Technical inspection: facade, windows & common property- evaluate house and apartment

Technical inspection before buying real estate – In addition to the commercial inspection, you should also carry out a technical inspection in which you examine the condition of the real estate as well as the common property. After all, you should be aware of any defects, problems, and construction issues before buying real estate. Find out here what is important for the technical inspection – including a checklist!

Check apartment and house: Important criteria

During the technical inspection, you personally make an overview of the condition of the property. Important, if you are not able to assess technical systems, take a person with the appropriate know-how with you to the inspection. You should pay attention to this during the technical inspection of the apartment and house:

Windows, exterior walls & co: condition and sealing

Particular attention should be paid to the windows. Depending on the year of manufacture, they may have certain defects. You should pay particular attention to the seal, otherwise moisture can creep in. The same applies to the exterior walls. Our tip: Take a measuring device with you and carry out a moisture measurement.

Here is an overview:

• Windows: condition and seal
• Exterior walls: check moisture
• Fuse box / electrical subdistribution
• Bathroom: condition and furnishings

Bathrooms and sanitary facilities: Moisture Check

In addition to the fuse box, you should also look at the bathroom. Check the toilet, sink, bathtub and shower for proper function. Moisture plays an important role, especially in the tiles and silicone joints. Otherwise, mold can quickly accumulate here.

This is what you should check during the bathroom check:

• Sanitary facilities
• Tiles
• Silicone joints
• Instantaneous water heater
• Water pressure
• Bath ventilation

Checking community property: Important criteria

If you decide to buy a property as part of a WEG (homeowners’ association), you should also look at the common property. Here it is important to note the following:

Facade, roof & basement: condition and moisture

Look at the condition of the facade as well as the roof and the basement. If there are other common areas, you should also look at them. You should pay particular attention to dampness and mold.

Here is an overview:

• Facade
• Roof & attic
• Basement
• Heating system
• Electric meter cabinet

Consultation with residents: defects & modernization measures

Our tip: Talk to the residents of the WEG and let them tell you about problems and defects in the house. Also ask whether and which modernization measures are planned, as you as a resident of a WEG must expect future costs here.

Checklist: Technical check

Here, once again summarized, the – typical – 10 test points in short form:

1. Windows: condition and seal
2. Exterior walls: check moisture
3. Fuse box / electrical subdistribution
4. Bathroom: condition and furnishings
5. Facade
6. Roof & attic
7. Basement
8. Heating system
9. Electric meter cabinet
10. Future modernization and maintenance measures

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