building arguments are about permission, not observation.
In short: Citing the tolerance turns a disagreement into a measurement.
Two questions
What was built, and whether it sits inside an allowance. Only the second gets argued.
Where allowances come from
Your contract, the National Construction Code, the relevant Australian Standard and the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2017.
Why citation matters
Described as poor workmanship, an item invites debate. Cited against a tolerance, it becomes a measurement.
The grey area
Some things sit inside tolerance and still look wrong. Saying so is more useful than listing everything an owner dislikes.
The split
Every report separates structural from cosmetic, because that decides what is worth pressing.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Oran Park. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
