Handing over the keys on a brand-new build should feel like a pure celebration — but we’d heard enough horror stories from friends to know that getting a proper PCI inspection done first was non-negotiable. We’d just spent years saving for this home in Cameron Park, and we weren’t about to walk into settlement blind. A colleague recommended Stuart, so we booked him in without hesitation.
What happened next genuinely surprised us. Stuart arrived with thermal imaging equipment as standard — something I hadn’t expected from a PCI inspection — and spent several hours going through every room, every cornice, every wet area and external surface with the kind of eye that only comes from over 30 years of hands-on building experience. He identified more than 40 defects measured against the NSW Guide to Standards and Tolerances. We’re talking things like uneven render, incomplete weatherproofing around window frames, and internal door frames that were out of square. Not cosmetic nitpicks — actual departures from the standard our builder was contractually obligated to meet. The report landed in my inbox that same evening, written in plain English with clear photos for every single item. No jargon, no fluff.
Stuart then called us personally to walk through the findings and explain exactly what we needed to push back on with our builder. Because he’s fully independent and doesn’t do repairs himself, there was zero conflict of interest — just honest, straightforward advice. The builder rectified everything before settlement. This licensed building inspector paid for himself ten times over. Absolutely worth every cent.
