New home handover inspection, before you take possession
Book a civil engineer or home inspector to check your new flat or house before possession. Walls, tiles, waterproofing, plumbing, electrical, papers and area, with photos.
Builders hand over new homes with defects more often than buyers expect: hollow tiles, seepage, cracks, dead sockets, wrong floor slopes and missing fittings. This check is often called snagging. Once you sign the possession letter, getting the builder back is slow. A verified civil engineer or home inspector checks every room with you and gives you a signed list of issues to hand to the builder.
What can go wrong
- Hollow or cracked tiles that fail later
- Seepage and damp patches behind bathrooms
- Wall and ceiling cracks
- Bathroom and balcony floors that do not slope to the drain
- Dead sockets, poor earthing, leaking fittings, smaller carpet area than promised
How it works
Book in two minutes
Tell us what to check, the address and the date. Confirm your email with a 6-digit code.
A verified expert visits
A mechanic, engineer, inspector or surveyor near you calls, then checks every item on the list with you.
You get the report
A clear verdict, every issue with photos and notes, and what to ask the seller to fix before you sign.
The full checklist: 111 checks
The expert marks each check as OK, Issue or N/A, with notes and photos. Checks marked with a label only apply to that type.
Papers and approvals
- Unit number, floor and area match the agreement
- Layout matches the approved planRoom sizes, door and window positions.
- Occupancy certificate (OC) seenIndiaA full OC, not partial, naming this building and flat.
- Completion certificate matches the approved planIndia
- RERA registration and carpet area match the agreementIndia
- Certificate of occupancy and final inspectionUSA
- Property tax paid up to date
- Warranties for fittings, appliances and waterproofing
Size and layout
- Carpet area measuredShould be within about 3% of the agreement.
- Room sizes match the brochure
- Ceiling height is the same in every roomWatch for low beams or dropped ceilings.
- Balcony and utility area as promised
- Walls straight and corners square
Walls and ceiling
- Cracks in wallsHairline cracks near windows are common. Wide or diagonal ones are not.
- Cracks or sagging in the ceiling
- Beams and columns: no cracks, no exposed steel
- Damp patches, seepage or water stainsUse a moisture meter on outside walls and behind bathrooms.
- White salt patches (efflorescence)A sign of water getting into the wall.
- Hollow plaster (tap test)
- Plaster is smooth and even
- Paint finish: patches, peeling, stains
Floors and tiles
- Hollow tiles (tap test)Hollow tiles crack later.
- Cracked or chipped tiles
- Tile joints and grouting are even
- Tiles match in shade and pattern
- Floor is levelUse a spirit level, or roll a marble.
- Skirting is fixed and even
- Anti-skid tiles in bathrooms and balcony
Doors and windows
- Doors open, close and lock smoothly
- Main door: lock, peephole, door closer
- Door frames: gaps, damage, termite signs
- Handles, hinges and door stoppers
- Windows slide, lock and seal
- Glass has no cracks, and double glazing isn't fogged
- Mosquito mesh, if promised
- Grills and railings are firmBalcony railings should be about 1 m (3.5 ft) high.
Waterproofing and drainage
- Bathroom and balcony floors slope to the drainPour water and watch where it goes.
- No damp below or beside bathrooms
- Bathroom step keeps water inside
- Floor drains clear quicklyA bucket of water should drain in about 2 minutes.
- Window and frame joints are sealed
- Balcony and terrace waterproofing
- Top floor: no stains from the terrace aboveApartments
Plumbing
- Water flow in every tap and showerRun several taps at once.
- No leaks under sinks or around fittings
- Taps don't drip when closed
- Drains empty fast, no gurgling or sewer smell
- Toilets flush, refill and are firmly fixed
- Concealed cisterns and flush valves don't leak
- Hot water reaches every bathroom
- Water heater: age, safety valve, earthing
- Fittings and sanitaryware are the promised brand
- Main water shutoff valve is easy to reach
- Water supply and storage tank
- Water is clear with no smell
Electrical
- Every switch, socket and fan regulator worksUse a socket tester.
- Sockets are wired correctlyA socket tester shows reverse polarity or missing earth.
- Earthing is correctAsk for the earthing test certificate.
- Breaker board is labelled and the RCCB or GFCI trips on test
- GFCI sockets near water, AFCI in bedroomsUSA
- Light, fan and AC points as per plan
- 15A points for AC and geyserIndia
- No loose or exposed wiring
- Sanctioned load fits your AC and appliancesIndia
- Power backup and inverter wiring, if promisedIndia
- Electricity meter and connection
- TV, internet and intercom points work
- Doorbell and video door phone
Kitchen and bathrooms
- Kitchen counter: cracks, level, edge finish
- Sink, tap and drain
- Cabinets and drawers open and close properly
- Gas line and valve: no smell, leak test done
- Kitchen exhaust and chimney points
- Bathroom exhaust fans work
- Mirrors, shower, health faucet and accessories are firm
- Built-in appliances work: hob, oven, dishwasher
- Wardrobes and woodwork finish
Cooling, heating and air
- AC units cool and drain properly
- Heating system worksUSA
- Air flows from vents in every roomUSA
- Dryer vent goes outside, not into the atticUSA
- Rooms get fresh air with no stale or musty smell
Roof and outside
- Roof covering: missing, cracked or curled piecesHouses
- Flashing around chimneys, vents and skylightsHouses
- Gutters and downspouts drain away from the houseHouses
- Attic: leak stains, insulation, ventilationHousesUSA
- Foundation: cracks, settlement, dampHouses
- Ground slopes away from the houseHouses
- Outside walls: cracks and finish
- Siding, trim and fascia: rot or gapsHousesUSA
- Compound wall and gateHousesIndia
- Sump, overhead tank and borewellHousesIndia
- Deck, porch and outside stairs are firmHouses
Safety
- Smoke alarms work (and CO alarms in the US)
- Fire extinguishers, sprinklers and fire exitsApartments
- Fire NOC issued for the buildingApartmentsIndia
- Stairs and handrails are safe
- Garage door stops and reverses when blockedHousesUSA
- Bedroom windows open wide enough to get out in an emergencyUSA
Common areas
- Lifts work and the licence is displayedApartments
- Parking spot as allotted and usable
- Clubhouse, gym, pool and garden as promisedApartments
- Sewage and water treatment plants workApartmentsIndia
- CCTV, intercom and securityApartments
- EV charging point, if promised
- No unfinished work in common areasApartments
Handover
- Keys, remotes and access cards handed over
- Meter readings recorded: power, water, gas
- Every issue written down and signed by the builder
- A date agreed to fix each issue
- Defect liability period and repair contactUnder RERA, builders fix structural defects for 5 years.
Questions
What is snagging?
Snagging is a detailed inspection of a new home before you take possession, to list every defect so the builder fixes it before handover.
When should I book it?
When the builder offers you a site visit or handover date, and before you sign the possession letter.
Which papers does the expert check?
In India, the occupancy certificate, completion certificate and RERA details. In the US, the certificate of occupancy and final inspection. The expert also measures the carpet area against your agreement.
Does the builder have to fix what you find?
In India, RERA makes builders fix structural defects for five years. A dated report with photos makes any claim much easier, before or after handover.
Check it before you sign for it
Available in India and the USA. We confirm the fee with you before the visit.
Book a home check