Before you settle into your brand new dream home, there are a number of things to check. Nandita Manwani lists them down.
Buying your dream home is a major decision, both financially and mentally. So, obviously, you would expect everything to be perfect when the builder finally hands over your home to you. But have you checked the faucets in your home? Paid attention to all the switches? Such things may seem small, but will matter the most when you finally move into your abode.
So, a thorough check before living in your home is absolutely necessary. It will avoid a lot of confusion and running around later. Given below is a comprehensive but simple checklist of things that you need to tick off before you say that conclusive ‘I do’ to your builder.
Walls & ceiling
l Check the plastering quality, it shouldn’t be uneven and there should be no cracks at all.
l Check for excessive dampness in the wall (if any).
l Check false ceiling in bathrooms (if there) and make sure that it is properly fixed with no cracks.
l Check the tiling evenness and grouting. There should be no cement marks on the tiles.
Flooring
l Check for any cracks or scratches on the flooring of your home.
l In bathrooms, utility and balcony areas, check the floor tilt to ensure correct water flow into the drain and that there is zero water accumulation anywhere.
l Ensure that there is no hollowness in the floor. Tap each tile or bounce a ball on each tile to check for the hollow sound. A hollow sound indicates that the tile is not set properly and needs to be replaced.
l Check for proper grouting of the tiles/ stone slabs, especially in bathrooms.
Electricals
l Test all the lights with a zero-watt bulb and tester, if possible. Sometimes, the builders leave the AC points with no wiring (dummy). So, check all the AC points.
l Every electrical point should have cover plates with no cracks.
l Check availability of light, telephone and cable TV points as per plan.
l Check that all the plates are horizontal and not tilted.
l Plates should be clean and free of paint marks.
l Check every circuit breaker. Switching on and off should be seamless.
l Check each switch for correct contact and springiness. Click should be clearly audible and not muted when switched on and off.
l Insist on getting the wiring diagram pasted on the inside of a door Also, check that the wiring of the home matches with the circuit diagram on the box.
l Check that the smoke sensors work. Lighting up an agarbatti will help to awaken the sensor.
That should cover it. Hopefully, your builder passed with a distinction. If not, send him back to make your home perfect in every sense.
(The author is an interior designer and founder of The Studio Bengaluru)
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