Inspecting a new apartment from a contractor

Inspecting a new apartment from a contractor is one of the most important checks you can make, since the contractor's warranty period is limited. It is worth doing a home inspection (bedek bayit) before the apartment changes hands. As a rule, this kind of inspection goes deeper than most, aiming to catch defects that might not otherwise surface for years.

Getting the inspection scheduled

The moment has finally come and your apartment is ready. All you want now is to move your things in, settle into a routine, and enjoy some peace of mind. Unless you bought from a family member, get a home inspection done before the handover protocol or before you take the keys, so you can catch defects while there is still time to act.

A home inspection matters most at the exact moment you buy an apartment or private home, itself a major, heavy expense. In fact, inspecting before you receive the keys may turn out to matter more than almost anything else, since the inspection period starts the moment you take possession.

Knowing what the property is truly worth means having a professional inspection done before the purchase, and the inspection's price should never be the deciding factor: it is nothing next to the benefit.

Inspecting a new apartment from a contractor happens either before handover and taking possession, or after you get the keys, depending on the contractor. Either way, it is best done by a professional, experienced home inspection company, since in many cases this kind of inspection uncovers defects that would otherwise cost you tens of thousands of shekels to fix.

It is always better to inspect before handover, though plenty of contractors will only allow it afterward. Even then, the inspection still matters, since the apartment comes with a time-limited warranty from the contractor regardless.

Contractor warranty period

The Sale (Apartments) Law sets out how far a contracting company's responsibility extends for fixing defects found in a new apartment. That responsibility splits into two periods: the inspection period and the warranty period.

During the inspection period, the seller must fix the defect unless he can prove it was the owner's fault. It starts when you take possession and runs anywhere from one to seven years depending on the type of defect. Dampness, for example, carries a four-year inspection period.

During the warranty period, the burden of proof shifts to the buyer, who has to show the defect stems from the design, the workmanship, or the materials. This period begins once the inspection period ends and runs for three years.

Home inspection before handover

You trusted your contractor. You assumed this could not happen to you. You figured a new apartment from a contractor was as safe a bet as they come. It is not: chances are your new home has construction defects, and in most cases you will only catch about 20 percent of them yourself before or during handover, simply because you are not an expert and do not always know what to look for.

The usual suspects: dampness and waterproofing problems. Beyond those, expect possible flooring defects, cracks in the wall and ceiling plaster, flooring flaws, and any number of other surprises waiting in your new home.

This is not a small thing. Buying a home is, in general, the biggest investment you will ever make. Some defects you spot immediately; others are large, hidden, and genuinely dangerous. These cases keep recurring, and the people responsible for catching them do not always step in and stop the problem.

One example comes from the State Comptroller's 2017 report, which found that the Mordot HaCarmel local planning committee had turned a blind eye to building violations for years and never enforced the rules.

That is exactly why it is worth hiring a company that specializes in inspecting a new apartment from a contractor on your behalf, rather than trusting the contractor to look out for your interests.

What a first rainy season reveals

In plenty of cases, the first rain after you move in reveals that the waterproofing was not done properly and dampness has set in, along with cracks in the wall plaster that need attention. The good news: you can catch safety, cosmetic, and functional defects before you move in, before the final handover protocol or the handoff of the keys. That is what a home inspection does, including for a new apartment from a contractor.

Here is the reality: even professional contractors are tempted to cut construction costs. They use cheap raw materials, hire workers without proper training, and let mistakes slide. If you assumed construction defects only happen to people who cannot afford better, ask the residents of Migdal HaShoftim, one of Israel's most prestigious towers: money does not buy immunity from this.

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