The excitement of moving into your newly built Turkish property can often cloud your judgment! After waiting for what may seem like an eternity for your new villa or apartment to be completed, it’s easy to think of sorting out your furniture and possessions and just moving in. However, there is one task that should be given priority before you make your final payment to the builder and that is a thorough inspection of the property to seek out any snags in the finish.
Checking the Structure
Take a long hard look at the internal and external fabric of your building. You should ensure that plaster around the windows and doors have been correctly added and that there are no bevels and cracks on the walls and ceilings.
The doors and also have been hung correctly awindows should nd you should open and close each one to ensure they fit correctly into their frames. Run your eye around every piece of skirting board and architrave to ensure that they are all there and that they have been joined together professionally. Look at every window pane to make sure they have been sealed in correctly and that there are no hairline cracks.
Plumbing
Run every tap and shower head and watch where the water goes to make sure that there are no leaks, drips or blockages. Also make sure that all of the taps are the right way round and that they are secured firmly to the wall. Flush every toilet – it’s surprising how many builders tip cement and putty down the toilet, which blocks the whole system.
If you have a wet room, check that the water runs into the drain. Pull out any white goods like washers and dishwashers to make sure that all of the pipes have been connected. Switch on all of the boilers to make sure they really do heat your water. Outdoors, look for any exposed pipes – they will need to be lagged to protect them against the elements. Make sure that all pipes inside your house are securely fixed with clips and that all waste pipes run away from the source. Ensure that the bath and toilets have been secured to the wall and floor – sit on them to see if the wobble or not and make sure that the shower basin, bath and sink have enough silicon around them to ensure that no water spills behind them.
Flooring
Spend time looking at any tiling to make sure that it has been grouted properly and that there are no cracks, chips or uneven tiles. If your home has been fitted with laminate flooring, make sure that there are no tiny gaps because these will expand over time. If you have wooden flooring run your hands over the surface to make sure that it is smooth and check the colour to make sure it has been stained evenly.
Electrics
Turn on every light switch to make sure that they are working. Plug an appliance into every socket to make sure it is connected to the mains. It’s amazing how many sockets do not get connected up.
If white goods came as part of your building package, test each one to make sure it is working correctly. Check your security system to ensure that there are sensors in every room and that the system functions correctly. If you have air conditioning check that it does it’s job and also don’t forget to check the area around the unit outside to make sure that it is stable and that any chunks of plaster, which were chipped out in the installation were replastered and painted over.
Kitchen Units
Examine the units in the kitchen to make sure that none of the work surfaces are scratched and that all of the cupboards and drawers open and close correctly and that there are shelves in the relevant cupboards. Look at the trim at the bottom of the kitchen units to make sure that the plinths have been fitted and that they are secure. If you have a hob inlaid into the worktop make sure it has been fitted correctly and that it works.
Paintwork
Check the paintwork in daylight and in synthetic light to make sure that it is even and the colour you agreed with your builder. Look at the area where the walls meet the ceiling to make sure that the painter cut in properly and has left an even line of colour on each surface. Likewise check that the same is true around the skirting board and the door and window frames. Ensure that the painters have removed any traces of paint splatters from the floor, windows, doors and appliances.
Outdoor Areas
Builders the world over are notorious for leaving rubble and rubbish at the site so don’t hesitate to ask them to clear it all away and be careful they don’t bury it on another part of your plot.
If they have laid terraced areas or pathways make sure that these are even and that they are free of cracks. If they have included a boundary wall and gates, make sure that they open and close correctly and that the walls have been finished correctly.
Finally, make sure you have the keys to your house and to every door with a lock on it! If you follow the Quest Turkey Snagging check list, you can rest assured that the little jobs, which often get overlooked on a major building project are rectified so that when you move into your Turkish dream home, everything is as you would expect it – just perfect!
