Nitpik.
01 — Designer defect inspections, professionally picky
Handover & building defects inspection, Melbourne.
Nitpik runs practical completion inspections (PCI) for homes across Melbourne — new builds, off-the-plan apartments, renovations, end-of-maintenance walk-throughs and pre-sale reports. We walk the property with a trained eye and hand you a clean, photographed list of every finishing defect worth fixing — paint runs, uneven caulking, wavy cornices, chipped skirtings, lippy tiles.
We don't check whether the property is structurally sound or code-compliant — that's your building surveyor's job. We're here for everything they don't cover: whether the finish you're paying for is the finish you're getting.
02 — Why Nitpik
Why Nitpik.
Nitpik was founded by a designer in architecture and former project manager for a property developer, with homes delivered across Melbourne — from first-home builds to high-end residences. Years on site alongside trades means we know exactly where corners get cut, because we've caught them our whole careers. When we walk your home, you get the same eye that reviews multi-million-dollar builds, pointed at yours.
In your inbox before dinner.
Most inspectors take two to five days. Ours is photographed, tagged and delivered before dinner — builder-ready, organised room by room.
Every item tied to a published tolerance.
Each finding references the clause and tolerance it breaches, so nothing comes down to opinion — the builder works from the same published standard you do.
$450 single storey. $750 double. On the website.
No “get a quote” runaround. Two flat rates by size of home, published up front — pick yours when you book.
03 — Enforceability
Every defect,
cited to the
Guide.
Victoria's Building and Plumbing Commission publishes the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026 — the reference builders are measured against under the domestic building contract. Every item on a Nitpik report is cited to the relevant clause of the current edition.
No vibes. No opinions. No back-and-forth. Your builder gets a numbered list they can't argue with, and you get a paper trail if it ever escalates to VCAT or DBDRV.
#047 · Bed 2 · East wall
Paint roller texture visible under raking light across ~800mm section.
Cited:
Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026 — Cl. 16.2 Surface finish of paintwork: paintwork is outside tolerance where blemishes such as runs, sags, brush or sanding marks and gloss variation are visible from a normal viewing position (1.5 m, non-critical light).
Status: Defect · rectification required.
Recently inspected
Real homes, real defects, real markers. Defects spotted with designer eyes who get it — and a report to match.
04 — The crew
Small team.
Sharp eyes.
A small crew with a shared obsession over the seams nobody else notices. We inspect across Melbourne, Victoria — new builds and apartments at practical completion.
05 — What we inspect
Five moments
worth nitpicking.
Every one of these is a fixed-fee, same-day-report job. The same eye, applied to the five points in a home's life where getting it right actually saves you money.
06 — On the day
Every room. Raking light. A level.
We walk every room with raking light and a level, checking the details most people only notice once they've lived with them for a year. Every defect is photographed, numbered and grouped by room — a clean list you hand straight to your builder, each item described plainly enough that there's nothing to argue about.
- Interior paint & finishesRuns, bleeds, patch marks, roller texture.
- Caulking & sealantsEvery wet edge, cornice line, and skirting join.
- Cornices & shadowlinesAlignment, joins, chips, wave.
- Trims, skirtings & doorsChips, alignment, closer feel, hinges.
- Tiling & groutLippage, spacing, grout finish, silicone.
- Glazing & hardwareScratches, seals, handles, latches.
07 — Pricing
Single storey
Houses, townhouses and apartments on one level.
Double storey
Two or more levels — stairs, upper wet areas and voids.
*Two flat rates, both published. Same scope either way — you pick single or double storey when you book. Nothing further to pay.
- ✓Full walk-through, room by room
- ✓Photographed defect log, 100+ items typical
- ✓Same-day builder-ready PDF, organised room by room
- ✓Re-check visits available on request, original items only
- ✓Direct follow-up call to walk you through the list
09 — Sample report
See exactly
what you get.
A full sample PDF — cover sheet, room-by-room summary, photographed defect entries with the clause each one is cited to, and the 90-day re-check register. Same format you'll receive the day we inspect.
8 pages · illustrative content
In-house defecting software
Logged on site,
not from memory.
Every defect is captured in our in-house defecting software while we're standing in front of it — photo, location, and the clause it's cited to. That's why the report lands the same day, not next week.
The Handover Guide — $49, one payment
Want the trade
secrets to defect
it yourself?
The 33-page Handover Guide is the same walkthrough we run on site, packaged so you can inspect your own build for cosmetic defects before handover. One payment of $49 and the PDF is yours to keep — download it instantly, run it on your phone at the property, and use it on every room.
