GUIDE / RENOVATION
Renovation handover.
Check before the last payment.
Your last renovation payment is the leverage you have left. Once it is paid, getting a contractor back for a misaligned cabinet or a leaking shower is a favour, not an obligation. Here is how to check the work and close it out properly.
SHORT ANSWER
Inspect, list, then pay.
Inspect the finished renovation before you release the final payment or retention: operate every door, drawer and switch, run every tap and drain, tap new tiles for hollowness, check paint under raking light, and look for leaks under sinks and around new wet areas. List every defect in writing with photos, agree a completion date with the contractor, and pay the balance when the list is closed. In a new home still inside its defect liability period, record the developer's defects before renovation starts, because renovation damage is not the developer's to fix.
- Write a retention (a final portion held until defects are cleared) into the contract.
- Inspect the unit empty and clean, in daylight, with water and power on.
- Keep one numbered punch list and get it acknowledged.
- Collect warranties, keys and wiring records before the final payment.
01 / BEFORE WORK STARTS
Baseline
first.
- New home? Inspect and submit the developer defect list before the contractor moves in. Once hacking and carpentry start, it is hard to prove a cracked tile or a dented door was there at vacant possession.
- Photograph shared areas the contractor will use: lift, corridor, lobby. Condo management usually holds a renovation deposit against damage.
- Put the scope in writing: drawings, materials by brand and model, tile layout and grout colour, and the retention and defect-repair terms in the quotation.
- Photograph walls before plastering or closing ceilings, so you know later where pipes and cables run.
02 / THE CHECKLIST
Trade
by trade.
| Trade | What to check |
|---|---|
| Carpentry | Doors aligned with even gaps; soft-close works; drawers run fully; all edges sealed (no exposed board, especially near the sink); hinges and handles tight; cabinets fixed firmly to the wall; countertop joints and sink cut-out sealed. |
| Tiling | Tap for hollowness; level edges between tiles; even grout lines and colour; no thin slivers at edges; floors fall to the floor trap in wet areas; silicone at junctions. |
| Plaster ceiling and partitions | Straight lines; no visible board joints or screw heads; access panels where needed; cornice corners closed. |
| Painting | Even colour under raking light; no drips; clean cut lines at ceilings and switches; no paint on fittings, floors or glass. |
| Electrical | Every new socket, switch and light works and switches the right point; distribution board labelled; RCCB trips on its test button; no exposed wires; outdoor points weatherproof. For rewiring, ask the registered electrical contractor for the completion and test certificates. |
| Plumbing and wet areas | Run each tap and shower for several minutes; no drips under sinks; drains clear quickly; WC flushes and refills. If bathroom floors were hacked, the waterproofing should have been redone and ponding-tested before tiling: ask for photos. |
| Windows, grilles and doors | Operation and locks; all key sets handed over; grilles fixed securely; sealant around new frames. |
| Air-conditioning | Units cool; drain pipes fall and do not drip on walls or the neighbour's ledge; wall openings sealed; trunking closed. |
| Cleaning | No builder's dust in cabinets and air-conditioners; no cement or paint stains; floor traps and drains free of debris. |
03 / THE PUNCH LIST
One list. Numbered.
Acknowledged.
- Walk the unit with the contractor and number every item with its room and a photo.
- Agree a completion date, then re-inspect and tick items off together.
- Pay the balance against a closed list. If items stay open, agree in writing how much is held back for them.
- Collect warranties (appliances, waterproofing, air-conditioning), receipts, spare keys and any wiring or piping records before the final payment.
04 / AN INDEPENDENT CHECK
Fresh eyes,
no stake in it.
A contractor checks their own work. An independent inspector has no interest in the result, taps every tile, runs every point and gives you a dated photographic list the contractor can work from. In a new home, the same record separates developer defects from renovation work, which matters if both are still being claimed.
QUESTIONS
Quick
answers.
Something else on your mind?
We're a message away.
When should I inspect renovation work?
When the contractor says the work is complete and the site has been cleaned, before you pay the final instalment or release the retention, and before furniture moves in. An empty, clean unit shows defects that furniture would hide.
What should a renovation defect list include?
A number for each item, the room and exact location, a short description, and a photo. Add the agreed completion date and get the contractor to acknowledge the list in writing or by message.
Will the developer still fix defects after I renovate?
The developer's defect liability covers construction defects, not damage caused by renovation. If you renovate before recording the developer's defects, the developer may dispute which is which. Record and submit the developer's defects first.
Does the bathroom need new waterproofing if tiles are hacked?
If the floor tiles of a wet area are hacked, the waterproofing membrane underneath is usually damaged and needs to be redone and ponding-tested before new tiles are laid. Ask the contractor for photos of the membrane and the test.
Do you inspect completed renovations in Penang?
Yes. Renovation handover inspection is one of our services across Penang Island and Seberang Perai. The scope and quotation are agreed before booking.
SOURCES & LIMITS
Where this
comes from.
General guidance from residential handover practice. Electrical work in Malaysia must be carried out by an electrical contractor registered with the Energy Commission (Suruhanjaya Tenaga). Your renovation contract sets the payment and defect terms.
Renovation almost done?
Book an independent check before the final payment. Send the property, the scope of works and your preferred date.
Book a renovation check