In short: The shower looked finished. Then we ran it, and the water did not stay where it should.
Water escaping the recess
At a Werribee pre-handover inspection we ran the shower and watched water leave the recess and spread onto the bathroom floor. In a new home that points to the screen, the hob or the set-down, and it needs fixing before anyone moves in.
Wastes that cannot keep up
On other Werribee handovers we have recorded shower wastes draining slower than the water arriving, so water ponds in the base. Standing water raises the risk of leaks and makes the shower unhygienic.
A mixer leaking
We also found a mixer leaking during the walk through. Small leaks behind or under fittings do their damage out of sight.
Why we run the water
We do not pressure test plumbing, but running the fixtures by hand is part of a pre-handover inspection. It is the simplest way to see what the next owner would see on their first morning.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Werribee. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
