Section 137B Owner Builder Reports Melbourne
Selling a home after building, extending or renovating as an owner builder? If your conveyancer has asked for a Section 137B report, ClearScope can help you work through the inspection enquiry and what to have ready.
An owner builder defects report records the assessment of the relevant building work for the sale process. It is separate from the buyer's general building inspection and from any insurance or Home Warranty documents your sale requires.
Start with three details: the property address, what work you arranged and when the report is needed. You can enquire before every record has been found.
Request an owner builder quote, or call ClearScope on 0478 098 184.
Contents
- Is this the report you have been asked for?
- What the inspection and report are for
- A straightforward way to get started
- What to send with your enquiry
- Planning around your sale
- Helpful coordination for conveyancers and agents
- Common questions
- Tell us where you are up to
Is this the report you have been asked for?
The name can sound more complicated than the first conversation needs to be. Use the situation closest to yours:
| Your situation | A useful next step |
|---|---|
| Your conveyancer has requested a Section 137B report | Send us their request, the address and the work description so we can discuss the right scope. |
| You managed trades or building work and are preparing to sell | Give your conveyancer the project history and ask which sale requirements apply. You can discuss inspection preparation with us meanwhile. |
| You are buying a home and have received the seller's report | Check its nominated work and purpose. You may still need your own pre-purchase inspection of the wider property. |
| The work was completed before you owned the property | Tell your conveyancer. Do not assume the current owner's position is identical to the person who arranged the work. |
Managing trades can be relevant even if you did none of the physical building work yourself. Your conveyancer checks how the rules apply to the actual arrangements and dates. Our seller's preparation guide helps you put that history together.
What the inspection and report are for
The report concerns the work agreed for assessment: for example, a nominated renovation, extension or other relevant project. Before booking, identify all the projects involved so one work area is not accidentally left out of the enquiry.
A useful report makes the work description, inspection findings, relevant photographs, incomplete items and assessment limits clear. When a defect is identified, you should be able to understand where it is, what was observed and what needs discussing next. A report is not simply a pass-or-fail certificate.
Illustrative reporting example: if water staining is visible beside a renovated shower, the useful record is its location, the observed condition and the recommended follow-up. The photograph alone does not prove the concealed leak path. This is an example of an explanation, not a finding at a ClearScope client's property.
Section 137B limits who can prepare this report and what it must address. Your report is prepared and authorised by an appropriately registered ClearScope building practitioner. We confirm the report author and inspection arrangements before you book. The BPC's owner builder template explains the reporting purpose; an ordinary condition report cannot simply be given a different title.
A straightforward way to get started
- Tell us about the work. Send the property address, a short description of the project and the dates you know.
- Share the sale timing. Let us know when your conveyancer needs the report, not just when the property will be photographed.
- Confirm the details. We discuss the inspection scope, report author, access, availability and fee before a booking is agreed.
- Arrange access. Identify the relevant rooms and structures and let us know about locked areas, occupants or safety concerns.
- Review the report. Read the findings and provide the required documents to your conveyancer for the sale process.
For a more detailed preparation sequence, see when to book your owner builder inspection.
What to send with your enquiry
For an initial quote, the address, work description and required date are the priorities. Add the approximate work dates, how access can be arranged and whether your conveyancer or insurance provider has supplied instructions.
Have records available if you hold them: the building permit, approved plans, occupancy permit or certificate of final inspection, trade certificates and relevant cover documents. Label missing records as missing; you do not need to guess a date or upload a whole legal file to start.
What will the quote cover?
We will discuss the nominated work, report arrangements, access, fee and timing before you decide. Ask whether several projects are included and how any further visit or specialist assessment would be handled. No fixed fee or delivery time should be assumed from a price advertised for another inspection service.
Send the details for an owner builder quote. If you are still gathering documents, say that in the message.
Planning around your sale
Raise the topic early, then plan the report around entering the sale contract. Where the statutory report requirement applies, the report must have been obtained within the preceding six months. Settlement or photography dates are not the only dates to consider.
That report-currency rule is different from the period in which the building work falls within the owner builder sale requirements. Your conveyancer checks that calculation against the actual records. The booking guide explains the two timing questions with a worked example.
The report does not arrange cover or issue missing approvals. Our report and insurance comparison explains the separate documents so you can keep the tasks organised.
Helpful coordination for conveyancers and agents
If you are referring a homeowner, a short introduction with the client’s permission is useful. Include the address, work description, document deadline and the person organising access. Confirm who is engaging ClearScope and who may receive the report.
Our conveyancer guide includes an intake checklist. The real estate agent guide focuses on raising the question early and coordinating the listing process.
Common questions
Will the inspection approve my renovation?
The report does not issue a building permit, replace an occupancy permit or retrospectively approve work. If approvals or completion records are missing, discuss that separately with your conveyancer and building surveyor.
What if parts of the work are concealed?
Tell us what is behind finishes and share construction records if you have them. Safe access and available evidence affect what can be assessed. A visual inspection cannot establish every concealed detail, and any further investigation needs its own agreed scope.
Can you help with a property in Diamond Creek or Eltham?
Send the address so we can confirm availability and the property details. Our Diamond Creek owner builder page and Eltham owner builder page explain useful local preparation steps.
How much does the report cost?
Ask for a quote based on the actual work and property. Multiple projects, access restrictions and document requirements can affect the scope. We confirm the fee before you proceed rather than asking you to rely on a price intended for a different inspection.
Tell us where you are up to
You may be months from listing or already speaking with a conveyancer. Either way, a short conversation is a useful place to start. Contact ClearScope with the address, the work completed and your timing, and we will discuss the next inspection step with you.