More homeowners engage home inspection firms to check new BTO flats for defects

SINGAPORE: Homeowners are increasingly taking more precautions by hiring professionals to conduct checks for defects on their new homes before starting renovations or moving in.

Home inspection companies said they have seen a jump in requests for their services this year, particularly from owners of Build-to-Order (BTO) flats.

This could be due to a heightened awareness of the process for reporting faults, as well as a larger number of flats being completed this year, said the businesses.

Common issues uncovered by these home inspection services include uneven paint, plastering defects, socket misalignment, faulty door hinges, loose window handles, hollow tiles, uneven tiles, misaligned vinyl flooring, leakage and broken pipes.

However, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) told CNA that the proportion of flat owners submitting feedback on defects has remained the same.

INCREASE IN SERVICE ENQUIRIES

One such home inspection provider, SG DefectScan, said it has seen a 20 per cent bump in the number of enquiries compared to last year, amounting to some 150 inspection requests every month.

The firm said homeowners who engage its services are often worried they are unable to detect the defects themselves, particularly flaws that may not be noticeable immediately but may surface in the future, which may lead to higher costs in renovation or repairs.

“Professionals like us are trained and experienced and we know what to look out for in terms of defects. It’s pretty hard for a layman or a homeowner to outright find out the major and minor defects in the unit,” said Mr Muhd Ismail, the company’s CEO.

Uncle Defect SG is another company that has seen 20 per cent more enquiries for its services in BTO flats.

The firm said this could be due to more flats being completed this year, and homeowners seeking to check their new homes before renovation.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of things had to be halted. Afterwards, a lot of these projects were also pushed back due to interruptions midway. Hence, we have a lot more projects to focus on this year,” said Mr Marcus Liew, a defect specialist at the company.

Mr Ismail added: “Post-pandemic, we do still see quite a number of defects. It varies from estate to estate, some have more complaints than others. It really depends on the main contractors, workmanship and also their subcontractor management.”

BUSINESS FUELLED BY SOCIAL MEDIA

Increased demand for inspections are also driven partly by social media posts put up by homeowners dealing with defects and bringing to light potential issues for new owners and services that can help them.

“Homeowners have greater awareness now. On social media platforms, they see complaints from fellow neighbours or other people and that's when they are aware that such defects (can happen) and inspection companies like (us exist),” said Mr Ismail.

Packages range from basic to comprehensive, which can include a primary check, a defect report to homeowners as well as the developer, a joint inspection with appointed contractors, and a follow up review after the defects have been rectified.

The inspections typically take a few hours to half a day, and cost a few hundred dollars. It can involve several inspectors specialising in different areas, and includes checks on electrical wiring, plumbing, and aesthetics like tiles and paint work. They are also trained to check for building quality. 

NO INCREASE IN FEEDBACK: HDB

In line with industry standards, homeowners are covered by the defects liability period for a year.

They can report any defects they find in the new flat during this time, and an appointed contractor will be responsible for fixing them.

Homeowners will have to report the defects within a month of collecting their keys, and before starting any renovation.

In a written response to CNA, HDB said it deploys a building inspection team to check on the completed flats for defects. Any imperfections or defects found will be recorded and relayed to contractors for rectification.

Another round of checks will then be conducted before handing the keys over to homeowners.

HDB said that the proportion of flat owners who submitted feedback on defects within this period remained the same when compared to the period before the pandemic.

Most of the reported defects were minor imperfections such as scratches or hairline cracks on timber surfaces, walls, or tiles.

HDB added that more than 90 per cent of reported imperfections and defects were corrected within 14 working days.