PCI or Not PCI? Huge defects

Im not going to beat around the bush any longer. It has been a long time since I made a detailed post, and basically that's because I have not had the time, for two reasons. First being work, and second being that most of my spare time has been spent researching standards as we keep discovering more and more issues with our build.

Fast forward to now. PCI was booked for Friday, Darren Love my building inspector went through two days before along with a plumbing inspector.

I was absolutely gutted when I received the reports on Thursday night. I directed the inspectors to areas of the build I was not happy with but I suppose reading them on paper with what needed to be done to rectify just made it alot worse. Below is a breif summery of the major defects.

Brickwork does not comply for 2 reasons. Bed joints 15 - 25mm around entire home. Australian standard is 7-13mm maximum. Vertical mortar joins also do not comply, being oversized over 20mm. 

Articulation joints have also not been installed against windows as required. Inspectors resolution to all this? Only one option - rip them all down.

Over the past month or two I have also had suspicions that a rubble pit had not been installed as per requirements at front of the house. SS was non responsive to any questions of its location. I had my plumbing inspector put his camera down the water tank overflow to locate it. My suspicions were correct and no rubble pit has been installed. But thats just the beginning. 

The inspectors camera followed the stormwater overflow for 62m, through approx 25 dints/breaks in the pipe until it came out at the front road drainage. This means plans were not followed at all, and there have been huge amounts of unneeded rock exervation. This also means the sewage pipe it most definetley also dented/cracked in many places.

Entire charged stormwater system is totally non compliant. No IO outlets on downpipes, undersized pits, and no leaf guards at top of downpipes. Builders waste such as screws, rivets and sheeting offcuts were found in gutters, and with no leaf guards on the downpipes these may have already found their way to the water tank. I will be requesting an entire new tank. 

Inspector knocked all plastering on the head and suggested it be totally reworked.

2 Footings have been undermined, slab requires re engineering for overpour and the list goes on.

Many BAL requirements have not been met.


We decided to continue with our PCI walkthrough on Friday so liquidated damages could occur in 21 days. The build has gone on long enough. SS and another JGKING rep were on site and unhelpful. They denied the walkthrough was a PCI walk and claimed it was a meeting. This is after many emails booking PCI walk. Not off to a good start. Blame was put on us, the client as much as possible. Neither gave any answers to our concerns.

We then drove to the Melbourne office and requested a unannounced meeting with higher management. A short meeting was held but no resolution.

Apparently a meeting will be held next week with us, Very disappointed and frustrated. No answers. Regretting entire build with Kings