You have collected the keys to a new home, and the developer gives you a limited window to report defects. Most buyers walk in looking for stains and scratches, and miss the things that actually stop a home from working.
What should you check during a defect inspection, and in what order?
“These are things that you cannot really live without.”
Check function before looks. Test every power point, water point, door and window first, compare the unit against your sale agreement, then move on to cosmetic flaws, and report everything through the proper channel.
Why
Utilities come first
Test every power point with a phone charger, plus the distribution board, doorbell and any water heater or appliances supplied. Doors and windows should open and close smoothly, and window seals should feel firm.
Water problems hide
Fill each sink and check the joints underneath. Pour water on bathroom floors, especially in the shower, to see that it runs to the drain. Look for stains on ceilings and around windows that point to leaks, particularly in landed homes.
Your sale agreement is the checklist
If the agreement promises laminated flooring in the bedrooms or full-height tiles in the kitchen, check that is what you got; a mismatch matters more than a stain. Some buyers even measure wall to wall, after stories of 900 sq ft units measuring 850.
Hollow tiles are more serious than they look
A hollow wall tile can eventually fall off; a hollow floor tile can crack under heavy furniture because there is no mortar beneath it. Straight walls and even floors are not a luxury at any price point.
What to do
- Bring a phone charger, your sale agreement and a measuring tape, and mark each defect with a sticker as you go.
- Check the common facilities too: the building should have its certificate of completion, and the gym and pool should be working, not "under maintenance".
- Submit defects through the developer's official channel; the staff follow process, so be thorough rather than confrontational.
- Note the defect liability period, usually 24 months; leaks or cracks in that time are the developer's to fix. Structural renovation in a landed home can void claims for related cracks.
- For a rental unit, prioritise whatever stops a tenant moving in; each round of repairs can cost two to three months of instalments.
Editorial Note: Summarised from Sean Tan's full episode. The quoted answer is in his own words; the rest is our paraphrase. Figures reflect the recording date, so check current rates and rules before acting on them.
CHECK FOR DEFECTS IN YOUR PROPERTY
Sources & Verification Data
Summarised from Sean's English captions for this January 2020 walk-through. The quoted answer is verbatim; everything else is paraphrased. Parts of the older automatic captions are unclear, so only clearly stated points are included.
