What to expect during the handover of a new home
Handover is the moment the home transfers from builder to client, and it is more than a key and a handshake. A well managed handover sets the client up for the life of the home. A poorly managed one leaves the client to find problems alone and chase the builder after the fact.
When we handed over Rosedale in Glen Iris, the client received the home with its manuals and warranties in order, not a box of paperwork to sort out later. That is what a handover should be. This is what ours looks like, and what to expect on any architectural build.
When handover starts
Handover starts long before practical completion. The handover process begins when the painter starts the final coat. From that point, the project moves from build mode to handover mode. Trades are still on site but the focus shifts to defects, finalisation and documentation.
A formal handover meeting is scheduled approximately four weeks before practical completion. The client, the architect, the project manager and the relevant trade contacts attend. The meeting walks through the handover process, the documentation pack, the defect liability period, the Build Care relationship and the key transfer.
The pre-handover walk
A pre-handover walk is conducted approximately two weeks before practical completion. The architect, the project manager and the client walk through the entire home. Every defect, no matter how small, is recorded.
The defect list is then closed out by the relevant trades over the two weeks before practical completion. The final walk-through repeats the inspection. Any remaining defects are categorised as practical completion items (to be closed within seven days), defect liability items (to be closed within ninety days), or maintenance items.
The handover pack
Every TCON home is handed over with a comprehensive handover pack. The pack contains everything the client needs to operate the home and to respond to anything that comes up.
The handover pack has six components. Each covers a specific dimension of the completed home.
Operating manuals. Every appliance and system in the home.
Supplier and trade register. Every contributor, with current contact details and trade scope.
Warranty register. Every warranty period, the start date, and the warranty contact.
Certification register. Every regulatory certification (electrical, plumbing, building, energy) with copies of the certificates.
Maintenance schedule. Every item that requires periodic attention (gutter cleaning, HVAC servicing, pool chemistry) with the recommended frequency.
Digital documentation index. Links to the as-built drawings, the specification documents, and the photographic record of the build.
The pack is delivered as a physical folder and as a digital archive.
The key transfer
Keys are transferred at the practical completion meeting. The client signs the practical completion certificate. The defects list is acknowledged. The defect liability period begins.
The client takes possession from this moment.
The defect liability period
The defect liability period runs for a fixed term defined in the contract (twelve months on TCON contracts). During this period, the client raises any defect that appears. TCON returns to site, investigates, and rectifies. There is no charge for defects covered by the contract.
The defect liability period does not cover damage caused by use, normal wear, or items that were signed off as practical completion items at handover.
At the end of the defect liability period, a final inspection confirms all defects have been closed. The final retention is released.
Build Care, the long relationship
Build Care begins at handover and continues for the life of the home. It is not a contracted service; it is a relationship.
A named TCON contact stays available to the home. The client can call, email or text whenever something comes up. Scheduled check-ins occur at the six-month, twelve-month and twenty-four-month marks to confirm everything is operating as designed.
Where issues arise beyond the warranty period, TCON helps the client navigate the warranty or the relevant trade. This is included in the Build Care relationship.
Insurance and certifications
Practical completion triggers a number of insurance and certification handovers:
- The building permit certificate of final inspection is issued by the relevant surveyor - The structural engineer's certification is provided - The energy rating documentation is provided - Home warranty insurance (where applicable) is in place
The client should confirm their home and contents insurance is active from the practical completion date. The builder's all-risk insurance ends at practical completion.
What the client should do in the first week
Read the handover pack cover to cover. Photograph every appliance label and store the photographs alongside the manuals. Test every smart-home system, every appliance and every fitting in the first week and report anything that does not behave as expected.
Use the home gently for the first month while it settles. New homes (and major renovations) acclimatise over the first season. Timber moves, sealants cure, paint hardens. Small movements are normal.
Why the handover matters
The handover is the moment that decides whether the client remembers the project well or poorly five years on. A handover done with discipline leaves the client confident in the home and confident in the builder. The same handover done carelessly leaves the client searching for information they should have been given.
TCON's handover is treated as a deliverable, not a moment.
Building with TCON
Considered architecture demands considered building. Building with TCON is a complete account of how TCON works. Available on request and reviewed personally by Tim before release.
Request a copy of Building with TCON.