Cosmetic finish inspections · Melbourne
For homeowners about to accept a new or renovated home, and for builders and developers before handover. We spot the cosmetic defects we see, photograph and number every one, and include the BPC Guide to Standards and Tolerances as a reference. Same-day report.
$450 single storey · $750 double storey · Builder and developer packages priced per dwelling
How it works
Monday to Saturday, 8am–11am or 1pm–4pm.
Every room, every finish — defects spotted and captured as we go.
Room by room, photographed and numbered, yours to keep or share.
The report
Victoria's Building and Plumbing Commission publishes the Guide to Standards and Tolerances. Every defect we see is captured on site, photographed and numbered, with a Guide clause noted as a reference. It's a record of what we saw on the day — not a ruling that anything must be fixed — so you get a clear, numbered list you can work through.
#047 · Bed 2 · East wall
Paint roller texture visible across ~800mm section.
Reference (for your information):
Guide to Standards and Tolerances — Cl. 16.2 Surface finish of paintwork.
Status: Defect noted.
Pricing
Single storey
Houses, townhouses and apartments on one level.
Double storey
Two or more levels — stairs, upper wet areas and voids.
Builder or developer? See project pricing →
What we inspect
Runs, bleeds, patch marks, roller texture.
Every wet edge, cornice line and skirting join.
Alignment, joins, chips, wave.
Chips, alignment, closer feel, hinges.
Lippage, spacing, grout finish, silicone.
Scratches, seals, handles, latches.
Inspecting across Melbourne, led by Toorak, Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Malvern, Brighton and South Yarra.
Proof
Homeowner — pre-handover inspection
A full cosmetic finish inspection before handover, with every item photographed, numbered and referenced to the Guide, and the report delivered the same day.
73 items logged across 17 rooms in a single inspection — every item photographed, numbered and referenced, with the room-by-room PDF delivered the same day.
Homeowner — pre-handover inspection
A pre-handover cosmetic finish inspection of a new home in Melbourne's north, with marked items photographed, numbered and referenced to the Guide.
146 items logged in a single pre-handover inspection — every item photographed, numbered and referenced to the Guide, with the PDF report delivered the same day.
Developer — project package · Upcoming
Our next project: a small Melbourne developer has engaged Nitpik for their first dual occupancy townhouse project. Both dwellings will be inspected before handover.
Upcoming — results and photos will be added once the project is complete.
Google reviews
5.0 / 5 from 3 customer reviews
View on Google“Highly recommend NITPIK! Tim was thorough and knowledgeable, identifying defects in my home and clearly explaining how they related to the relevant building guidelines. His attention to detail gave me confidence in knowing exactly what needed to be addressed. Excellent service and the next property I'll buy, definitely us this service!”
Andrew Goro · Google
“Tim was fantastic. I’d been over the house multiple times and was sure I’d covered everything, but he picked up issues I’d completely missed. He was thorough, explained each finding clearly, and gave me real confidence going forward. If you’re building a family home that’s meant to last, get Tim in. Highly recommend!”
Sandy Agyeman · Google
“Professional and personable. Tim was reliable and thorough from the beginning and treated the house like his own. He located issues that the building inspector missed and I’m so glad I got him to look at it.”
Deagle STUD · Google
For builders & developers
Every dwelling inspected before handover, with a same-day photographed report referenced to the Guide. $500 per dwelling.
Townhouse developments, apartment projects and stand-alone home estates, priced per project. Request pricing.
About Nitpik
Nitpik is led by a designer and former developer project manager — the same eye that reviews high-end builds, pointed at yours.
More about Nitpik →Questions
They're the same thing: an independent inspection when your builder says the home has reached practical completion, before you accept the home, pay the final instalment and take the keys. Nitpik lists every cosmetic finish defect, photographed and referenced to the Guide to Standards and Tolerances.
Yes. We can inspect after handover, including once you've moved in. The report records the visible cosmetic finish defects we can see at that point in time, photographed and located by room.
No. Nitpik inspects cosmetic finish only. We don't do structural, pest or termite inspections, or pre-purchase building and pest reports on existing homes.
Every defect is photographed, located by room and described in plain English, with a Guide to Standards and Tolerances reference included for your information. You get the PDF the same day.
Flat rates: $450 for a single-storey home and $750 for a double-storey home, booked and paid online.
We inspect Monday to Saturday, 8am–11am or 1pm–4pm. Free reschedule up to 48 hours before.