Whether you are buying a new build or a resale home in Taichung, once you decide to buy you will face an inspection (驗屋). The two types have different purposes. A new-build inspection asks whether the home was built to the contract and what defects the developer must fix. A resale inspection asks whether there are hidden problems and whether the home is worth the price. The viewing checklist covers what to look at with your eyes during a viewing; this guide covers the formal inspection after you decide to buy, before handover or signing. Both lists below can be printed and ticked on site.
Three numbers
- 12 items on the new-build list: check against the contract and drawings.
- 12 items on the resale list: find the problems you cannot see.
- 5% of the price can be held back on a pre-sale handover until repairs pass re-inspection.
(Based on the Ministry of the Interior’s mandatory terms for pre-sale contracts; updated 20 September 2026.)
How new-build and resale inspections differ
A new-build inspection compares the home against the contract, drawings and materials schedule; the developer fixes defects. A resale inspection looks for leaks, structural and electrical problems you cannot see; the result decides whether to buy and at what price.
| New build | Resale | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Built to contract? Defects for the developer to fix | Any major problems? Worth the price? |
| Reference | Sale contract, materials and fittings schedule, floor plan | Disclosure statement (不動產說明書), building condition confirmation |
| If problems are found | Listed on the acceptance form, repaired by a deadline, re-inspected | Negotiate the price, require repairs, or walk away |
| When | Before handover | Before signing, or under an inspection condition in the contract |
(New-build column based on the mandatory pre-sale contract terms; updated 20 September 2026.)
New-build inspection checklist (12 items)
The core is checking item by item against the contract and drawings. Anything wrong goes on the acceptance form for repair by a deadline and re-inspection.
- Open, close and lock every door and window; no light leaks when shut, no scratches on hardware.
- Tap every floor and wall tile with a coin or hollow-detection hammer and listen for hollow sounds.
- Check walls with a spirit level or laser for bumps, cracks and filler marks.
- Run every tap at once to check water pressure and joints for seepage.
- Flush each toilet three times to confirm flush strength, refill and a dry base.
- Pour water on bathroom and balcony floors to see whether it runs to the drain or pools.
- Fill bathrooms and balconies with water as the developer specifies and check the ceiling below and adjoining walls the next day.
- Test every socket with a socket tester for correct earthing and polarity.
- Trip each breaker in the panel to confirm circuit labels match the drawings.
- Test every network, TV, intercom and door-access outlet.
- Confirm smoke detectors, sprinkler heads and alarms match the drawings in number and position and are unobstructed.
- Measure room dimensions against the floor plan; check common facilities against the contract and marketing drawings.
Under the mandatory terms, the developer must provide an acceptance form at inspection; defects are written on it for repair by a deadline. The buyer may hold back 5% of the total price from their own funds as a handover retention, paid only after repairs pass re-inspection. If the registered total area differs by more than 3%, the buyer may cancel the contract. After handover, the structure is warranted for 15 years and fixed materials and equipment for 1 year. For how the common-area share is calculated, see common-area ratio.
Resale inspection checklist (12 items)
The core is finding what you cannot see: leaks, structure, electrics, illegal additions, sea sand and radiation. Then decide whether the price is right.
- Photograph every ceiling, window-frame corner and bathroom outer wall, noting water stains and damp.
- Be suspicious of freshly painted walls; measure moisture content with a meter.
- Look for 45-degree diagonal or through cracks in beams, columns and walls; photograph position and length.
- Run every tap at once for pressure; check hot water for a rusty tint.
- Run water down every sink, floor drain and toilet and listen for gurgling.
- Open the electrical panel: main breaker amperage, breakers present, earthing.
- Test every socket for looseness and earthing.
- Compare the rooftop and balconies with the occupancy permit drawings to see whether additions or enclosed balconies are registered.
- For buildings completed in ROC years 71 to 73 (1982 to 1984), check the Nuclear Safety Commission’s radiation building database.
- Water heater installed outdoors or in a ventilated space; gas pipes not sealed inside enclosed cabinets.
- Open ceiling access panels and pull back built-in cabinet backs to look for hidden water marks.
- Compare the original floor plan to tell load-bearing walls from partitions, and confirm whether the wall you want to remove can go.
Our view: Finding problems in a resale home does not mean do not buy. It means put the repair cost into your offer. A quote for leak repair or a new electrical panel is the strongest evidence you can bring to a price negotiation. For how to make the offer, see earnest money; for cracks, see shear cracks; for leaks, see leaks.
Do it yourself or hire an inspection company?
You can do the visual and water tests on the lists yourself. Leaks inside walls, hollow-tile rates and circuit earthing need instruments and experience, and are safer left to a professional inspection company. They bring a thermal imaging camera, moisture meter, hollow-detection hammer, laser level, socket circuit tester, sound level meter and formaldehyde meter, and issue a written report you can use with the developer or seller.
Most charge by area in ping (坪, 3.3 square metres), with a base fee and a re-inspection fee. Market listings put rates at a few hundred to about NT$1,000 per ping, or from NT$10,000 to NT$20,000 per home, depending on size and scope. Get a quote first.
When to inspect, and what then
New build: inspect after the handover notice and before paying the balance. Problems go on the acceptance form, and the retention is paid after re-inspection passes. See the buying process.
Resale: inspect before making an offer or before signing. If there is no time, add a clause to the contract such as “if the inspection finds a material defect, the buyer may cancel or reduce the price”, and check the building condition confirmation item by item at signing.
If problems are found: for a new build, the developer repairs. For a resale home, use the repair quote to negotiate, require repairs, or rely on the seller’s warranty against defects under the Civil Code. For choosing between home types, see resale, pre-sale or new build.
Our view: The worst inspection is one that was done but not written down. Photograph every item and record it on the acceptance form or a contract attachment, or you will have nothing to rely on later.
FAQ
What does an inspection cover?
New build: doors and windows, hollow tiles, wall flatness, water supply and drainage, floor fall, waterproofing by water fill, panel and circuits, low-voltage outlets, fire equipment, and area against the drawings. Resale: leaks and damp, structural cracks, water pressure and drainage, panel capacity, illegal additions, sea sand and radiation, water heater, and concealed spaces behind fittings.
Must a new build be inspected?
Strongly recommended, because after handover the acceptance form is your only evidence. Under the mandatory pre-sale contract terms the developer must provide one, and the buyer may hold back 5% of the price until repairs pass re-inspection.
How much does an inspection cost?
Mostly by area: a few hundred to about NT$1,000 per ping, or from NT$10,000 to NT$20,000 per home, plus a re-inspection fee. It varies widely with size and scope, so ask for a quote.
When should a resale home be inspected?
Ideally before the offer or before signing. If there is no time, write an inspection condition into the contract, such as cancellation or a price reduction for material defects.
New builds against the contract, resale homes for problems
Check a new build item by item against the contract and drawings and have the developer fix defects. Check a resale home with instruments for leaks, structure and electrics and turn the findings into your offer. Print the two lists and take them on site. Contact us if you want an adviser with you at the inspection.