Collecting the keys to an HDB flat is a milestone, but handover is really a quality-control moment — and most owners walk through their new home looking at the view, the layout and renovation possibilities rather than the workmanship. A defect check works the opposite way: a slow, systematic pass through the flat, room by room, tapping, testing and photographing what the eye alone would miss. Knowing what an inspector actually looks for helps you see your own flat more critically and makes the defect list you eventually submit far more useful.

Tiles, Walls and Ceilings: Where Workmanship Shows First

Wall and floor tiles

Tiles are usually where an inspection starts, because a badly laid tile looks perfectly fine at eye level and fails later. Inspectors tap along wall and floor tiles with a tapping rod to pick out hollow tiles — tiles that have not bonded properly to the surface behind them and may crack, lift or pop loose months later, often just after renovation is complete. The same pass catches lippage, where one tile edge sits higher than its neighbour, along with chips, cracks, uneven tone or staining, surface scratches, inconsistent grouting and patches where the tiling plane is visibly uneven. Floor tiles get an additional look at edge pointing and alignment, because joints that drift out of line are difficult and costly to correct once cabinetry and furniture arrive.

Painted walls and ceilings

Paintwork is checked for hairline cracks, unevenness, stains and patchiness, but the checks that matter most sit near windows and in wet areas. Water seepage often announces itself as a faint discolouration under a window frame or a brownish ceiling stain above a toilet or kitchen. A moisture meter or thermal scanner helps an inspector judge whether a mark is cosmetic or active damp that is still travelling — exactly the kind of problem you want identified before a wardrobe is built against that wall.

Vinyl and engineered-wood flooring

Where the flat comes with vinyl or engineered-wood flooring, the focus shifts to joints and surfaces: cracks, scratches, joints sitting unevenly or opening into gaps, and loose pieces that are not sitting flush — sometimes a sign the sub-floor was never properly levelled.

Doors, Windows, Electrical Points and Built-Ins: The Functional Checks

Once the surfaces are done, the inspection turns to the things that open, close, switch and carry current.

Doors and windows

Main and bedroom doors are swung through their full arc to check for scraping, catching or a stiff latch, along with ironmongery, scratches, dents, varnishing, glass finishing, rust-free surfaces and screws that are actually fastened tight. Locks and hinges are tested, not merely looked at. Windows are worked open and shut to see whether they move smoothly or grind, whether handles are loose, whether the casement stays open on its own, and whether any edge is sharp. Inspectors also check hinges and bolts for rust or seizing, rubber gaskets and seals for gaps that will let rain in, and glass for scratches, cracks, stains and chips.

Electrical, data and lighting points

Sockets are checked for alignment and function, for tripping when something is switched on, and for consistent voltage. Data points are tested to see that the signal does not jump, that the socket is not sunken into the wall and that the cover is not stuck. Lighting points are checked with a voltage tester under switch control. It is worth knowing that an inspection is a visual and functional exercise: physical wiring should only be examined by someone with technical training, and power is switched off while electrical items are tested.

Built-in carpentry and fittings

Kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and vanity cabinets are opened, closed and checked for varnishing, termination joints, installation integrity and alignment. Drawers and doors should glide, especially soft-closing sliding panels; edges should be free of chips; components should be secure; drawer locks should work; and glass panels should be unscratched.

Plumbing, Ponding and Paperwork: Turning What You See Into a Report

Wet areas and the service yard

In toilets, the check covers sanitary ware and fittings for chips, cracks, leaks around joints, consistent water flow, unusual odours or sounds, and whether each fixture is securely fixed. In the kitchen and yard, inspectors look at the floor trap and washing-machine outlet for chokage, tap pressure, and loose caps on the yard tap. The service yard has its own list: the overhead hanger’s lowering mechanism, rust on the metal of external clothes hangers, pipe paint and leaks, ceiling and edge stains, and the bifold door’s lock, smoothness, rubber gasket and any scratches, chips, cracks or rust.

The water ponding test

One of the simplest and most revealing checks is the ponding test. Water is poured across the bathroom floor from the furthest end, and the inspector watches whether it flows steadily towards the floor trap or settles into shallow pools. Water that sits instead of draining points to a floor fall that was laid incorrectly — a defect far easier to raise before a vanity goes in.

What ends up in the report

The output matters as much as the walkthrough. A professional HDB Defect Check should produce a detailed, photo-documented report describing each defect and its location, so the owner has something concrete to submit rather than a mental list. Reports are commonly prepared in the developer’s format, and depending on the package chosen, some firms submit the list to the main contractor or developer on the owner’s behalf and send a copy to the homeowner, while other packages deliver the report to the owner only; where a developer uses an app such as Novade or CityNexus, defects may be lodged through it. Reports are typically received within about 48 hours of the inspection.

What a defect check cannot promise

No visual inspection can promise a completely defect-free flat, and an independent inspector does not carry out rectification — the value lies in accurate documentation that supports your claim. The Defects Liability Period is valid for 12 months from key collection, so the practical window for reporting is widest immediately after handover, before renovation begins or anyone moves in.