Home inspection: questions and answers

These are the questions we are asked most often about home inspection (bedek bayit), each with a short answer. Every answer ends with a link to the article that covers the subject in full.

When should you schedule an engineering inspection?

A home inspection can be done at any stage, from before you buy the apartment until the end of the contractor's warranty period. Most people who buy a new apartment from a contractor order the inspection after the purchase, and it is best to do it as close to handover as possible.

That way the contractor cannot evade responsibility, and the defects do not have time to get worse and cause repair costs the contractor should have paid.

For a resale apartment, the right time is before the deal is completed, so you have the findings in hand when you decide.

Full article: when an engineering inspection is recommended

Is it better to inspect an apartment before or after handover?

It is best to inspect before handover, at the preliminary protocol or at the handover protocol itself. The apartment is empty, the contractor's crews and subcontractors are still on site, and every defect found is documented in a professional expert opinion, so the contractor cannot later claim that you caused it. Someone who signs the protocol without a professional inspection usually points out only cosmetic defects, and the contractor may use that signature to shed responsibility.

An inspection before handover has one limitation: the drainage and electrical systems are not working yet. That is why you can order a follow-up inspection later on, which checks the repairs as well as defects that only appear once the systems are running. You can also inspect after you have moved in, during the inspection period, but it is less recommended.

Full article: should you inspect an apartment before handover

Why do you need an engineering building inspection report?

An apartment is made up of many elements, and some of them are hidden from view. A buyer usually lacks the knowledge needed to check that the apartment meets the standards and the Planning and Building Regulations, and that it includes what is written in the technical specification and the plans.

Even when you find a defect yourself, the contractor may put you off or make a cosmetic repair, and the problem comes back after the warranty period has already expired.

An engineer's report gives you the full picture of the apartment: every defect with an explanation, the repair it needs and what it costs. The report is admissible in court, and it is a formal demand that the contractor fix the defects and pay compensation for what cannot be fixed.

Full article: why you need an engineering building inspection report

Should I be worried about the construction defects in my home?

Yes, for several reasons. Safety defects are the most serious, and residents usually do not recognize them: exterior cladding tiles that come loose, insufficient ventilation in the safe room (mamad), gaps between railing bars wider than the standard allows, narrow escape openings and glass that is not safety glass. Other defects affect daily use or the look of the apartment, and lower its value.

Most defects that are not dealt with in time get worse, and the longer you wait, the harder they are to fix. On top of that, the contractor's warranty is limited in time, and the law requires you to report a defect soon after you discover it.

Full article: should you worry about construction defects

What if the engineer's inspection doesn't find many construction defects in my apartment?

It is a question we hear often, especially when the costs of a new apartment keep adding up. What we see in the field, inspection after inspection, is that most apartments do have construction and design defects, often many of them. One reason is that more subcontractors take part in building today, which makes coordinating and supervising their work harder.

The repair cost of every defect in the report is estimated from updated price lists published every month, and almost any scale of defects justifies the cost of the inspection.

Full article: what if no construction defects are found

Who carries out the inspection?

At Arad Bedek Bayit, inspections are carried out by experienced building engineers with the right training, not by practical engineers (handasaim). The company was founded in 2001 by building engineer Ron Arad, who still runs it today. He personally supervises and reviews every engineering inspection.

After the inspection you can consult the engineer to understand the defects in the report and the solutions he proposes. And if a report ends up in court, Ron Arad accompanies the clients there himself.

More about the company: about Arad Bedek Bayit

How do you choose a home inspection (bedek bayit) company?

The best way is a recommendation. If you do not have one, ask the company to put you in touch with someone they inspected for in your area. Make sure the inspection is done by an engineer, and that he has hands-on experience in residential building projects.

It is also worth asking to see a sample report and checking that it is clear, asking how soon the report will be delivered, and making sure you can be present at the inspection. A good engineer arrives with suitable equipment that damages nothing, such as a moisture detector, and separates what matters from what does not: in a new apartment from a contractor he lists every defect, because under the Sale (Apartments) Law the contractor must fix it.

Full article: what to require from a home inspection engineer

How long should a home inspection take?

The inspection in the apartment itself takes between an hour and a half and three hours on average. The exact length depends on what the engineer finds along the way. For a new apartment from a contractor, it is best to have the technical specification and the plans of the apartment ready for the visit.

After the inspection comes the office work: for every defect the report sets out its cause, the relevant standards and regulations, the repair needed and its cost according to updated price lists, quotes from court rulings and photos from the inspection. You receive the report no later than a week after the inspection.

Full article: the home inspection process, step by step

We're worried that ordering a home inspection will hurt our relationship with the contractor

The concern is understandable, but the purpose of the inspection is not to confront the contractor or catch him out on small things. Just as the contractor relies on professionals to build the apartment, you rely on professionals to check it. The engineer identifies defects that residents would not spot themselves, and sets them out so they can be resolved quickly and efficiently.

A clear, orderly report actually expresses trust that the contractor will stand behind his commitments. If a contractor is unhappy that an engineer is coming, it is fair to ask why he is worried about an engineering inspection.

Full article: the fear of hurting your relationship with the contractor

What can you do if the contractor won't let an engineer in to inspect before handover?

It is best to deal with this in the purchase contract: include a clause that allows a home inspection engineer into the apartment at the preliminary protocol or at handover. At handover you can sign the protocol with a reservation stating that acceptance of the apartment is subject to the repairs a home inspection engineer will require. And only sign off on what could actually be checked.

