Condo defect check, before you sign the handover.

What's different about condo inspections

Condominiums introduce systems that HDB units don't have, plus developer obligations that work differently from HDB. The defect terms themselves are not developer-specific: the Sale and Purchase Agreement is a form prescribed by law for both private condos and ECs, and it cannot be amended without prior written approval from the authorities. What differs between developers is the paperwork you file on.

Our condo inspections cover everything in our standard scope plus condo-specific systems:

• Smart home systems: door access, intercom, smart lighting, climate control panels
• Premium fittings: built-in appliances, custom cabinetry, imported tile and stonework
• Balcony drainage and waterproofing: slope, falls, planter box waterproofing
• HVAC systems: multi-zone air-conditioning, ventilation, condensate drainage
• Pool-facing units: chlorine corrosion exposure, ventilation, humidity
• Glazing and curtain walls: sealing, alignment, tinting consistency
• Common-area handover items: anything that's part of your unit's frontage or balcony

What our condo inspections find

Condo handovers tend to generate more documented defects than HDB units. There are more finishing surfaces, more imported materials, and more integrated systems for things to go wrong in. The categories worth checking closely:

• Imported tile alignment and edge breakage
• Stone countertop and vanity surface defects
• Cabinetry door alignment and soft-close failures
• Built-in appliance integration issues: gaps, sealing, fit
• Smart home system commissioning
• Balcony drainage gradients and waterproofing
• Glazing seals, tinting inconsistency, frame alignment
• Smart lock alignment and intercom commissioning

How condo handover actually works

Your defect rights sit in the Sale & Purchase Agreement (SPA) you signed, and that agreement is a prescribed form, so the substance is the same whichever developer built your block. What runs on the developer’s own paperwork is the admin around it.

• Your Defect Liability Period (DLP) is 12 months. It runs from the earlier of the date the developer actually delivers vacant possession to you and the 15th day after you receive the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP).
• An early submission list is admin, not a cut-off. The prescribed clause lets you notify defects at any point inside those 12 months, and the developer must make good within one month of receiving your written notice.
• Submission format varies. Some developers use a digital portal, some an emailed PDF, some plain correspondence. We file in whatever format your developer requires, so you don’t translate our findings.
• Joint inspection: Typically scheduled with the main contractor’s representative at the developer’s convenience. Your initial submission is what that visit works from.
• Common areas are covered too. Once the Management Corporation forms it normally coordinates lobby, corridor and facility claims on owners’ behalf, but it is not a substitute for your own notice to the developer. Your own unit’s defects stay yours to file.
• Structural cover extends past the DLP. Serious latent structural defects can remain actionable well beyond the 12-month DLP, under your SPA and Singapore’s limitation rules. Those rules set an absolute 15-year longstop, but it runs from the act or omission complained of rather than from your key collection date, so the practical window varies case by case.

Pricing for condos

Pricing is fixed by home size; see our full pricing (from $250). For most one- to three-bedroom condos, our Essential package covers a thorough single inspection. For four-bedroom units, dual-key, or units with substantial premium fittings, the Comprehensive package is more appropriate: three inspections across the DLP plus rectification verification. Penthouses, units with custom imported finishings, or pool-facing units typically pair best with the Post-Reno package, which adds renovation checks.

Common condo questions

Can I refuse to take possession until defects are fixed?

Generally no. Once your TOP is issued, the developer can require you to take legal possession. But you can document everything before you sign anything. Our inspection produces the documentation that protects your position during rectification.

What's the warranty period for new condos?

Twelve months, set by the defects liability clause of the prescribed Sale and Purchase Agreement. It runs from the earlier of the date the developer actually delivers vacant possession to you and the 15th day after you receive the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP). Serious latent structural defects can remain actionable for longer under the SPA and Singapore’s limitation rules. The clause is standard across developers, but we'll still read yours during your inspection if you bring a copy.

My developer uses its own defect portal. Do you work with it?

Yes. Condo developers each have their own submission format: portals, PDF forms, or plain email. We deliver findings in the format your developer requires, so you file once, correctly.

Do you inspect penthouses and dual-keys differently?

Yes. Penthouses are larger and more complex, so they take longer and pair with our renovation-inclusive Post-Reno package: a thorough multi-hour walkthrough with thermal and moisture readings across wet areas and balconies, plus a structural review. Dual-key units are inspected as two separate units with a combined report.

Can you handle the rectification follow-through?

Yes. The Comprehensive and Post-Reno packages include rectification coordination: we re-inspect each item the developer fixes and verify the work meets standards before you accept the rectification.