Frame Inspection
An independent check of the structure against AS 1684.2 — bracing, tie-down and trusses — while the frame is still open.
Book before plaster covers the structure
Why the Frame Stage Matters
The frame stage is the last chance to see the structure. Once plasterboard, cladding and insulation go on, the bracing, tie-down straps, truss anchors and stud framing are permanently hidden. A defect not found now is a defect you live with, or pay to expose later.
Timber framing in South East Queensland is built to AS 1684.2 Residential timber-framed construction — non-cyclonic areas, sized to a wind classification set under AS 4055 Wind loads for housing. The bracing, the tie-down from roof to slab, and the truss connections are what hold the house together under wind load, so the frame inspection concentrates on those load paths.
Structural framing defects are the most expensive class of new-build defect to fix after handover, because rectification means removing finished linings to reach the frame. Catching them at frame stage keeps the fix to timber and fixings.
What's Included
- Wall frames plumb, straight and no cracked timber
- Bracing pattern and nailing (AS 1684.2 cl 8.3)
- Tie-down straps and hold-downs at bracing panels
- Truss anchors and top-plate connection nailing
- Truss layout matches the engineered design
- Bearer and joist spans for suspended floors
- Lintel and door-head sizing per engineering
- Wind classification (N2/N3/N4) matches the spec
- Termite continuity at the frame-to-slab junction
- Same-day PDF report with photos
Includes GST
Critical Elements We Verify
Wall Frames
Plumb, straight, sound timber
Bracing
Pattern and nailing per AS 1684.2
Tie-Down
Load path from roof to slab
Trusses
Layout matches engineering
What we check at frame stage
The frame inspection follows the load path from the roof down to the slab, checking each connection against AS 1684.2 and the truss and bracing engineering. NCC Volume Two Part 3.4 (framing) and Part 3.5 (roof and wall cladding) set the acceptable-construction baseline.
- Wall frames plumb and straight — walls checked for plumb, line and level, with studs sound and free of splits or excessive bow.
- Bracing sheets — pattern and nail spacing — bracing units and their fixing checked against AS 1684.2 clause 8.3, which sets the nailing that lets a brace actually carry racking load.
- Tie-down straps and hold-downs — connections at bracing panels and wall junctions checked so the uplift load path is continuous, per the tie-down provisions of AS 1684.2 Section 9.
- Truss anchor connections and top-plate nailing — every truss-to-plate connection checked for the specified anchor and nail pattern, including at gable ends and girder trusses.
- Truss layout against engineering — spacing, bracing, girder trusses and hangers checked against the truss manufacturer's stamped layout.
- Roof pitch, hip and valley construction — assembled to the roof design, with valley and hip members supported as detailed.
- Bearer and joist spans — for suspended floors, member sizes and spans checked against AS 1684.2 span tables and the engineering.
- Lintel and door-head sizing — openings checked against the engineered lintel schedule for the span and load over them.
- Wind classification match — the framing specification confirmed against the site wind classification (commonly N2, N3 or N4 in SEQ under AS 4055), which is critical on exposed, coastal or elevated sites.
- Termite continuity at the frame-to-slab junction — the termite management system checked for continuity where the frame meets the slab.
Common frame defects and the standards they fail
The defects below are standards-based patterns rather than site-specific claims. Any inspector working to AS 1684.2 and the QBCC guide checks for the same items.
- Non-compliant bracing nailing — a bracing sheet fixed with too few nails, or spacing wider than specified, cannot develop its rated racking capacity. AS 1684.2 clause 8.3 sets the nailing; under-nailed bracing is reported against it.
- Missing truss anchor at a gable end — the tie-down connections in AS 1684.2 Section 9 have to be present at every truss, including the gable, to maintain the uplift load path. A missing or wrong anchor breaks that path.
- Bowed or out-of-tolerance studs — the QBCC Standards and Tolerances Guide (clause 12.5) sets limits on wall straightness. Studs bowed beyond the allowed deviation over a set length telegraph through the finished wall and are reported against the guide.
