The BTO Defects Checklist: What to Inspect Before You Renovate

Why the defects check comes first

Because once renovation begins, every defect becomes an argument about who fixes it — HDB's contractor or yours.

A new BTO flat is covered by a one-year Defects Liability Period (DLP) from key collection, during which HDB's building contractor rectifies defects at no cost to you. That arrangement only works while the flat is untouched. The moment your carpenter installs a wardrobe against an out-of-plumb wall, or tiles go over a hollow floor section, the defect is buried inside someone else's work. HDB may decline to rectify works affected by renovations; your contractor will point out they didn't cause the fault. You are left negotiating from the weakest possible position.

The sequence is not negotiable: inspect thoroughly at handover, submit everything in one consolidated report, let HDB's contractor complete rectification, then start renovation. An hour of checking with a torch and a coin protects a five-figure budget.

Room-by-room checklist

Work through the flat systematically — floors first, then walls, then fittings — and photograph anything questionable with a wide reference shot so it can be located later.

• Living and dining: check floor level with a spirit level or phone app across the slab; tap tiles with a coin — hollow-sounding tiles must be marked; hold a straight edge or string line against walls to catch bows and out-of-plumb sections where carpentry will sit.
• Kitchen: run the sink and check drainage speed and leaks under the trap; inspect floor and wall tiles for hollowness and chips; confirm the concrete hob and any waterproofing upstands are intact.
• Both bathrooms: look for damp patches or efflorescence on walls and ceilings (including the ceiling of the flat below, if accessible); pour water on the floor to confirm it drains toward the floor trap rather than pooling at the door; test both floor traps for flow and smell.
• Bedrooms: walk the floor for hollowness and level changes at doorways; open and close every door — check alignment, gaps and latch operation; if wardrobes are provided under the Provision of Furnishing scheme, test drawers and doors.
• Whole flat: check window operation and locking on every panel, and look for water staining around frames; test the main door against its frame; switch on every power point and light point (bring a phone charger); inspect paint for patchiness, cracks and stains.

How to report defects

Report through HDB's official channels within the DLP — via the HDB website's defect reporting page or the defects card left in your flat at key collection.

At key collection you'll receive information on reporting defects; submissions are made online through HDB's portal, and the defects card in your flat lists the contacts. Number each item and locate it precisely — 'bedroom 2, third floor tile from the window, hollow' beats 'floor defect'. Photograph everything. HDB's contractor will arrange inspection and rectification visits; straightforward items like hollow tiles or door alignment typically take days to a few weeks depending on queue length and the number of visits needed. Follow up persistently and re-inspect completed work yourself before confirming closure — rectification quality varies, and you're entitled to have items redone.

What happens if you skip it

Renovation locks defects in place — and hands every party an excuse.

Hollow tiles overlaid with vinyl or new flooring can't be verified without hacking. An unlevel floor under built-in carpentry shows up as uneven cabinet bases that nobody will own. A bathroom with a marginal waterproofing issue becomes a leak into your neighbour's ceiling after tiling — and untangling whether the original membrane or your re-tiling caused it is expensive either way. Your contractor will reasonably exclude liability for base conditions they inherited undocumented; HDB will reasonably exclude liability for defects obscured by renovation works. Between those two positions stands you, paying twice for the same floor.

When to book your designer's measurement

Book the site measurement after rectification is complete — or alongside it if your timeline is tight, with the designer aware of open items.

Accurate measurements drive carpentry dimensions, so the ideal measurement visit happens on a fully rectified flat: replaced tiles change floor heights slightly, and re-hung doors shift clearances. If your schedule can't absorb a second site visit, we can measure alongside outstanding minor items — as long as anything affecting dimensions (floor levels, wall plumbness) is already resolved or explicitly flagged in the drawings. Either way, the defects check happens first. It costs you an hour and saves you a dispute.