Before, we learned about what should we know before we buy a house. Some of you might already be prepared for getting a house and even some of you already in the final stage of the process!
For those who got a house, congratulations on your achievement! But first, when we already got the key, there is something we should do before we move in. It is a defect inspection. We have to check if our house has any defect or damage like a cracked wall, defected paint, defected plaster, damaged tiles, leaks, and more!
This is because usually, the developer gives 24 months or 2 years for us to do the inspection at the house and we also can complain about any damage or defect and problems in and outside of the house. This is our right as a buyer, so use it wisely! But if you do a major renovation, then the developer will not be responsible for any defects in the house.
Things that you need:
▼Masking tape, so you can mark where the defect or damage is
▼Marker pen, it is better to be in red, so you can see the writing much clear. You also can write what kind of defect on the masking tape.
▼A4 paper, so you can list down all the damage and defect with their number and location to make it easier for you to find later on.
▼Kamera or smartphone, to take a picture of any damage or defects of the house.
Okay, let’s start the defect inspection tour!
▼Azan
After you get the key to your house, have a visit to your house. For Muslims, the first thing when you have to do when you enter the house is to say Bismillah and give salam. After that, go upstairs and stand to and azan as loud as you could and let the whole house heard it. If you are a non-muslim, you can just skip this step.
▼Door
Check all the doors by opening and closing it a few times. Check the doorknob and also the lock too!
But don’t forget to check if there is any damage or defect on the door itself!
▼Hollow tiles
The way to identify hollow tiles is to tap the tiles with a coin or screwdriver. We can identify tiles that are hollow (empty) and compact. Mark the empty tiles and ask the developer representative to break and paste the new one neatly. Tap on each piece of tile and tap around the perimeter of the tiles, because in the middle there is always cement, which has no cement always on the side of the tiles. Usually, tiles are installed in the kitchen as well as the bathroom. Other than that, check for if there are any damages with the tiles itself!
▼Electricity or power
To check the electricity or power, you can turn on the main switch and check one by one the light switches, fans, sockets, and so on. Be sure to check each electrical source and socket.
▼Water meter
When the water meter is installed, please make sure the water tap in your house drains water properly by opening all your water taps at once. Check the drain, toilet bowl, sink, and so on. Make sure nothing is clogged. Don’t forget to check the faucet and showerhead. Check if it was installed correctly, or if it is disconnected or loose.
Not only that, check the water tank by opening the water at the meter, let the water enter the tank until it is full. Then, check the condition of the storage tank to make sure the tank is not leaking. When the water is full in the tank, make sure the reading on the water meter must stop. Otherwise, there is a leaking pipe before the water reaches the tank.
▼Window and Sliding Door
Check all the windows and sliding door by opening and closing them as much as possible. Please make sure the lock for the windows works properly. Not only that but also you have to make sure the sliding door can be locked tightly.
▼Stairs
To test it if it’s firm, shake the handle of your staircase. This is because it could be loose and be very dangerous!
▼Bathroom, especially the upstairs.
Here’s how to check in upstairs bathroom leaks. Take a binding tape and completely seal the water outlet hole. Then, fill the bathroom with water. Leave for a week. After a week, check for leaks or not on the ceiling of the ground floor of your house. If there is a leak, show it to the developer representative, and ask the developer contractor to renovate the toilet floor again to place the toilet sealer properly. Usually after placing this sealer, you have to leave it for a day to dry. Check that the sealer is full or not.
▼Cracked walls
-Check the walls of your house, if there are cracks please inform the developer immediately.
▼Roof
You can also check any damaged or defect on the roof. If there is any problem, you can ask for the changes.
▼Cement
If there are any unsatisfactory cement work, you also can label and take pictures of it!
▼Paint
You can also check the paint and complaint about it!
▼Screws
You also have to check if everything was screwed to the place. If anything is loose or there is no screw, please notify the developers.
▼Lock everything
Lastly, lock your houses, gates, windows, toilet windows, sliding doors, and everything that can allow access to a thief, especially the electrical cable thief. This is because after we got the house keys the developers are not responsible for any case of cable theft.
Now,you are done! If there is no defect or damage, you can move to your house anytime! You also can do any renovation now to your house, so take your pick~ Hopefully, this guide will help you guys!
Defect inspection? Alright, it is on the list!
Info via Facebook