ᐅ Is it useful to hire a building inspector just before final inspection?

Hello everyone,

We are currently building a detached house (solid construction) and are approaching the final inspection and handover of the keys. The construction is being carried out by a general contractor. TÜV Rheinland is overseeing the construction through several interim inspections. I am aware that TÜV is commissioned by the general contractor and therefore might be somewhat "partial."

We are considering whether to hire an independent building surveyor, appointed by us, before the final inspection. I wonder if this still makes sense so close to completion. For example, since the floor is already installed, they can no longer assess the screed underneath.

In a brief initial phone call, the surveyor mentioned that they only identify visible issues. However, based on their many years of experience, they will likely notice many things that we would not recognize at first glance. The cost is around 600€.

What is your opinion on this?

tristan01 schrieb:

We are currently building a detached house (solid construction) and are close to the final inspection and handover of the keys. The construction is carried out by a general contractor. TÜV Rheinland supervises the project through several intermediate inspections. I am aware that TÜV is hired by the general contractor and might therefore be somewhat "biased."
[...]
In an initial brief phone call, he told me that he only records visible issues. However, due to his many years of experience, he certainly notices many things that we would not see at first glance. The cost is about 600€

It is good that there have been accompanying inspections. That the inspector was appointed by the contractor is less ideal. That it was TÜV, especially so. Every car owner knows their meticulousness. This brand reputation is what the organization lives on, and general contractors gladly let this serve as apparent proof that they have nothing to hide. It is a win-win situation: the inspection body has a full schedule of assignments, and the contractors bask in the implied quality assumption resulting from this prestige. A third win is missing, or better said: a third winner — the client. Therefore:

tristan01 schrieb:

We are currently considering hiring an independent building expert commissioned by us before the final inspection. I wonder if this is still useful so shortly before the handover. For example, since the flooring is already installed, the expert could no longer draw conclusions about the screed.

... a clear "yes!" to having your own expert, better now than never. Definitely before you sign off on the acceptance. This specialist should review the reports from the TÜV site inspector. If the inspections were not just a superficial label, such reports should exist.

To all readers (and of course to you for your next house) a reminder:
1. General contractors can be good contractors, but despite all the tempting fixed-price guarantees, they are NOT a good alternative to a tendering procedure based on a call for bids (in which general contractors may of course also participate);
2. only a client-loyal construction manager and accompanying independent expert can be truly good. In other legal matters — and this aspect cannot be separated here! — you certainly would not let yourself be represented by the opposing lawyer.

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/

My daughter just completed the final inspection with the building surveyor. The result: three pages densely filled with defects, including the replacement of several scratched window panes, replastering an exterior wall, incorrect installation of the downpipe, and more. The 600 EUR was more than worth it! However, the surveyor didn’t catch everything (for example, insufficient slope in the walk-in shower). Requesting testing certificates is a good idea, but you might not receive all of them.

It would have been sensible to address this issue earlier. By now, almost all the important areas have been built over. If an expert hasn’t inspected it for you yet, I would still recommend hiring one. If the report reveals a lot of problems, at least you’ll know that there was a lot of poor workmanship during construction.

I can only agree with everything the previous speakers said. We recently had a preliminary inspection and there were still major defects that need to be fixed. The move-in date is now postponed (again) by about 2 months.
600€ (about $650) isn’t even worth considering – just do it!

So, definitely hire an independent expert or surveyor.

Wasn’t TÜV (Süd) the organization that certified a dam in Brazil as “safe” shortly before it failed?

WilderSueden schrieb:

If no expert has ever inspected it for you, I would still hire one. If too many issues turn up, at least you know that the construction was really poorly done.

Are you suggesting that the visible defects now could be "representative" and used to estimate the number of hidden ones? (I agree with that.)
So far, it was not that no expert looked at it, but rather someone biased towards the contractor. They should have documented it anyway, and your own expert should definitely be shown this documentation (report and photos).

Allthewayup schrieb:

Wasn’t TÜV (Süd) the organization that certified a dam in Brazil as “safe” shortly before it collapsed?

Holzmann was financially sound, according to the last auditor’s statement before bankruptcy. Experts, right? That’s why as a professional, I keep my distance from so-called experts [hheh].

---

https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/