Scope of this guide
For brick and block construction in buildings: receipt and identification through setting out, laying, embedded items, concealed-work checks and completion. The NATSPEC worksection is a configurable project template, not a universal specification. This guide does not design walls, set project tolerances, certify fire or structural performance, or replace the adopted NCC and licensed standards.
Start with the wall schedule and controlled details
Before work starts, identify each wall type and location from the current contract set. Reconcile elevations, sections, opening schedules, structural details and the nominated masonry worksection. The NATSPEC 0331 worksection treats the scope broadly across clay, calcium silicate, concrete and AAC units, load-bearing or non-load-bearing, and flags mortar, reinforcement, ties, lintels, damp-proof courses and flashings as separate project-documented items.
Create one plan row per distinct inspection trigger or evidence path. A general “masonry complete” row will not show whether concealed ties, reinforcement, flashings or an opening detail were checked before they became inaccessible.
| Input | Extract for the plan |
|---|---|
| Wall / elevation schedule | Wall ID, location, type, thickness/system and boundary between work packages. |
| Structural and architectural details | Approved issue, wall support, movement/interface details, openings, lintels and any specified reinforcement or ties. |
| Specification and product submittals | Specified unit, mortar, grout, reinforcement, connectors, damp-proofing and flashing; required product evidence and review status. |
| Interface documents | Fire, acoustic, weatherproofing, services penetrations and adjacent-work requirements where the project includes them. |
| Inspection and record rules | Contract-defined lot, inspection frequency, notice/control-point legend, responsible roles and required records. |
Map the work in the order it becomes inspectable
Use the project’s actual construction sequence and separate work that will be concealed from final visual review. A step can be marked as a proposed contractor check until the contract assigns its criteria, role and control point.
| Stage | Planned check and source to identify | Record evidence to capture |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt | Match delivery/product IDs and submitted evidence to the approved schedule and any conditions. | Wall area, product and batch/lot IDs, docket, document revision, visible damage or discrepancy, disposition reference. |
| Set-out and support | Check the released support, set-out and wall/opening locations against the approved details before laying. | Grid/level/location, drawing revision, surveyed or observed evidence required by project, query references. |
| First courses and interfaces | Check specified damp-proofing, flashings, ties or interfaces at the stage they remain visible. | Wall ID, interface location, cited detail and revision, observation, photos or linked checklist if required. |
| Progressive laying | Inspect only the features and frequency assigned by the project: bond/pattern, units, mortar, jointing and specified reinforcement/ties. | Area or lot, relevant source locator, observed condition, any measured value only when specified, inspector and date. |
| Openings and embedded items | Verify lintels, frames, service provisions and documented reinforcement before concealment. | Opening/element ID, approved detail, product/traceability evidence and concealed-work evidence. |
| Completion and handover | Review completed surfaces and reconcile defects, departures and open interfaces. | Final area, defect/query/NCR references, authorised disposition, repair/recheck and drawing/as-built reference if required. |
Use a wall-area record that preserves traceability
The following is a blank field structure for a site record; it is not a completed inspection or a downloadable project form. Expand it to fit the client form and the actual wall system.
| Record section | Blank fields to complete for the actual event |
|---|---|
| Document control | Project: ___ ITP / row ID: ___ Record ID / revision: ___ Date: ___ |
| Location | Building / level / grid / elevation: ___ Wall ID / type: ___ Work lot or area: ___ |
| Basis | Drawing / revision / detail: ___ Specification / clause / revision: ___ Approved submittal: ___ |
| Materials | Unit / mortar / grout / accessory IDs: ___ Delivery dockets / batch IDs: ___ Product evidence reference: ___ |
| Inspection event | Stage: ___ Feature checked: ___ Observation / evidence reference: ___ Result against cited criterion: ___ |
| Concealed work | Tie / reinforcement / flashing / penetration location: ___ Photo or linked record: ___ Checked before concealment: ___ |
| Issue and disposition | Query / NCR / instruction: ___ Decision by assigned project role and reference: ___ Repair / recheck evidence: ___ |
| Completion | Open items: ___ Closeout evidence: ___ Inspector / reviewer names, dates and signatures as required by project: ___ |
Keep the limits and interfaces explicit
Do not import a tolerance, mortar class, tie spacing, reinforcement schedule, curing rule or inspection frequency from a generic guide. NATSPEC 0331 points users to project documentation and adopted standards and explicitly expects the template to be customized. If the drawing, product submission and specification conflict, preserve the conflicting references and use the project clarification route.
Treat fire-resistance, structural adequacy, weatherproofing and service-penetration decisions as design or specialist approval matters where assigned. The ITP records the specified evidence and authorised decision; it does not create those decisions.
Fictional workflow: inspect a wall before it is closed in
Illustrative only. Wall IDs and statuses are fictional; no actual inspection, acceptance, measurement or approval is represented.
- Identify the fictional wall on the current elevation and confirm which approved details govern its openings and interfaces.
- Create separate plan rows for the specified concealed flashing/tie checks and later visible completion checks.
- At each actual event, record the wall area, source revision, observation and required supporting evidence while it is accessible.
- If a detail is unclear, open a project query and leave the affected item unresolved until the assigned party responds.
- Reconcile completed records, open NCRs and required as-built references before marking the package ready for project review.
Before issuing the plan
- Define wall type and limits from current project documents.
- Keep material, wall-area and concealed-work traceability.
- Map each check to a source locator and an event record.
- Do not invent dimensions, tolerances, frequencies, mortar requirements or acceptance criteria.
- Keep design and authorised disposition with assigned project roles.
Sources and their limits
Public sources explain the planning topics below. Confirm their jurisdiction, contract context and applicable edition; use controlled project documents for the actual requirements.
- NATSPEC 0331 Brick and Block Construction worksection template
Worksection abstract; clauses 1.1–1.6; responsibilities, applicable standards, tolerances and submissions; product and execution sections. Public template text reviewed 10 Oct 2026.
Primary Australian specification-writing template showing the work package elements, submittals and need to customize details for the project. Its example standards/clauses and optional provisions are not treated as current contract requirements.
Source reviewed: 2026-10-10