7 Things To Take Not On BTO Condo Defects

Your BTO condo in Singapore can have a number of small defects even if has been built well by an experienced builder. Some of these shortcomings need immediate attention due to their seriousness whereas some cannot be identified easily at first sight due to their unremarkable nature. The faults like hairline crack on the surface of walls become obvious after using the property for several months. You may like to renovate your flat to remove these imperfections but before taking any step in this regard it is recommended that you should use some simple tools to search these shortcomings in your home carefully. It can be time and energy consuming effort but it can help in avoiding the inconvenience caused to you if you detect them some time after completing the renovation. Moreover HDB also offers facility to rectify the imperfections in their flats within one year DLP or defect liability period from the date of its sale. So you should also avail this facility by detecting the shortcomings carefully.

In other words it can be said that HDB promises to rectify the defects reported by the owner of BTO condo but if the owner gets his flat renovated and detects the fault thereafter then such shortcomings will not be covered by the liability period offered by HDB. So you should inspect your flat carefully to find and report the imperfections to the HDB before starting the renovation or within 7 days of taking possession of the keys of the flat. Some of the common shortcomings found in HDB flats are briefly discussed here under to help you in recognising them easily.

Uneven and hollow flooring tiles:
If the cost of flooring is the part of the total price of condo you have bought from HDB BTO then before starting renovation in it you should ensure its acceptable condition as there can be certain defects which cannot be detected without using certain tools. You can use marbles or coins to tap the floor tiles to find out hollow underneath. The sound of hollow floor tiles will help in detecting the problem easily so that it can be rectified without any delay. In order to ensure the evenness of the flooring you can use ruler on the edge of the tiles. If the edge of one tile is higher than the next one then you can report to HDB for rectification. You can also check the tiles for hairline cracks.

Problems on internal walls:
The walls of your BTO condo should be perfectly squared. You can also check for the defects like consistency of the colours, roughness and patches on the surface as well as stains and cracks on the internal walls to get them repaired or modified within DLP. You can also check the consistency of the joints if the finish of the walls is tilled. The shade of the paint on the walls should also be good instead of patchy.

Problems on the ceiling:
The ceiling of your BTO condo should also be free from defects like patchy surface, stain marks, cracks and leaks like its internal walls and floor tiles. Leaks and spalling caused by the water and straightness of corners of the ceiling are some of the common shortcomings detected in these flats.
Defect in electrical sockets: You can simply plug-in a LED light to check the working of all the electrical sockets in you BTO condo. You can also report to the HDB for necessary action if you find any of these sockets is rusty. Most of the people in Singapore do not check such defects beforehand unless they use them but by that time it can be late to get them rectified by HDB. You can also check the socket of cable connection while checking the electrical socket for your TV.

Problem of slanted or cracked walls:
The cracks in the walls are among the dangerous defects in BTO condos which can rarely be detected in initial checking. But HDB promises to fill and paint such cracks even if you have detected them after the completion of your renovations. But you should use marker pen and masking tape to indicate the imperfections if you have detected hairline cracks in the walls even before renovation to bring them in the notice of HDB. You can also use a spirit level to ensure that the walls and ceiling of the flat are not slanted. You can also check the walls of your flat if they do not get wet during rains due to leakage.

Problem of leaking and clogged toilets:
Sometimes the drains and toilets get clogged due to the cement or rubbish thrown carelessly while finishing the work at BTO condo. You can activate the utilities to ensure proper running of water through the toile and drains. Improper functioning of basins, taps and flush and cracks in the toilet bowls are some of the common defects on which you should focus while checking your flat in Singapore.

Problems in the doors and windows:
The doors and windows are among the most important parts of a condo. It is necessary to ensure their proper working in your BTO flat. You should check their alignment and gaps between them and their frames to ensure the ease of their opening and closing. None of their parts along with the keys of the doors of various rooms should be rusty. You should ensure the working of their mechanism by using the keys in their respective locks. You should also check the leakage on the windows during rainy season.

While checking the defects in your BTO condo you should carry makers and masking tapes to highlight the imperfections and a digital camera to document them so that you can give evidence to the HDB regarding your detections. It will also help you to maintain a record of your findings as well as remembering the shortcomings, especially if they are more than ten in number.

Thus by considering the tips provided in this write-up you can easily find out defects in your BTO condo before renovating it.