Brand new property - Inspection

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Newbie23

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Hi All

So I bought an apartment directly from a developer. It's brand new and actually still under construction.
I've been told by the developers that appointments will be commencing soon to view the property as well as compile a pre-handover Snag list. I've come to learn that this is a list of things I am unhappy with and that they need to remedy ASAP.

Anyway, any advice on what I need to look for when viewing the place?
I haven't done this before so I'm a bit lost here as to what to look for.....


Thanks
 
External

External concrete finish, texture and painting of the unit walls
Damage or imperfections to paint or concrete of external walls
The window frames, glazing and surrounds
Paving and tiling work to patio, balcony, carport and front entrance
Alignment and finish of fences or dividing walls
Exterior electrical fittings
Main building/unit exterior fixture and fitting
Roofing and waterproofing

Internal

Doors for correct clearances and function, as well as handles, locks and door stops
Window frames, screens, glazing, surrounds and functioning
Plaster works for tool marks, scratches, uneven surfaces and sanding ridges
Ceilings for correct finish and for visible joints
Quality and fitting of ceiling fixtures such as lights
Cornice lines for finish and alignment
Walls and the skirting boards for uneven levels, finish or painting
External corners and arches for straightness/even curve
Kitchen cupboards, vanities and the bench tops for scratches, damage, function of doors/drawers and general finish
Tiling and grouting for finish, chips or cracks, uneven laying and straightness
Cut-outs from tiling around taps and plumbing for correct sizing
Painted surfaces for coverage, blemishes and paint runs (paint spillages onto tiles, benches, cupboards etc. will also be noted). Nail holes are also checked for proper filling
Baths are checked for scratches, damage, poorly fitted drains or plumbing fixtures
Granite surfaces for cracks, chips, poor alignment or joining
All other plumbing fixture and fittings will be checked for damage or poor installation
All electrical appliances/connections are in working order
Key and lock availability
 
Take pictures of everything with a timestamp.

What I look for:
Fittings such as cupboard hinges and cupboard handles
Marks on the walls
Built in appliances working (like the stove).
Marks on the carpets
Cracked tiles

Cracks in the walls/ on the roof.
Putty on windows isn't cracked/dry.
Signs of damp.

All lights working.
All light fittings are in good order.
All plugs are working.
DB board is working as it should.

All taps are working properly (correct flow and not leaking).
No drains are leaking.
The drains, drain correctly.
 
There's companies that specialise in property inspections, like www.inspectahome.co.za.
Not sure what they charge these days, but it might be worth the cost if they do find major snags.
If they don't find anything, well, at least you'll have some peace of mind.
 
And get them to give you a electrical compliance certificate, the developers often forget this
 
Open the taps and check the water pressure! We once owned an apartment with terrible water pressure and we never knew it when we bought it. Nobody likes water dripping slow out of a tap and your dishwasher wont work either.
 
Whatzmyname said:
Open the taps and check the water pressure! We once owned an apartment with terrible water pressure and we never knew it when we bought it. Nobody likes water dripping slow out of a tap and your dishwasher wont work either.
Click to expand...

+Eleventy!!!!!

Especially if you're not ground floor.
 
After a hard lesson learnt- check to make sure the floor is levelled - sometimes they take a slap dash approach and don't screed the floors which leads to everything beaning uneven. They like to do this when they know an area will be carpeted.
 
reactor_sa said:
And get them to give you a electrical compliance certificate, the developers often forget this
Click to expand...

It goes further here. check to see if surge protection has been fitted or not. If not that there is space in the board for you to get it done as an extra.
Proof that the meter for your unit is measuring ONLY energy consumed by you! That goes for a water meter as well.
Access available for satellite and terrestrial reception ( conduits in place) especially if the unit is in a multi story building.
 
Take a lot of photos and review it later ... you always notice stuff o nthe photos you did not see while there ...
 
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