BUILDERS / PRACTICAL COMPLETION
Slip test a new Melbourne floor before handover.
When the finish is down and practical completion is close, a pendulum test on the new floor gives you a written record for occupancy or handover, not a promise that the floor will never be slippery.
Book a pre-handover quote ↗Why builders book a slip test before handover
A newly installed floor in a Melbourne apartment lobby, school, retail fit-out or commercial core often needs a slip test before the superintendent will sign practical completion, or before the client will take occupancy. The request usually arrives as a call for a slip test certificate or a slip test report attached to the handover pack.
Premrest attends the site and measures the finishes that are actually underfoot. If you are still pricing the job and the floor is not in, start with the slip testing tender notes instead.
What a pendulum test on a new floor involves
A pendulum test on a new floor is an on-site wet pendulum assessment of the installed pedestrian surface. Premrest agrees the locations in the quote (entries, wet areas, stairs, ramps or the specific finishes named in the specification), then records how those surfaces perform under the test conditions on the day.
Even a floor that left the supplier with an AS 4586 classification is an existing surface once it is laid and open to traffic. Residues from grout, sealer, construction dust or a first clean can change how a wet pendulum reads. Tell Premrest what has been applied, how the floor was cleaned, and whether the space is still a live site.
Access, induction and escort arrangements matter as much as the finish. A Docklands tower and a suburban school will not open the same way. Share those details so the visit matches the programme. Broader method notes are on slip resistance testing.
What the slip test report contains
Handover packs often ask for a slip resistance certificate or slip test certificate. Premrest’s deliverable is a written slip test report in a certificate-style format: it identifies the property, the locations assessed, the test method, the recorded conditions and the results. It is a record of the visit, not an accredited certificate and not a warranty of future performance.
If your superintendent, building surveyor or client has a list of fields they expect to see, send that list with the enquiry. Confirm the report requirements with Premrest before the booking so the document fits the brief.
Timing relative to practical completion
Book the pendulum test when the nominated floors are in the condition you intend to hand over: after installation and the intended clean, not while they are still a cutting-station. Leave enough programme after the visit for the project team to read the report before practical completion or occupancy.
Visit timing and when the report can be issued are confirmed with your quote. Include your PC or occupancy date, site hours and any shutdown windows so Premrest can say what is realistic for that Melbourne address.
If the result needs attention
A result that sits below the specified figure is information, not a guaranteed verdict on the whole job. What happens next depends on the finish, the contamination or wear on the day, and what the specification actually asked for.
Options the project team may consider include a further clean, a surface treatment, or a retest after a change. Premrest can discuss those paths and, where it is useful, return to measure the same locations. None of those steps comes with a promised outcome. The appropriate next step sits with the builder, the specifier and the client.
Coverage is Melbourne and wider Victoria. Work in Perth or Western Australia is by arrangement only. Call 1300 207 915 or request a quote and note that you need a slip test before handover.
HANDOVER QUESTIONS
Before you book the last-week test.
What does a pendulum test on a new floor involve?
Premrest attends the Melbourne site and assesses nominated finishes with a wet pendulum under recorded conditions. The visit covers the locations agreed in the quote, including access and any site induction. Results relate to those surfaces and conditions, not to every future use of the building.
Is a slip test report the same as a slip resistance certificate?
Project teams often ask for a slip test certificate or slip resistance certificate at handover. Premrest issues a written slip test report that records the method, locations, conditions and results. Confirm the fields your superintendent or certifier wants before the visit. This is not an accredited certificate.
When should I book a slip test before handover or practical completion?
Book once the nominated floors are installed and in the condition you intend to hand over, with enough programme left to discuss the report before practical completion or occupancy. Exact visit and report timing is confirmed with your quote.
What happens if a new floor does not meet the specified result?
A result that needs attention is a starting point, not a guaranteed failure of the job. Options can include further cleaning, a surface treatment or a retest after a change. The right next step depends on the finish, the specification and the cause; Premrest does not promise a particular outcome.