Local property context
Western Port properties: a working town, then acreage and outbuildings
The Western Port side of the Peninsula is quite different from the Port Phillip beaches. Hastings grew as a working town around the port, the marina and the industry along the bay, and much of its housing is brick and weatherboard from the 1960s to the 1980s, with newer estates on the edges.
South of Hastings the blocks get bigger. Around Balnarring, Merricks, Red Hill South and the back of Flinders, many homes sit on acreage or lifestyle lots among paddocks, orchards and vineyards, while Somers, Balnarring Beach and Flinders also have coastal holiday houses.
That mix decides what owners change. In town it is usually the house itself. On the bigger blocks it is often what gets built around the house: a studio, a self-contained unit for family, a large shed or workshop, a carport for the boat or the float. Each of these can be owner-builder work when the owner organised it.
Outbuildings on acreage are often the main part of the scope
On a Balnarring or Merricks lifestyle property, the house may be untouched while the owner has spent years adding buildings around it. Sellers sometimes forget these when they think about a renovation, because they are not part of the home they live in day to day.
Sheds, studios and sleep-outs are building work. A self-contained unit with a kitchenette and bathroom has plumbing, waterproofing and electrical work like any house. If you organised the work rather than contracting a registered builder to do the whole job, list each building separately with the year it was finished.
- A large steel shed or workshop, sometimes with a mezzanine or lined office
- A studio, home office or sleep-out away from the house
- A self-contained unit or granny flat for a family member
- A carport or open-sided shed for a boat, caravan or horse float
- A covered outdoor area or deck linking the house to the garden
In Hastings itself, it is usually the house
On a standard town block in Hastings, Bittern or Crib Point, the work we are asked about is the familiar update of an older house:
- Bathroom and laundry stripped out and re-done, with new plumbing, waterproofing and tiling
- Kitchen replaced, with walls removed or moved to open up the living area
- A rear extension or an enclosed verandah turned into a room
- Re-roofing, new windows, or a deck or pergola at the back
- A garage converted into living space
Coastal houses in Somers, Balnarring Beach and Flinders
The beach houses along this coast range from small older holiday homes to recent architect-designed builds. Owner-builder work here is often an upgrade to make a holiday house liveable year round: a new bathroom, a bigger kitchen, an added bedroom, or a deck facing the water.
Where the house is exposed to sea air, the inspector will note the visible condition of the work you declare, including outdoor structures and fixings. As with any 137B report, it is the recent owner-builder work that matters, not the age of the original house.
Sort out what was done, and by whom, before listing
Properties with several buildings make a 137B scope easy to get wrong. Before the agent lists the property, write down:
- Each building or part of the house that was built or changed, and roughly when it was finished
- Who did the work and whether you engaged the trades yourself or one business managed the whole job
- Any permits, quotes, invoices and plumbing or electrical compliance certificates
- Buildings that were already there when you bought, which are normally outside the report
What the inspection covers
A registered building inspector carries out a visual inspection of the owner-builder work you declare, whether that is a renovated bathroom in Hastings or a studio and shed on acreage at Merricks. The report records defect observations for that work and is delivered digitally, usually on the day of the inspection. Your conveyancer or solicitor can confirm whether Section 137B applies to the sale.
What can be included in the inspection?
We inspect the owner-builder work you tell us about. You can select more than one renovation area and, where relevant, tell us how many bathrooms or bedrooms were involved.
Local inspection scope
What to identify before requesting the report
- List every outbuilding you built — shed, studio, unit, carport — as its own item, with the year it was finished.
- Say whether a studio or unit has a bathroom or kitchenette, so the plumbing and waterproofing are included.
- Leave out buildings that were already on the property when you bought it.
Area served
137B inspections around Hastings
The map shows the local area. Enter the exact property address in the quote form so the inspection scope, travel and availability can be assessed for that property.
Local permit information
Hastings, Bittern, Crib Point, Balnarring, Somers, Merricks and Flinders are all in the Mornington Peninsula Shire, which keeps building permit records for the area. Those records show what was approved; the Section 137B report is a separate inspection of the owner-builder work at the time of sale.
Permit information can be useful, but it is separate from the Section 137B requirements that may apply when the property is sold.
Mornington Peninsula Shire building permits →Get a quote for a Hastings property
Enter the property address and tell us what work was done. You’ll see the inspection price before payment. Some jobs need a quick price check first.
What happens after you book?
Work
Tell us what was built, renovated or changed.
Price
See the price before payment for standard jobs.
Inspection
A registered building inspector attends the property.
Frequently asked questions
137B reports in Hastings
Do I need a 137B report to sell a property in Hastings or Balnarring?
Only if relevant owner-builder domestic building work was completed within the period that applies and it is part of the sale. The free scope check gives a quick answer, and the conveyancer preparing the contract can confirm it.
Does a shed or studio count?
It can. Sheds, studios, sleep-outs and self-contained units are building work. If you organised the work yourself, include each building in the scope you declare.
We added a granny flat for a family member. Is that included?
If you were responsible for building it, yes, include it. Tell us whether it has a bathroom or kitchenette so the inspection covers those areas.
Do you inspect in Flinders, Somers and Crib Point?
Yes. We cover Hastings and the Western Port side of the Peninsula, including Bittern, Crib Point, Tyabb, Somers, Balnarring, Merricks, Point Leo, Shoreham and Flinders.
How quickly can you inspect before an auction?
It depends on availability, the property and the scope. Put the auction or signing date in the quote request and call us if it is close. The report is usually issued on the day of the inspection.
How do I see the price for a Hastings inspection?
Enter the property address and the work completed in the quote form. Standard jobs show the price before payment; acreage properties with several buildings may need a quick manual price check first.
Selling a renovated home or acreage on the Western Port side? Enter the property and the work completed to get started.
See the inspection price before payment for standard jobs. Not sure the report applies? Check first.