What to Inspect on Handover Day

The walkthrough before you accept keys is your last easy opportunity to get things corrected. A methodical hour pays for itself.

Handover tends to be an emotional day, which is exactly why it helps to arrive with a written list instead of trusting your judgement in the moment.

Test every electrical point rather than sampling a few. Carry a phone charger and a small appliance and work through the switchboards room by room, including the ones behind furniture positions you plan to use.

Run the taps and check drainage at the same time. Fill a basin and watch how quickly it clears; slow drainage found on day one is a builder problem, and the same issue found six months later becomes yours.

Open and close every window and door through its full travel. Alignment issues are cheap to correct while the contractor is still on site and irritating to live with afterwards.

Photograph anything you want addressed, list it in writing, and get the list acknowledged before you sign the acceptance. A shared record removes ambiguity from the follow-up conversation.