Why it's worth checking the "invisible"
New flats are increasing in the region - from developer investments in Wałbrzych and Świdnica to new municipal and rental buildings in Dzierżoniów or Świebodzice. However, new doesn't mean flawless: the building's installation is carried out by subcontractors under deadline pressure, and typical defects - swapped wires in a socket, discontinuous protective conductor, loose connections in the board - are undetectable to the naked eye and asymptomatic... until later.
What you can check yourself at handover
- every socket - with the simplest socket tester (a few dozen zł) or even a phone charger: whether it works and whether the tester signals a connection error;
- every switch and lighting point - with a "test" bulb in hand;
- the TEST button on RCDs - each should trip immediately;
- circuit descriptions in the board - whether they exist and correspond to reality (try: switch off "kitchen" and check what actually went out);
- doorbell, intercom/videophone, RTV and LAN sockets;
- number and arrangement of points according to the contract and finishing standard.
What an electrician will check with a meter
- continuity of the protective conductor in every socket - the most common and most dangerous handover defect: the socket works, but does not protect;
- correct polarity (L and N swapped);
- RCD tripping times and currents - by measurement, not just the button;
- short-circuit loop impedance of circuits;
- insulation resistance - to check if anyone has pierced a cable during finishing works.
You can read more about what these tests mean in the guide on measurements and protocols. You receive a protocol upon handover - you list any defects in the developer's handover protocol, and they are obliged to address and rectify them.
Documents worth asking for
- electrical measurement protocols for the premises (the developer should have these);
- diagram or description of the installation circuits;
- warranty cards for appliances (videophone, electric heating, recuperation).
Before finishing: the last affordable moment for changes
Between handover and finishing renovations, changes cost the least: additional sockets, points for smart home, air conditioning power supply, network cabling. The same point added after plastering and painting costs several times more - and leaves traces.
Handover with measurements takes 1-2 hours and costs a fraction of a per mille of the apartment's price - and installation defects are among the most expensive to repair after the fact. Book a technical handover appointment - we will come with meters and a protocol.
Download: free home electrical installation safety checklist (PDF) - what to check yourself, warning signs, and when to call an electrician.
