Building Your New Home?
As we near the completion of your new Kingsbridge home, you are probably wondering
what the next few steps are along the process. Here is what you can expect
on your pathway to settlement.
1. Occupancy Permit and Final Invoice
Your Occupancy Permit is a document that is issued by your appointed Building Surveyor and confirms that they have completed their final inspection of your new home and are satisfied it is suitable for Occupancy. Once your Occupancy Permit is received from the Building Surveyor, your Final Invoice will be raised. Your Occupancy Permit and Final Invoice will be emailed to you to forward to your lender to organise the release of your completion progress stage (final payment). Payment of your final invoice will be due payable within 21 days of issue.
Please Note: Any variations raised post-contract that are not being paid by the lender must be paid in full prior to your final invoice being raised. If the lender is paying the post-contract variations this pricing will be incorporated into your final invoice. Please forward your post-contract variation/s to your lender along with your Occupancy Permit and Final Invoice.
2. Practical Completion Inspection (PCI)
Practical Completion is a really exciting time! Your Site Supervisor certifies all building works have been practically completed in accordance with your HIA Build Contract and is now ready for you to inspect.
Your Site Supervisor will arrange a date and time for you to meet onsite to complete your PCI. This is where you will inspect internally and externally and identify any defects or incomplete work, and both parties will sign off and agree upon works to be completed prior to handover of your new home.
The PCI is a 90-minute appointment and will occur on weekdays between 7:30am and 2:00pm.
To help with your inspection please feel free to download the VBA Guide to Standards and Tolerances for your reference: Click here
During the appointment:
- You can check all items in the Final Tender, along with any variations/documentation that have been completed.
- You will be given a full working demonstration of all fixtures, such as doors, windows, cupboards and drawers. Suggested items to check are taps, S bends/traps, power points, paintwork, lights and light switches etc. Please feel free to bring along a phone charger if you wish to test power points.
- Any items deemed defective will be listed on the Practical Completion Inspection Form and will be rectified within 14 days so settlement/handover can proceed.
3. Bank Valuation
Your Lender may require a Bank Valuation Inspection before they release your final payment.
Please ensure you discuss this with your Lender and, should a valuation inspection appointment be required, please advise your Site Supervisor or Contract Administrator so site access can be arranged.
4. Payment of Final Invoice
As soon as you receive the Final Invoice and Occupancy Permit from Kingsbridge, please forward this to your Lender who will arrange the final Payment to be released. This payment can be made electronically or by bank cheque. We strongly suggest you do this as a matter of urgency as Lenders can take some time to release the funds.
If the final payment is by bank cheque, please advise your Contract Administrator in writing.
Note: Refer to your invoice for payment details.
If your Lender chooses to pay the final payment electronically, the funds can take up to 3 working days to clear. Appliance installation cannot be booked until we have confirmation the funds have been received.
Please ensure you reference your job number or construction address on your direct credit/electronic transfer to ensure payment is traced back to your job.
Please ensure the Final Payment is the same amount as on your invoice as a discrepancy might mean your settlement is postponed/delayed.
Note: Personal cheques are not accepted at Final Payment stage.
Once final payment is received and confirmed by our accounts team, your Site Supervisor will call up your appliances, which take 7 days to install. Your Site Supervisor will then confirm your handover/settlement date and time.
5. Handover/Settlement
Congratulations! Your beautiful new home is complete and ready for you to take ownership and move in. Your Site Supervisor will meet you onsite at the agreed handover date and time where you will re-inspect the items that you identified at your Practical Completion Inspection. Your handover will then take place once items are signed off as completed.
You will receive your handover pack which contains all of your preconstruction documents including, final drawings, colours selections, engineering, soil report, certificates and warranty information.
A few things for you to organise now that you have your handover/settlement date are:
1. Gas and Electricity transfer into your name from the date of handover. Utilities will be disconnected by Kingsbridge from the date of handover.
2. Connection of your fibre optics (internet) with your preferred provider ie. iiNet, Telstra etc.
3. Home and Contents insurance.
4. Rubbish bins through your local council.
6. Telephone/Fibre Optics Connection
Kingsbridge will internally wire your home to suit your telephone/fibre optics needs and Estate requirements. Kingsbridge provides a conduit with a drawstring to the external corner of the home where your appointed internet provider will connect to the electrical pit.
Once you receive your handover date, you can organise a new connection. This new connection must happen after handover is complete.
If your estate has NBN, you can contact your preferred provider and request a new NBN connection ie., iiNet, Telstra, Optus etc.
If your estate requires OptiComm as their internet connection, please register for an OptiComm connection via the OptiComm website or by contacting OptiComm Customer Service on 1300 137 800.
If your estate requires Red Train as their internet connection, please contact a certified Red Train provider and request a new connection.
Please note, as per your HIA Contract, Kingsbridge Homes do not cover connection costs for fibre optics.
7. Gas Meter & Electricity Connection
Kingsbridge appoint AGL for the gas and electricity supply and connection during the construction of your new home.
Once your final payment is received and your handover date confirmed, please organise a new connection of your gas and electricity into your name with your preferred supplier effective from the date of handover.
Please Note: Kingsbridge Homes will organise the disconnection and final reading of your gas and electricity meters from the date of handover.
8. Warranty Inspection/Defects
Any items that you notice that may need to be touched up or rectified that are not an emergency i.e., gas leak, sewer blockage, water/electricity fault, please keep these listed on your homecare form that is within your handover pack and send them through to our warranty team at Homecare@hermitagehomes.com.au towards the end of your warranty period and a warranty inspection will be booked in for you.