Have you ever had to defend your work after you’ve finished, or redo a section of a job because something wasn’t signed off properly? Things can spiral quickly when inspections aren’t managed effectively.
Structured inspection protocols are essential, and Inspection Test Plans (ITPs) are a must-have on any professional work site, especially for complex builds with multiple trades, jobs with tight schedules and zero room for error.
At Builder Assist, we get asked all the time: “What is an ITP in construction?”
An ITP is a clear, written roadmap for inspections and testing, matched to your project milestones. It lays out what gets inspected, when, by whom, and what needs to be signed off before work can progress. Having an ITP can help to reduce your exposure to risk and liability.
An ITP is a quality assurance document that describes when inspections and tests are required throughout your construction project.
What is an ITP?
An ITP is a quality assurance document that describes when inspections and tests are required throughout your construction project. Essentially, it’s a checklist that aligns with your Quality Management Plan and ensures you’re doing all the right things, at the right time.
- What specific inspections need to happen
- How often they should occur
- Who is responsible for conducting them
- When they must be signed off before work continues
- What approval or verification is needed at each stage
It should match your project stages, so inspections aren’t delayed or forgotten. Once something is built over, it’s too late to go back, you can’t inspect after the fact.
Why are ITPs so important on complex builds?
When you have a larger, multi-phase job, the risk of things slipping through the cracks increases. Overlapping trades, handovers and tight deadlines can lead to missed inspections, or assuming someone else has already completed them.
Here’s where a structured ITP protects you:
- Accountability – It names the person responsible for each inspection. No more guesswork.
- Evidence of compliance – It’s a paper trail that proves inspections happened, and when.
- Risk mitigation – It minimises the chance of a missed inspection turning into a defect or legal drama.
- Improved workflow – Teams know what needs sign-off before moving to the next task.
- Client confidence – Clients feel reassured that their project is being handled professionally and by the book.
ITPs are especially critical in industries where non-compliance could lead to serious injury, structural failure, or costly rework - so basically, almost every trade.
Who needs to complete an ITP?
In Australia, ITPs are considered best practice for all construction projects, and are often needed by the principal contractor or client, especially when working on
- Government and council works
- Commercial developments
- High-risk or multi-storey builds
- Civil and infrastructure projects
Yes, we admit that there’s no blanket law stating you must use an ITP on every job, but failing to have one could put you at legal and financial risk.
How to create an ITP?
Writing your own ITP can be time-consuming and overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure what’s required for your trade.
That’s why Builder Assist has done the hard work for you.
We’ve developed trade-specific, pre-populated ITP templates that are:
- Instantly downloadable
- Easy to customise in Word
- Straightforward to use on-site
- Aligned with Australian WHS regulations
Each template includes clear instructions and is built for real-world use—by tradies, for tradies. Whether you’re a concreter, carpenter, electrician, or doing specialist install work, there’s a template ready to roll that fits your scope.
Protect yourself with a professional, downloadable ITP
Having the right documentation on-hand is just as important as the tools in your ute and will help you minimise liability, impress clients, and keep your jobs running smoothly,
Download your Builder Assist ITP template today and take the stress out of site inspections.
ITP Template
To search our trade-specific ITP templates and purchase your own, instantly downloadable ITP template, simply click here.
Construction ITP - Inspection Test Plans (ITP's)
These Construction Inspection Test Plans (ITPs) are specifically prepared for each building trade to provide support with quality assurance in the workplace.
A construction ITP assists to create a product that meets customer needs, expectations and requirements. And that's why you need one.
An ITP, or Inspection Test Plan, is a vital planning tool that delivers an effective solution to the when what and how of inspections for a project. It provides structure and procedural alignment. In addition, an ITP sets up the important preplanning to ensure your outcomes meet the necessary industry or regulatory standards. Here's a great resource for builders - the ITP Construction template pack.