If an inspection before handover still was not possible, you can have the apartment inspected after you receive the keys, during the inspection period, and the contractor is still required to fix the defects that are found. Order the inspection as early as you can.

Full article: when to carry out a home inspection

What can you do if the contractor refuses to fix the defects found in the engineering report?

In most cases the inspection ends in an understanding between the contractor and the resident. The report sets out the required repairs, compensation where needed and the time frame for the work, and the contractor has to respond within a reasonable time, usually about two weeks. While the repairs are under way, our engineers are available for any question that comes up with the contractor.

If there is no agreement, we refer you to a lawyer who specializes in construction defects. The consultation and the warning letter to the contractor are free of charge. You can order a follow-up inspection that checks the repairs that were made.

And if the case goes to court, the Arad team helps with clarification questions to the court-appointed expert and with expert testimony, and Ron Arad accompanies you personally.

Full article: a lawsuit against the contractor

My apartment has a recurring dampness problem despite the contractor's repairs…

Recurring dampness usually means the repair did not deal with the source of the problem. Sometimes it is only a surface repair, such as anti-fungal paint, and sometimes the contractor tries but lacks the expertise in this field.

The sources vary: defects in the exterior waterproofing, in the exterior cladding, in the waterproofing of the roof, windows or balcony, plumbing leaks, moisture entering through electrical conduits, or condensation caused by poor thermal insulation.

During the inspection the engineer examines the signs of dampness, finds the cause or causes, and sets out in the report how to repair it and what it will cost. When you book the inspection, mention the dampness and an engineer who specializes in this field will come.

Full article: dampness that returns despite the contractor's repairs

What are the inspection and warranty periods set by law?

Under the Sale (Apartments) Law, the seller must repair defects in the apartment during an inspection period (tkufat bedek) that begins on the day the apartment is placed at your disposal. Its length differs for each element: one year for a non-conformity that is not fundamental, two years for interior flooring and cladding and for doors and windows, four years for plumbing and waterproofing, five years for cracks wider than 1.5 mm and seven years for exterior cladding. A warranty period of three years is added after the inspection period.

During the inspection period, if the contractor claims a defect is not his responsibility, he has to prove it. In the warranty period that follows, the burden of proof shifts to you, so it pays to inspect in time.

Full article: inspection periods and contractor warranty

What is a garbage chute, and what standards apply to it?

A garbage chute is a shaft that runs from the top floor down to the garbage room on the ground floor or an underground floor, with a small room on every floor that holds the opening to the chute. It is usually installed in high-rise and luxury buildings.

The chute and the garbage room must be designed and built according to the Planning and Building Regulations. The chute needs ventilation, through a mechanical vent on each floor or a ventilation shaft connected to a fan on the roof, and it must be made of non-absorbent materials, because it has to be washed from time to time.

The opening should keep odors out as far as possible, and the garbage room itself must be ventilated too, through windows to the outside air or by a forced ventilation system.

Full article: garbage chutes in shared buildings

Does the building committee need to worry about construction defects in the common areas?

Yes, for several reasons: safety hazards, a drop in the value of the apartments, the end of the contractor's warranty period for the common areas, functional defects that disrupt daily life, aesthetic damage, and defects that get worse when they are not dealt with.

Safety defects are the most serious, and residents usually do not spot them, because they do not know the building standards or which products are not to standard: exterior cladding tiles that come loose and fall, a railing that can be climbed, escape openings that are too narrow, glass that is not safety glass and stairs that do not meet the dimensions in the regulations.

Functional defects are, for example, access routes that are not to standard, or fixed windows that cannot be cleaned. Aesthetic defects are usually the most visible: grout that peels, stains on the floor tiles, rough plaster and wavy, cracked drywall ceilings in the lobbies. Most defects that are not dealt with in time get worse, and the more time passes, the harder they are to repair.

Full article: inspecting the common areas of a building

Why does the building committee need an engineering expert opinion on the building?

A building is made up of many components, some visible and some hidden. A building committee usually does not have the professional knowledge needed to check that the building meets the planning and building standards (more than 8,000 clauses), that the workmanship is of a proper standard and that the building includes everything written in the specification and the plans.

Even when residents find a defect themselves, the contractor sometimes puts them off again and again, or makes only a cosmetic repair, and the problem comes back after six months, or worse, after a few years, when the warranty period is already over.

An engineer's expert opinion gives the building committee a full picture of the condition of the building, and the tools to decide how to exercise its rights. The expert opinion is admissible in court, and it is a binding demand that the contractor repair the defects and pay compensation for defects that cannot be repaired.

Full article: defects we found in buildings

When should the building committee order an inspection of the common areas?

The inspection can be done at any stage, from before the building is handed over until before the end of the contractor's warranty period. Usually the building committee only gets organized after the residents have moved in, and orders an inspection of the building within the first year.

We recommend doing the inspection as soon as possible after the building is handed over, so that the contractor cannot evade responsibility, and so that the defects do not get worse and lead to a lower quality of life and to repair costs that the contractor should have borne.

Full article: the periods in which the contractor is liable

And what if no defects are found in the common areas of the building?

There is no such risk: to this day we have not found a building without defects. The number of defects in the common areas usually ranges from dozens to hundreds of different defects.

Full article: buildings we have inspected