Exact Answer: About 20 days
PCI refers to Practical Completion Inspection. It the supervision done by the building supervisor where he discusses with the client about the completion of all building works of the house, thereby making it for its construction.
Basically, 2 PCIs are arranged for a house under construction. During the first PCI, the completion of basic building work is checked. The errors detected during the first inspection are ensured to be corrected during the second PCI.
The entire process of building a house starts from the day when the land is bought for inspection till the day it is bestowed into the hands of the client. There are several steps in the entire procedure.
After all the steps before the handover are completed, the house is inspected by a member of the concerned department ensuring that the building work has been done properly within the time frame.
How Long After PCI Is Handover?
| Type | Time |
| Minimum Time | 10 days |
| Maximum Time | 20 days |
The construction of the house is the first and foremost step which is followed by the cleaning of the house. During this process, the cleanliness of the house is checked.
The client is ensured that he receives his dream house which is built perfectly within the allotted time frame. The materials involved in the entire process of construction are reviewed to ensure their quality.
This process specifies the basic standard of the quality of the materials to be maintained. Failing this, the house may be sold at a low profit.
The longevity of the materials is of utmost importance and is always prioritized during the inspection process. The doors and windows are even cleaned.
The cleaning process is followed by the real process of PCI, during which the inspection supervisor ensures that all the construction works including the final finishing touches are completed.
The features of the house are clearly explained to the client. The inspection of the house is done room by room to ensure quality and safety.
This process of PCI is followed by the process of cleaning the site during which all the waste materials produced during the construction process are cleaned from the house. This prepares the house for the second check of PCI.
Then arrives the second inspection check during which the house is ready to serve the purpose of its construction. The results of the second PCI evaluates whether the client would sign a contract or not.
The final process is the signing of the contract between the building association and the client after which the house is handed over to the client. After this, the client becomes the owner of the house and can make the desired changes according to his wishes.
Why Should I Wait For So Long For Handover After PCI?
According to the Australian standards, the PCI should ensure that the house is fit for a living once the inspection is over. But, during most inspection processes, the Australian standards are not obeyed.
According to the Australian standards, it is ensured that works of the roof void are completed. The framing of each room is also checked.
The ventilation through the exhaust fan is checked. The laying of proper insulation is also ensured. The plumbing and works related to electricity are even checked.
In this way, the PCI looks at whether all the finishing works are completed or not. The house is completed after the PCI.
Identification of mistakes made during construction is of utmost importance before PCI. This is because there is an ample amount of time to rectify the mistakes.
During PCI, all the minor details must not be necessarily done. A significant amount of work is even completed after PCI.
However, PCI is not similar to handover. The keys of the house are not bestowed on the hands of the client after PCI. After PCI, some minor building works should be completed after the contract is signed.
During the Practical Inspection period, the defects in the building process are found and suggested to be corrected. The quality of finishing including the quality of finishing is even checked.
The doors are checked for their quality and margins. The paintwork is even checked. All the electrical works including the installation of power bulbs and lightbulbs are even checked.
The plasterwork, including the tiles used for floor coverings, is even checked. The laying of the bricks is checked for their even consistent layering.
The landscaping and fencing are even checked. These checks during PCI are done to ensure that the house is almost ready to be received by the client.
Conclusion
The PCI involves 4 processes. During the base stage, all the building processes before the laying of the slab are ensured. During the frame stage, the framework of the house is completed.
During the lock-up stage, all the external finishing work is completed. During the final pre-painting stage, all the other works are completed.
Following the second PCI, the building warranty inspection is even done to ensure that all the works done during the construction process are protected by a warranty of one 1year. It should be kept in mind that the warranty for 6 years is only applicable for structural defects only.
Following these above processes arrives the long-awaited handover day. This is the day when one’s dream house becomes a reality. One takes ownership of the house after completing the financial formalities involved.