Can I refuse to accept handover?
That depends on your purchase contract, so check it with your lawyer. Many contracts let you note defects and require them to be fixed, rather than refuse the property outright. In practice, a clear, photographed report delivered before you sign is what gives you leverage, whatever the contract says. Our guide on dealing with your developer covers how to use it.
Does the developer have to let you in?
Most developers accept independent inspections, and many are used to them. Occasionally one is reluctant. It is your property and your handover, so we recommend telling the developer in writing that your inspector will attend, and asking for power and water to be on. If access is refused, that in itself is worth raising with your lawyer before you sign anything.
It’s brand new. Is it really worth checking?
New properties are exactly where snagging pays. Most findings are minor, but there are usually a few that matter — waterproofing, electrical safety, drainage falls — and those are expensive once you have accepted the keys. Read common defects in Phuket villas and our condo checklist for what we typically find.
I’ve already taken the keys. Is it too late?
No. If you are within the developer’s warranty, an inspection still produces a schedule of defects they are obliged to address. It is better done sooner, before the defects-liability period runs out — see our defects-liability guide.
Can you check a villa while it is being built?
Yes, and it is often the best value of all. Visits at key stages catch waterproofing, drainage and electrical problems while they are still open. See construction stage inspections and our guide to construction phase surveys.
Which areas do you cover?
All of Phuket and Koh Samui, at the same fees. We have area pages for Bang Tao and Laguna, Kamala and Surin, Rawai, Nai Harn and Chalong and Lamai, Chaweng and Bophut, and a dedicated Koh Samui page.
What equipment do you use?
We start with a thorough look at the whole property, then bring out the instruments wherever we suspect a problem: a moisture meter, a thermal imaging camera, a laser level, a spirit level and straightedge, a socket and RCD tester, a digital thermometer and hygrometer, and percussion testing for tiles. Where a reading can be taken, it goes in the report. The full list is on our inspection page.
Buying a resale property instead? See our resale pre-purchase inspection, and if your warranty is nearly over, our warranty-expiry inspection.