Window restrictors, rangehoods and insulation: handover items that are not cosmetic
Some handover findings are about safety and compliance, not finish. Three that come up on Truganina double storey homes.
In short: A handover list is mostly finishing items, but a few lines matter far more. Upstairs window restrictors top the list.
The 125mm rule upstairs
Bedroom windows on an upper floor need their opening restricted to 125mm where the sill is low enough for a child to climb. Two Truganina handovers, in August 2025 and April 2026, had first floor bedroom windows without the restriction. It is a safety item, and it is quick to fix before you move in.
Rangehoods under a sarked roof
Where a roof is metal, or tiled over sarking, the rangehood has to be ducted outside. Venting into the roof space puts grease and moisture where they cannot escape. We recorded a rangehood that was not ducted outside on a Truganina home in August 2026.
Insulation in the roof space
Loose, displaced or missing ceiling insulation is common after electricians and air conditioning installers have been through the roof. It costs you in comfort and energy. A thermal camera makes the gaps obvious from below.
Wall insulation gaps
Missing wall batts are usually a lock-up finding, but on one Truganina handover a section of external wall showed up cold on the thermal camera. Once the walls are lined, a thermal image is the only practical way to find it.
Prioritising the list
We put safety and compliance items at the top of the report so they are not lost among paint touch ups. Ask the builder to deal with those first.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Truganina. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
