Handover of a Newly Built Home: Complete Checklist

A thorough review at handover gives you a better basis for further follow-up with the developer or contractor. Even though you will normally have a five-year complaint period, you must still complain within a reasonable time after discovering, or after you should have discovered, the relevant issue.

Before handover

Prepare properly

Review the contract, the specification of delivery, drawings, and any additional selections or upgrades. Check what has actually been agreed in relation to materials, equipment, and workmanship. It is a good idea to bring these documents with you to the handover.

It is also sensible to bring a notebook or mobile phone for notes, a camera or phone for photographs, a torch, and a simple room-by-room checklist.

Consider bringing a professional

A professional adviser can contribute to a more systematic review and may identify matters that are difficult to spot without technical experience.

Checklist at handover

All rooms

Check walls and ceilings for marks, staining, cracks, or unevenness. Check floors for scratches, damage, creaking, or level differences. Check windows and doors for proper function, alignment, and visible damage. Check skirtings, trims, and transitions for finish and fit. Check sockets, switches, and visible electrical fittings for placement and workmanship.

Kitchen

Cupboards and drawers should open and close properly. Fronts, worktops, and surfaces should be free from visible damage. Taps should function correctly. Waste pipes should drain without signs of leakage. Appliances should be delivered if this has been agreed.

Wet rooms

Look for visible defects or deficiencies in tiles, grout, and transitions. Check whether water runs towards the drain and does not remain standing on the floor to an unusual extent. Check the function of taps, mixers, showers, and any visible leakage points. Check whether drains, thresholds, and visible details appear to be correctly executed. Check ventilation and general air circulation.

At a handover inspection, the assessment normally concerns visible conditions and functional aspects, not hidden structures or the membrane within the build-up, unless such documentation is already available from the contractor.

Exterior

Check the façade and external surfaces. Check stairs, railings, and terraces. Assess whether the ground appears to fall away from the building and direct water away from it. Check the garage, storage room, or any other elements included in the agreement.

Ventilation and technical documentation

As the buyer, you can check that the system appears to be running and request documentation showing balancing and completion. TEK17, the Norwegian building regulations, set requirements for residential ventilation.

An ordinary inspection does not normally include full measurement and verification of airflow in every room unless this has been specifically agreed. The correct approach is therefore to check function, visible matters, and available documentation.

During handover

Make sure everything is entered into the protocol

All deviations you discover should be described as specifically as possible in the handover protocol. It is better to describe exactly what and where something is than to use vague wording.

Example: “Scratch in parquet floor in living room by the window towards the terrace.”

The more precise the description, the easier it is to follow up the matter afterwards.

Take photographs

Photograph any deviations and defects you identify. Photos may become useful documentation if questions later arise about the extent or location of an issue.

Record meter readings

Record the meter readings for electricity, water, and any other utilities, where relevant at handover.

After handover

Complaints

If you discover defects or deficiencies after handover, you must complain within a reasonable time after you discovered, or should have discovered, the matter. Under the Norwegian Home Construction Act (bustadoppføringslova), the outer time limit is normally five years from handover.

One-year inspection

A one-year inspection (ettårsbefaring) can be useful because some matters only become visible after the home has been in use for some time, such as minor cracks, adjustment needs, or other movement in materials.

Common issues at handover

Typical matters often recorded at handover include scratches or marks on surfaces, the need for adjustment of doors and windows, minor cracks in junctions or ceilings, incorrect floor slope or water accumulation in wet rooms, and shortcomings in external works or completion.

Some matters are purely cosmetic, while others are more important to follow up. A systematic review makes it easier to distinguish between them.

Bring a professional if needed

A professional review at handover can give you a better overview of the home and help you document matters that should be included in the protocol. CR Takst assists with handover inspections and reviews of newly built homes, with a focus on visible deviations, functionality, and clear documentation.