Local property context
Shepparton homes are shaped by heat, water and steady growth
Shepparton is the main city of the Goulburn Valley, surrounded by orchards and irrigated farms. Much of the housing is post-war brick veneer and weatherboard, with newer estates in Kialla and Shepparton North and older homes in Mooroopna and around the centre.
Summers are long and hot, so a lot of owner work goes into shade and outdoor living: verandahs, pergolas, alfrescos and carports.
In October 2022 floods affected parts of Shepparton and Mooroopna. Some owners repaired or rebuilt damaged rooms themselves, and that work can raise the same Section 137B question as any other renovation.
Orchard and farm properties on the edge of the city add houses with workers’ cottages, packing sheds converted for living, and big machinery sheds near the homestead.
Shade structures and outdoor living
Verandahs, pergolas and alfrescos are among the most common owner-managed jobs in Shepparton. They are often attached to the house and roofed, and when the owner organised them they are usually part of the owner-builder scope.
Flood repairs managed by the owner
After the 2022 floods, some Mooroopna and Shepparton owners replaced linings, floors, kitchens and bathrooms themselves, while others used builders through insurance. When you sell, it matters who was responsible. Work you managed yourself may be owner-builder work; work done under a contract with a registered builder is treated differently.
If you are not sure how the repair work was arranged, gather the insurance and builder paperwork before the inspection. Your conveyancer can confirm what the sale requires.
Post-war houses updated room by room
Many older Shepparton houses have a long list of smaller jobs:
- Kitchen and bathroom renovations
- A wall removed between living areas
- A garage turned into a bedroom or rumpus room
- New floors or a new roof
Newer Kialla and Shepparton North homes
Where a registered builder built the house, the owner-builder question usually comes from work added after the owner moved in — an alfresco roof, a shed, a carport or an internal change.
Inspection days in the Goulburn Valley
Goulburn Valley jobs are booked into our regular trips north, so Mooroopna, Kialla, Tatura and city properties are often seen on the same day. Because of the distance, the fee is worked out by hand for each address: you get an email with the amount and a proposed day, and nothing is charged until you accept.
What the inspection covers
On the day, a registered building inspector looks over each item on your list — the pergola, the rebuilt laundry, the converted garage — and writes up any defects seen in that work. You and your conveyancer receive the report by email. Original parts of the house you never touched, and pest activity, are outside its scope.
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 each job with a rough completion date, including outdoor structures.
- For flood repairs, note which work you managed and which a builder did under contract.
- Gather any permits, certificates, insurance or builder paperwork you still have.
Area served
137B inspections around Shepparton
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
Greater Shepparton City Council handles building matters for Shepparton, Mooroopna, Kialla, Tatura and the surrounding towns, and can provide building information for a property. That history can help explain what was done and when; 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.
Greater Shepparton City Council →Get a quote for a Shepparton property
Enter the property address and tell us what work was done. Regional properties are priced by hand: we email you the price and the likely inspection day before you pay anything.
What happens after you book?
Work
Tell us what was built, renovated or changed.
Price
We email the price and inspection day before you pay.
Inspection
A registered building inspector attends the property.
Frequently asked questions
137B reports in Shepparton
Is a 137B report required for every Shepparton sale with renovations?
No. Only owner-builder work finished in roughly the last six and a half years is normally relevant, and the sale details matter too. Try the free online check, then ask your conveyancer to confirm.
I repaired my Mooroopna home after the 2022 floods. Does that count?
It can, if you managed the work yourself rather than through a registered builder under contract. Gather the paperwork and your conveyancer can confirm what the sale needs.
We added a big shade pergola last summer. Will the buyer care?
Probably. A roofed pergola you arranged yourself is a common example of owner-builder work, and recent work like that is exactly what the 137B process is meant to disclose.
Do you inspect in Tatura, Murchison or Numurkah?
Yes. We plan Goulburn Valley inspections together where we can.
How far ahead should I book a Shepparton inspection?
As early as you can — ideally before the agent lists the property. We plan Goulburn Valley trips in advance, then email the fee and a proposed day once we have the address and your list of works.
Selling a renovated home in the Goulburn Valley? Send us the address and the work.
We email the price and the likely inspection day before you pay. Not sure the report applies? Check first.