- The raking-light technique that surfaces most finish defects
- A room-by-room checklist you follow on your phone
- Photographed real defects so you know what wrong looks like
- How to write a defect list a builder can't dismiss
- Where Victoria's published tolerances draw the line between fussy and defective
Paid download · PDF · 33 pages · instant
Everything we use on site, in one document you can run from your phone at the property.
- The one torch trick that finds most defects
- Room-by-room checklist for your phone
- Photos of what wrong actually looks like
- How to write a list a builder can't dismiss
- Victoria's published tolerances, in plain English
Instant download after payment. One payment, no subscription. Cosmetic scope only — not a substitute for a full Nitpik inspection. See what's inside.
For builders & developers
Stand by your work
while giving your
customers peace of mind
Commission us to inspect your own build before handover, rectify what we flag, pass the re-check — and hand buyers proof the finish was independently checked. Every cleared home gets a reference number buyers can verify on nitpik.com.au.
10 — Booking
Handover
coming up?
Lock in a slot below — we inspect Monday to Saturday, 8am–11am or 1pm–4pm, when the light is best for catching paint and finish defects.
Book an inspection
Pick a date and time below, then confirm your details and pay online. We inspect Monday to Saturday — 8am–11am or 1pm–4pm — and your report lands the same day.
- — $450 single storey · $750 double storey, flat
- — Every defect cited against the 2026 Guide
- — Free reschedules up to 48h out
Rather talk first? Use the form below or call 0494 791 429.
Scope & liability
What Nitpik is. And isn't.
In scope+
Visual cosmetic defects on finished surfaces — paint, plaster, tiling, caulking, cabinetry, doors, windows, trims and other visible finishes — assessed against the Building and Plumbing Commission Victoria Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026 and current Australian Standards.
Not in scope+
Nitpik does not perform structural, building code, compliance, waterproofing, electrical, plumbing, gas, HVAC, energy, hazardous materials, pest or dilapidation inspections. We do not certify workmanship, sign off on rectifications on the builder's behalf, or provide legal, engineering or regulatory advice. Concealed elements, roof cavities, sub-floors and anything requiring destructive testing are excluded.
Liability+
Reports are prepared for the named client only, based on what was reasonably visible on the day of inspection under available lighting and access. To the extent permitted by law, liability is limited to the fee paid for the inspection. Reliance by any third party is at their own risk.
Full terms of engagement: nitpik.com.au/terms.
What we inspect
- Pre-handover & PCI inspection — before you sign off and take the keys.
- New home & renovation handover — new builds, townhouses, apartments, renovations.
- Warranty defect inspection — before your defects liability period ends.
- Off-the-plan finish check — inside the lot, before settlement.
Nitpik inspects cosmetic finish only. We are not structural engineers, building surveyors (RBS), or pest and termite inspectors, and we don't do pre-purchase building and pest reports on existing homes.
Every defect is cited to the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026, photographed, and delivered as a same-day PDF by a designer and developer-PM trained eye.
Areas we inspect
Handover and building defects inspections across metro Melbourne, led by the city's high-end finish suburbs — plus the northern growth corridor and the rest of Victoria.
- Toorak
- Brighton
- Brighton East
- Kew
- Camberwell
- Malvern
- Hawthorn
- South Yarra
- Armadale
- Canterbury
- Glen Iris
- Balwyn
- Ivanhoe
- Beaumaris
- Sandringham
- Albert Park
- Middle Park
Handover & defects inspection questions
What's a PCI, practical completion or handover inspection?
They're the same thing: an independent inspection when your builder says the home has reached practical completion, before you sign off, pay the final instalment and take the keys. Nitpik lists every cosmetic finish defect, photographed and cited to the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026.
What's the difference between a pre-handover and a warranty inspection?
A pre-handover inspection happens before you accept the home, when you have the most leverage. A warranty inspection happens after you've moved in — usually near the end of the builder's defects liability or maintenance period — to document defects that have appeared or were never fixed.
Do you do building and pest inspections?
No. Nitpik inspects cosmetic finish only. We're not structural engineers, building surveyors or pest and termite inspectors, and we don't do pre-purchase building and pest reports on existing homes.
How long does a builder have to fix defects in Victoria?
It depends on your contract. Many contracts set a defects liability or maintenance period, often several months after handover, and the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995 gives statutory warranties that can be enforced for longer — up to 10 years for some building work. Document defects early, ideally before handover, and get legal advice if the builder won't respond.
What's included in the defects report?
Every defect is photographed, located by room, described in plain English and cited to the relevant clause and tolerance in the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2026. You get the PDF the same day. Re-check visits after rectification are available and quoted individually.