Accepting a New-Build Apartment: An Inspection Checklist Before You Sign

The building has been commissioned and the developer invites you to collect the keys. It's a happy moment, but this is exactly when you need to be most attentive. Once the acceptance certificate is signed, proving that a defect was the developer's fault becomes much harder. Everything you notice and record today, the developer must fix at its own expense. Everything you miss, you'll most likely fix yourself.

Before the Inspection: Check the Documents

1. The certificate or declaration of readiness for operation. The building must be officially accepted into operation under Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 461. You can check this in the Unified State Electronic System for Construction.
2. Your contract with the developer — to compare the area, floor, layout and promised finishing condition.
3. The technical passport or BTI measurement data — the actual area of the apartment.
4. The draft acceptance certificate — ask for it in advance and read it at home.

If the building hasn't been commissioned yet and you're offered a "preliminary inspection" or early move-in, be careful: without the certificate, ownership can't be registered.

What to Bring

• a 2-meter level or straightedge;
• a laser level (if possible);
• a tape measure or laser distance meter;
• a square;
• a socket tester or voltage tester screwdriver;
• a flashlight;
• a sheet of paper or a lighter to check ventilation;
• a rubber mallet to tap screed and plaster;
• a notebook, marker and masking tape to mark defects;
• a smartphone for photos and video;
• a printed copy of the contract and the apartment plan.

Ideally, invite an independent technical supervisor. An experienced specialist will find in an hour what a non-professional won't notice, and will word the comments in the certificate correctly.

Inspection Checklist

1. Entrance Door

• The door opens and closes smoothly without effort or rubbing.
• The locks work, and you have a full set of keys for every lock.
• No scratches, dents or damage to the leaf and frame.
• The seal is intact around the whole perimeter.
• The frame is plumb, installation gaps are foamed and covered.

2. Windows and Balcony Doors

• Sashes open in all modes (turn and tilt) without sticking.
• Hardware works, handles don't wobble.
• Glazing units have no cracks, scratches or fogging inside.
• Seals fit tightly — test with paper: a sheet clamped in the closed sash shouldn't pull out freely.
• The installation joint is covered with vapor-barrier tape inside and waterproofing tape outside.
• Sills slope away from the building.
• Protective film has been removed — otherwise it "bakes" onto the profile in the sun.

If the windows are poor quality, see what good windows look like in our window replacement guide.

3. Walls and Ceilings

• Place the 2-meter level in several spots on each wall. Deviations should not exceed the tolerances set by building codes and your contract.
• Check corners with a square — especially where a kitchen, sliding wardrobes or tiles are planned.
• Tap the plaster: a hollow sound means it's detached.
• Look for cracks, especially where floor slabs meet walls.
• Look for leak marks and stains on the ceiling.

4. Floor Screed

• Check flatness with a level and height differences between rooms.
• Tap the screed: a "drum" sound means voids.
• Look for cracks and dusting — scrape with a hard object.
• Check that screed height is the same in all rooms.

5. Electrics

• Inspect the panel: breakers are labeled, there's a residual current device (RCD or RCBO) and earthing.
• Test every socket and light outlet.
• Compare socket and switch positions with the plan, if provided.
• Check the doorbell, intercom and low-voltage lines (internet, TV).
• Check the electricity meter: seal and reading.

If you plan to replace the wiring entirely, see apartment electrical wiring.

6. Water and Sewerage

• Inspect the risers: no leaks, corrosion or stains on the floor slabs.
• Valves on branches from the risers open and close.
• Cold and hot water meters are installed, sealed and the readings recorded.
• Sewer inlets are capped; no water seeps from the riser.
• If the developer installed sanitaryware, check it works and the joints are watertight.

7. Heating

• Radiators are level and securely mounted.
• No leaks at joints.
• Control valves or thermostatic heads work.
• A heat meter or heat cost allocators are installed.
• If inspecting in the cold season, radiators heat evenly.
• With individual heating, check the boiler documents and gas connection.

8. Ventilation

Hold a sheet of paper to the vent grille in the kitchen and bathroom with a window open: it should be drawn in. No draft is a serious defect that will cause condensation and mold over time. More in mold and damp prevention.