Why bracing and tie-down are checked so closely
Bracing resists the horizontal racking force of wind on the walls; tie-down resists the uplift that wind creates on the roof. AS 1684.2 sizes both to the wind classification the house was designed for, and each depends on a continuous chain of connections — a brace is only as good as its nailing, a tie-down only as good as its weakest strap. That is why the frame inspection checks the fixings themselves against the clause, not just that the members are present: a connection that looks finished but is under-nailed still fails under load.
When to book: frame up, before the trades cut in
The frame inspection window opens once the frame is stood, braced and the trusses are fixed, and closes when the pre-plaster trades start or linings go on. Book too early and the bracing and tie-down are incomplete; book too late and plasterboard already hides the connections.
The workable point is with the frame complete and open, before electrical and plumbing rough-in begin. Booking there means every connection is visible and correctable, and it also sets a clean baseline for the pre-plaster inspection that follows — so if a trade later notches a stud or a brace, the change is obvious. We turn the report around the same day for most inspections with photographs and clause references.
Frame inspection and pre-plaster inspection
Frame and pre-plaster are adjacent stages that check different things. The frame inspection assesses the structure while it is clean and open. The pre-plaster inspection comes after the electrician, plumber and insulator have worked in the frame, and checks both that the rough-in is correct and that those trades have not compromised the structure. Before the frame there is the slab inspection; after the linings and fit-out there is the practical completion inspection at handover.
Frequently asked questions
When should I book a frame inspection?
Book the frame inspection once the frame is stood, braced and the roof trusses are up and fixed, but before the pre-plaster trades (electrical, plumbing, insulation) start cutting into it and before any linings go on. That is the point where every structural connection is visible and anything flagged can still be corrected without pulling linings off.
How long does a frame inspection take?
A single-storey frame takes roughly an hour and a half to two hours; a two-storey or complex roof takes longer. We work through the wall frames, bracing, tie-down and the truss layout against the engineering, photograph each item, and issue the report the same day for most inspections.
What happens if the frame inspection finds a defect?
Each item is recorded with a photo, a location and the clause it fails — most commonly AS 1684.2 for the framing and tie-down, or the truss manufacturer's layout. You forward the report to your site supervisor. Framing corrections are straightforward while the frame is open; the same items are expensive or impossible to fix once plasterboard is fixed over them.
Do I attend the frame inspection?
No. We arrange access with the site supervisor and attend in hi-vis and safety boots. You receive the same-day PDF report with photographs and clause references and a follow-up call to walk through anything flagged.
How does your frame report differ from the certifier's frame-stage Form 16?
The certifier's frame-stage Form 16 certifies that the frame complies with the approved documents for the building approval. It is a statutory sign-off, not an itemised defect list. Our inspection is an independent quality check against AS 1684.2 and the truss and bracing engineering, written for you, and it records workmanship items the compliance sign-off does not enumerate.
How is a frame inspection different from a pre-plaster inspection?
The frame inspection assesses the structure — wall frames, bracing, tie-down and trusses — before the pre-plaster trades work on it. The pre-plaster inspection happens later, after electrical and plumbing rough-in and insulation, and checks that those trades have not compromised the frame and that the rough-in is correct before plasterboard. Some builders combine the two hold points; where they are separate, both are worth attending because they check different things.
How much does a frame inspection cost?
A standard residential frame inspection is $550 including GST across Brisbane and the Moreton Bay corridor. That covers the site attendance, the same-day photo-tagged report with AS 1684.2 and engineering references, and a follow-up call. Two-storey and complex-roof frames are quoted individually — call with the plan and we will confirm before you book.
Frame is the structural stage. See the slab inspection before it, the pre-plaster inspection after it, or the full construction stage inspections sequence through to handover.
Check the Structure Before Plaster
Book before plaster covers the structure
Book your frame inspection while the bracing, tie-down and trusses are still open to view.
Your build, stage by stage
Every new home moves through the same inspection sequence. See where this stage fits and jump to the ones before and after it.