lock up stage

[geoff stower]

Hi
can anyone identify at what stage is classed as the lock up stage .
I have a house being built in Brisbane and the builder has requested a progressive payment for the lock up stage.
At present the brick work is not finished, only wall studs R up ,not cladded,outside doors R locked .
I have been told that the lockup stage iswhen outside doors R locked, walls internal walls R completed, electrical wiring installed, plumbing is finished , ready for the painters.

Geoff S

 

[TommyR]

Hi Geoff,
I guess you need to have a read of your contract to determine when progress payments are due, but what you have described does not equate to what is usually understood by "lock up". I think lock up implies the premises are secure, in that walls (external/internal), roof, ceiling, are complete & ext doors & windows are installed and lockable.
Your state HIA will probably assist you with the accepted definition if all else fails

Good Luck
Tom

 

[yo yo ma]

Here are some examples of what various builders call lock-up stage:

"Lock Up" or "Fully Enclosed Stage" means that at this stage the house would look finished externally with all external windows and doors fitted. Internally you would be able to walk on the structural flooring and see through the internal wall frames. No linings, internal doors or fit out is included.

The locked up stage entails as it suggests, a fully locked up house in a pre-plaster, pre-electric, pre-plumbing situation. Inside the house are the internal stud walls.

This is when the slab is down, frame up, roof on, bricks up, windows and doors in. The house can be secured by being locked up.

At "Lock Up" the house would look finished externally i.e. windows and doors fitted, but internally there is only the structural flooring, frame roof and walls. No linings or internal fit out are included.

The building has reached the stage and that all work associated with that stage has been correctly carried out. All windows are correctly installed, all flashings and insulation installed, rough-in of wiring and plumbing correctly executed, roof fixed correctly and all doors, (temporary doors allowed), secure. All brickwork including sills, vents, weep holes & articulation joints have been correctly installed.

All seem to give similar definitions... As Tom said, you will need to check with your builder/ contract/ solicitor. Thanks for the good question.
Steve

 

[sue78]

are you with a big project builder? they don't mind if you pay a bit late. Sometimes they do send invoices out early too.

I find that by the time I get around to paying them...it's definitely at lock up stage.

At lock up even the garage door should be in and the site manager should give you a builders key.

 

[JFisher]

Lock up!

Lock up stage is basically the point where the property is unable to be entered into without a key.

We use a standard HIA contract for all of our homes and in them the lock up is defined as windows in, external doors fitted, roof clad and external brickwork done. Plastering is considered part of the fixout but is often done at the same time the brickwork is being done to speed up the fix payment as well as the completion of the job as a whole.

Technically if the bricks aren't done but the plastering is, it still isn't lock up.

 

[Tools]

At lock up even the garage door should be in and the site manager should give you a builders key.

You shouldn't be getting a key at all until the property is handed over.The property is in the posession of the builder until he has finished and handed it back to you.

Tools

 

[yo yo ma]

You shouldn't be getting a key at all until the property is handed over.The property is in the posession of the builder until he has finished and handed it back to you.

This is usually the case due to WHS issues. Coral homes do give out a key from lock-up stage.

We know that building your new home is a very exciting time. We also know that many of our clients like to know the progress of every little part of the process.

That is why, when you build a Coral Home, when the home reaches lock up stage, you will be given a key so you can check out how well the building is progressing.

They could have some legal difficulties if someone was injured onsite though.
Steve

 

[BoatBoy]

Ive always had a builders key and still have one(even though my houses are finished)

I could probably still walk into anyone's house being built by that builder, if so inclined.



Dave

 

[sue78]

You shouldn't be getting a key at all until the property is handed over.The property is in the posession of the builder until he has finished and handed it back to you.

Tools

Yes, I found that weird too. I guess all builders do things differently. Coral Homes are so rigid with their paperwork...like 100 X worse than other builders yet they give out a builders key.

It's handy though as I've needed to use it a few times. Once when a tradie had the wrong key and the project manager wasn't answering so he called me to the rescue.

 

[Tools]

I think it is because peoples homes are such a large investment and such an emotional thing that some builders will give you access, as a warm and fuzzy relationship thing.But they don't have to.There are the health and safety issues,public liability issues etc involved, as well as the security of materials etc. What if the owner and hs family come to visit over the weekend,and little Johnny goes out the back door without his parents knowing, and the door is left unlocked after they leave.The local kids are riding their bikes around on the weekend as well, find the back door open and get in and kick the living suitcase out of every piece of plaster on the walls and ceilings.Who then pays? I am sure the owner won't be putting his hand in to his pocket.I take a much harder line. I am happy for clients to be onsite while I am there with them, but not at any other time. I have had occassions where clients have spoken with subbies and said things like " we need another two GPOs over there" to the sparky,and he does it as the owner has asked him to.But then when it comes time to pay for the additional work that I wasn't even aware of, it is a different story.It is just fraught with danger allowing the client on site by themselves at any time. My sites are completely fenced with locked gates, and no one gets in unless I or my representative are there, be they subbies or clients.

Tools

 

[Tools]

I probably should add that things could be different in states other than Vic, but builders would still face the same risks.

Tools

 

[Norwester]

Tools,


As a subbie, Owners on site used to be the biggest pain in the rear end..........

Can you move this, we dont' like that, how much will it cost too...etc etc etc

Are you the electrician? (whilst I'm standing there with cable in hand........ )...........no actually I'm not........go see that guy over there..............pointing to plumber.

The simple rule was that all requests for variations was directed straight back to the builder...........gennerally they had set rates anyway.

Too bad if the rough in was finished and you were on the way out the door..............

ciao

Nor

 

[Tools]

The simple rule was that all requests for variations was directed straight back to the builder...........gennerally they had set rates anyway.

Nor

Ahh, but unfortunately not all subbies are like that. Many will just do what the owner asks,because they are the owner,and most people like to be helpful; and the builder gets left outof the loop.Often the first we hear about it is when we get the bill from the subbie. Often it might seem liek an insignificant thing at the time."Could you move that GPO 1 metre to the left please". Seems harmless at the time, until the owner moves in and the GPO no longer suits, and we get called back because it is not as per the plan.As you said, everything needs to go through the builder, and the subbies should only take instructions from the builder.There should be no contact at all between the subbie and client.

Tools