9. Balcony or Loggia

• Check waterproofing and the slope of the slab.
• Inspect the railing: height and secure fixing.
• If glazed — the same checks as for windows.

10. Area

Compare the actual measured area with the area in the contract. Most contracts provide for a surcharge or refund if the difference exceeds a certain percentage. Check how balconies and loggias are counted — with a coefficient or without.

If the Apartment Comes With a Developer's Finish

A "turnkey" apartment needs an even more careful check because defects in the base are hidden under the finishes. Also check:

• tiles — tap them: a hollow sound means voids beneath; joints should be straight and even;
• flooring — laminate shouldn't creak or flex, and there should be no gaps between boards;
• paintwork — an even color without runs or patches, especially under side lighting from a flashlight;
• interior doors — even gaps, tight closing, no damage;
• sanitaryware — watertight joints under sinks and the toilet, flushing, faucets working, no sewer smell;
• bathroom waterproofing — ask for the hidden works report or photos of the process;
• materials match the specification in the contract.

What a quality bathroom and kitchen renovation looks like is described in bathroom renovation and kitchen renovation.

How to Draw Up the Certificate With Comments

If you find defects, don't sign the certificate without reservations. Options:

1. Draw up a defect report (inspection report) — a separate document listing all defects with a description, location and photos. It's signed by the developer's representative and you.
2. Demand a deadline for fixing — a specific date by which the developer must remedy the defects.
3. Re-inspect after the fixes and only then sign the acceptance certificate.

If the developer insists on signing "as is", handwrite on the certificate: "Signed with comments as per the annex" and attach the list of defects. Keep a copy signed by the developer's representative.

Word comments precisely: not "crooked walls" but "wall in room 1 with window deviates from vertical by 8 mm over 2 m".

Warranty and Buyer's Rights

Your rights as a homebuyer are protected by the Civil Code and the Law on Consumer Rights Protection. For construction work, the Civil Code provides a ten-year warranty period from acceptance of the object (Article 884), while the developer's specific warranty obligations to the buyer are set by your contract. Therefore:

• keep the contract, certificate and all correspondence with the developer;
• report hidden defects in writing as soon as you find them;
• record defects with dated photos and video;
• if refused, send a formal claim and then go to court.

After Signing the Certificate

1. Register ownership in the State Register of Property Rights under Law No. 1952-IV.
2. Sign contracts with utility providers and the management company or condominium association.
3. Replace the entrance lock cylinders — builders may have had keys.
4. Photograph the layout of all utilities before renovation starts.
5. Plan your renovation — see where to start in our apartment renovation guide.

Typical New-Build Defects

• fogged or cracked glazing units;
• incorrect geometry of window and door openings;
• voids under the screed and cracks in it;
• no ventilation draft;
• unconnected or wrongly labeled breakers in the panel;
• leaks at riser joints;
• poor window installation joints that let in drafts;
• area differences in the developer's favor;
• window sills, radiators and entrance doors damaged during construction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I refuse to accept the apartment? You can refuse to sign the certificate until substantial defects are fixed. But delaying without grounds may breach the contract, so act with arguments and in writing.

How much time is given for the inspection? Don't let anyone rush you. A thorough inspection of a one-room apartment needs at least an hour, a three-room one two or three.

Is it worth paying for technical supervision? Yes, if you have no construction experience. The fee is incomparably lower than the cost of fixing hidden defects.

What if defects appear after moving in? Notify the developer in writing, document the defect and demand that it be fixed under the warranty obligations.

I live abroad — can someone accept the apartment for me? Yes, a representative can do it under a notarized power of attorney that explicitly covers signing the acceptance certificate. Ideally, choose a technical specialist or ask your representative to bring one.

Conclusion

Accepting the apartment is your last chance to make the developer fix its mistakes without extra effort. Bring tools, allow enough time, go through every point of the checklist and record all defects in writing. It will save you money and stress at the renovation stage.

Sources

• Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 461 on acceptance of completed buildings into operation.
• Civil Code of Ukraine — Article 884 (quality warranties in construction contracts).
• Law of Ukraine on Consumer Rights Protection.
• Law on State Registration of Property Rights to Real Estate.
• Unified State Electronic System for Construction.

Read Also

• How to choose an apartment in a new building
• How to check a developer
• Apartment renovation guide
• How to choose a renovation contractor