+ WHAT WE FIND
The defects we find, in the places we find them.
In Singapore handover inspections, the same defects keep turning up in the same places. Hollow tiles, drainage gradient failures, reverse polarity sockets, bomb shelter seal failures: set out here by property type and by severity.
The defects we find, in the places we find them
At handover, new BTOs, ECs, condos, and landed properties tend to fail in predictable ways. The same defects show up in the same places, and they group cleanly by property type. This catalogue is organised by where each defect sits and how serious it is.
We publish this for one reason: knowing what to look for makes you a better client and a better witness on collection day. An informed homeowner asks better questions, signs fewer things they shouldn't, and recognises when the developer's site engineer is downplaying a real issue.
Tile defects
The single most common category, and the most under-reported by free walkthroughs because hollow tiles cannot be detected by sight alone.
Hollow tile bonding
Where: Living room floors, master bedroom floors, kitchen splashback, bathroom feature walls.
How we find it: Tap-testing every single tile with a hammer. A hollow sound indicates the tile is not bonded to the substrate adhesive. Hollow tiles fail months to years later, usually after furniture is in place and renovation is done, when the developer has stopped responding.
Severity: Moderate to high. Failure is mechanical, not cosmetic. Affected tiles must be lifted and re-laid.
Tile alignment and lippage
Where: Bathroom floors, kitchen floors, entryway transitions.
How we find it: Straightedge across tile joints; visible step-down at edges; tactile detection by running a finger across joints.
Severity: Cosmetic but persistent. Trip hazard if >3mm. Standard rectification is full re-lay of the affected section.
Grouting failures
Where: Wet areas: bathrooms, kitchen wet zones, balconies.
How we find it: Visual inspection plus moisture meter readings.
Severity: Moderate. Failed grouting allows water seepage to subfloor, leading to mould, stained ceiling for the unit below, and structural concrete deterioration over years.
Plumbing defects
Drainage gradient failures
Where: Bathroom floors, service yard floors, balcony drainage.
How we find it: Water test on bathroom floors: we run water and observe whether it flows to the drain or pools. A reverse gradient means water sits and eventually finds its way to your neighbour or to the floor below.
Severity: High. Rectification requires lifting tiles and re-screed.
Low water pressure
Where: Kitchen sink, master bathroom shower, basin taps.
How we find it: Flow-rate test at every fixture. Compared to expected pressure for the building.
Severity: Variable. Sometimes a pressure regulator setting issue; sometimes a partial blockage from construction debris.
Hidden leaks
Where: Under sinks, behind vanities, on kitchen island sinks, ceiling stains directly under wet areas.
How we find it: Moisture meter on every adjacent wall surface; visual inspection of pipework; identifying ceiling stains that suggest the unit above has a leak.
Severity: Often urgent. Active leaks compound damage daily.
Wall and ceiling defects
Hairline cracks
Where: Above door frames, at wall-ceiling junctions, around windows, on bomb shelter walls.
How we find it: Visual scan + crack gauge measurement.
Severity: Most are cosmetic (settlement, plaster shrinkage). A small subset indicate structural concerns. We measure and classify each.
Surface paint defects
Where: Common across all walls: runs, missed areas, uneven coverage, edge bleed onto adjacent surfaces.
How we find it: Systematic visual inspection room by room.
Severity: Cosmetic. Rectified by repaint of affected sections.
Beam settlement and cracking
Where: Living room beams, master bedroom beams, balcony lintels.
How we find it: Visual inspection + measurement against architectural drawings if available.
Severity: Variable. Hairline beam cracks are usually settlement-related. Wider cracks (>0.3mm) require structural engineer assessment.
Electrical defects
Reverse polarity sockets
Where: Random sockets, often in less-visible locations: bedroom corners, study, kitchen island.
How we find it: Polarity tester at every single socket, not random sampling.
Severity: Safety issue. Reversed live and neutral creates electrocution risk on appliances. Rectification is mandatory before move-in.
RCD trip failures
Where: Main distribution board.
How we find it: RCD trip test: we simulate residual current to verify the protection device cuts the circuit within the regulatory time threshold.
Severity: Safety-critical. A failed RCD is the only barrier between you and an electrical fault. Replacement is mandatory.
Missing earth connections
Where: Older socket installations, some pre-fab condo electrical components.
How we find it: Multimeter test for earth continuity.
Severity: Safety-critical.
Bomb shelter defects (HDB units)
Door seal failures
Where: Bomb shelter door perimeter: the rubberised seal that creates an airtight closure.
How we find it: Visual inspection of seal continuity + door closure verification under light pressure.
Severity: Regulatory. A household shelter must seal airtight to meet SCDF requirements, so a failed seal is a compliance defect for the developer to rectify.
SCDF certification gaps
Where: Door sticker, expiration dates.
How we find it: Visual inspection of certification stickers, cross-reference with project handover documents.
Severity: Regulatory. SCDF non-compliance creates liability for the homeowner if undisclosed at point of sale.
Other patterns we see regularly
Cabinet door alignment
Misaligned cabinet doors in kitchens and bathrooms. Soft-close hinges not adjusted properly, a common workmanship issue across HDB and condo handovers.
Window seal failures
Balcony sliding doors with imperfect weather-stripping. Identified on rainy-day inspections through air leakage and water marks.
Air-conditioning condensate drainage
Improper drainage slope leads to water marks on walls below A/C units. A recurring issue with new condensate installations.
Service yard drainage
Drainage gradient reversed. Water flows into the unit instead of out. Particularly common in HDB units.
If your unit looks "finished" at collection, that's not proof of quality. It's proof the developer is good at surface finishing. The real test is hollow tiles, drainage gradient, polarity, RCD function, and SCDF compliance. These are the categories where defects hide. See our full checklist →
Why this matters for your Defect Liability Period (DLP)
Singapore's Defect Liability Period is 12 months from key collection. During this window, your developer is contractually obligated to rectify defects at no cost to you. After it closes, you pay.
During the DLP, the developer is contractually responsible for the cost of rectification. After it closes, the homeowner pays, and retail contractor rates are significantly higher than the developer's site-contract rates, because they include diagnosis, lift-and-relay, and individual call-out fees.
That gap is why timing matters. We document every defect, file the report with your developer within 24 hours of the inspection, and stay available through the rest of your DLP if anything is contested.
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These defects are findable, but only if you look for them. WhatsApp us your collection date.
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