GUIDE / WHAT INSPECTORS FIND
The defects we see
most often at handover.
A brand-new home is rarely defect-free. Most issues are cosmetic and easy to fix while your defect liability period is open; a few are worth taking seriously. Here is what typically turns up in Penang handovers.
01 / FINISHES
Tiles, plaster
and paint.
- Hollow floor and wall tiles. Tapping reveals voids under tiles that may later crack or lift. Common in living areas, bathrooms and balconies.
- Chipped, cracked or uneven tiles and inconsistent grout lines, especially at edges and around fittings.
- Uneven plaster and wall waviness visible under raking light, plus hairline shrinkage cracks at wall and ceiling joints.
- Paint defects: patchy coverage, drips, stains, missed corners and paint on fittings.
02 / DOORS, WINDOWS & WET AREAS
Fit, seal
and drainage.
- Doors that rub, do not latch, or have gaps; scratched or dented door leaves; loose ironmongery.
- Window alignment and sealing: stiff operation, missing rubber seals, gaps in silicone, scratches on glass or frames.
- Water ponding on bathroom and balcony floors where the fall toward the drain is inadequate, and slow drains.
- Leaks and seepage: stains on ceilings below bathrooms, damp patches at external walls, water marks under windows. A ponding test helps confirm waterproofing.
03 / SERVICES & THE REST
Electrical, plumbing
and the small stuff.
- Electrical points: dead sockets, loose faceplates, missing covers, switches that operate the wrong light, and incomplete labelling at the distribution board.
- Plumbing: dripping taps, loose sanitaryware, missing bottle traps, low water pressure and poorly sealed pipe penetrations.
- Kitchen and built-ins: misaligned cabinet doors, chipped countertops, missing accessories listed in the specification.
- External items on landed homes: cracked drains, uneven car porch floors, roof debris and gutter blockages.
Every one of these is easiest to claim when documented with a photograph and location before you renovate or move in. See the defect liability period guide and our room-by-room checklist.
Collecting keys soon?
Book your defect inspection before renovation so every issue is recorded while the developer is still responsible.
Book a handover inspection