Owner Builder Defects Reports / 137B Reports
Choose SPI Property Inspections to get a comprehensive building defects report
Tackling your own building work can give you a real sense of accomplishment, but as an owner builder you have legal obligations if you want to sell the property within a certain period of time.
As outlined in Section 137B of the Building Act 1993, if you’re planning on selling your property within 6.5 years of completion, you’re required to provide an Owner Builder Defects (137B) Report.
SPI Property Inspections can help to ease you through the final Defects Report process. Our inspectors will carry out a building inspection and provide you with a comprehensive 137B Report on any defects in materials or workmanship as well as work still to be completed, so you know the condition of the property before you go out to the market.
Before selling your home, rely on SPI Property Inspections for a comprehensive building defect report if you’ve recently:
- Constructed, renovated, altered, extended, improved or repaired a home
- Taken out a permit but had a builder undertake the work
- Carried out landscaping or paving works or laid a driveway
- Built or installed a retaining wall or a new fence
- Built or erected a carport or garage
- Installed a swimming pool or spa
- Built or attached a deck, verandah or pergola
- Replaced the kitchen or bathroom
From 1 July 2026, Home Warranty will replace Domestic Building Insurance (DBI), providing significantly greater protection for homeowners.
Home Warranty is a mandatory insurance policy that builders must obtain on behalf of homeowners for domestic building projects of up to three storeys, where the value of the work exceeds $20,000.
Under the current DBI scheme, homeowners can only make a claim in limited circumstances, such as when the builder has died, disappeared, or become insolvent.
The new Home Warranty scheme expands this protection by also covering situations where domestic building work is incomplete, defective, or non-compliant, and the builder is unable or unwilling to rectify the issues or complete the work.
Homeowners may be entitled to claim up to $400,000 in cover under the new scheme.
SPI Property Inspections offers a comprehensive range of professional building inspections to meet your particular needs. We service all of Melbourne and inner suburbs along with Bayside, Eastern, Northern, Western suburbs of Melbourne as well as the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsula.
If you need an owner builder defects report, complete a free online quote now.
"SPI contacted to provide 137B report for property we are selling. Excellent sevice, great communication and they inspected property & delivered report quickly. Thanks."
Rose
137B Report
