Final Inspection : what to check before signing off

The final inspection is the most important legal act of your entire build. It is not a courtesy visit: it is the moment you formally accept the work, trigger the legal warranties, and lose the right to complain about anything you have not noted down. In self-build, whether you have subcontracted trades or done everything yourself, this step deserves military-level preparation. This guide gives you the complete method — area by area, room by room — to miss nothing on the day.

What the final inspection actually is

The handover inspection is defined by Article 1792-6 of the French Civil Code (Code civil) as “the act by which the building owner declares acceptance of the work, with or without reservations.” In practice:

• It is adversarial: you carry it out in the presence of the contractor (or at least after formally notifying them)
• It is unique: a single inspection, even if multiple trades have been involved
• It is voluntary: you decide the date (not the tradesperson telling you “it’s done, I’ve finished”)
• It has major legal consequences: warranties are triggered, risk transfers, the final balance becomes due

The 3 options when you sign

On the day of the inspection, you have exactly three choices:

1. Acceptance without defects — everything is as specified, you sign the report, you pay the balance. Warranties begin.
2. Acceptance with defects listed — you accept the work but list the snags in the report. The contractor must correct them. You may retain 5% of the balance.
3. Refusal to accept — the work is unfinished or has defects too serious to accept. No report, no warranties, the build continues.

Preparing for the inspection: the steps beforehand

Notifying the contractors

You must send a recorded delivery letter to each contractor at least 8 days before the planned date. This notice must state:

• The date, time and address of the visit
• The subject: “final inspection of works in accordance with Article 1792-6 of the Code civil” (French law)
• An invitation to be present or represented

If the tradesperson does not attend despite being formally notified, you may proceed with a unilateral inspection — the report will be legally valid.

Gathering the necessary documents

Before the visit, prepare:

• The drawings for the house (planning permission drawings, construction drawings)
• The detailed quote for each trade package to check compliance
• The technical manuals for installed equipment
• A laser measure, a spirit level, a torch
• A camera (or phone) to document each defect
• A notepad or tablet to record snags in real time

The 6 areas to check on the day

This is the heart of the guide. Each area must be inspected methodically, room by room. Do not settle for a quick tour: allow at least 2 to 3 hours for a 100 m² house.

1. Structure and shell

This is the skeleton of your house. Structural defects are the most serious and the most expensive to fix.

What to check:

• Plumb of walls: use a spirit level on each load-bearing wall. A deviation of more than 5 mm over 2.50 m is abnormal
• Cracks: distinguish hairline cracks (< 0.2 mm, often harmless) from structural cracks (> 2 mm, running through). Photograph each crack with a ruler for scale
• Flatness of slabs: place a 2 m straightedge on the floor — the gap must not exceed 5 mm under the rule (DTU 26.2)
• Compliance with drawings: check room dimensions, position of openings, ceiling heights
• Ring beams and lintels: visible in exposed masonry, otherwise verify that the built-in fixings are correct

2. Weatherproofing and roof

Water is the number one enemy of a new build. A single undetected leak at the inspection can become a decade-long problem.

What to check:

• Roof covering: tiles or slates aligned, no broken piece, ridge sealed
• Metalwork: gutters, downpipes, hopper heads — check falls and fixings
• Critical junctions: flashings (roof-to-wall joint), valleys (junction of two roof slopes), chimney abutments
• Roofing underlay: if accessible, check the breather membrane and the absence of damp patches
• Roof ventilation: eaves vents or ventilated ridge in place

If you can, run a garden hose over the critical junctions of the roof while someone checks from inside. A hose test is worth a thousand visual inspections.

3. Electrics

The electrical installation must comply with BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations). Ideally, the electrical installation certificate (EICR or Part P certificate) is already issued or booked.

What to check:

• Consumer unit: circuit breakers correctly rated and labelled, 30 mA RCDs tested
• Every socket: plug in a socket tester (available for a few pounds at any DIY store) — it checks live, neutral, earth and wiring faults
• Every switch: test each lighting point, including two-way switches and dimmers
• Specialist outlets: oven, hob, washing machine, tumble dryer — check the rating (20A or 32A depending on the appliance)
• Earthing: ask for the earth resistance value (must be < 100 ohms, ideally < 50 ohms)
• Bathroom zones: do sockets and switches respect the required zones (Zone 0/1/2)?

4. Plumbing and sanitary fittings

What to check:

• Water pressure: open all taps simultaneously — pressure must remain acceptable at the furthest draw-off point
• Hot water: check the time to reach temperature and the temperature at the draw-off point (max 50 °C at taps, anti-scalding standard)
• Drainage: fill each sink, basin, bath, then empty all at once. Water must drain away without backing up or gurgling (a gurgle indicates a ventilation fault)
• Watertightness: inspect under each sanitary fitting, behind WCs, under bath/shower. Look for the slightest trace of damp
• WC flush: test every WC, check refill, no leak at the base
• Stopcock and water meter: located, accessible, working

5. Joinery and openings

Joinery is a frequent source of snags. Every window, door and shutter must be tested individually.

What to check:

• Opening and closing: every opening should operate without rubbing, without forcing, without unusual noise
• Airtightness: run your hand along the seals — you should feel no draught. A joss stick helps detect finer leaks
• Glazing: no scratches, no misting between panes (sign of a failed seal), no chips
• Roller shutters: test full travel up and down, check automatic stop at top and bottom limits
• Front door: multi-point lock, keys provided (minimum 3), watertight threshold
• Internal doors: smooth closure, even gap, no dragging on the floor

6. Finishes and surfaces

This is the area that generates the most snags by volume — aesthetic defects stand out.

What to check:

• Paint: inspect walls in raking light (morning or evening, or with a torch held flat against the wall). Lap marks, runs and roller tracks become visible
• Tiling: tap each tile with the handle of a screwdriver — a hollow sound indicates a debonded tile. Check grout lines (even, complete) and flatness (2 m rule, max 3 mm gap)
• Flooring: no loose boards, door thresholds fitted, expansion joints around the perimeter
• Skirtings and architraves: fitted, filled, no visible nails
• External render: even finish, no cracking, ventilation grilles in place

How to write up the defects

Every defect observed must be noted in a precise and located manner in the inspection report. A vague snag is a contestable snag.

The right wording

Photos: your best weapon

For each defect, take at least 2 photos:

• A context photo (the room, to locate the defect)
• A close-up photo (the defect in detail, with a tape measure or rule for scale)

Number your photos to match the items on the snagging list. In the event of a dispute, this photographic record will be your key piece of evidence.

The inspection report: the key document

The inspection report is the most important document in your construction file. It must contain:

1. The date of the inspection (this is the start point for the warranties)
2. The identity of the building owner (you) and the contractor
3. The address of the site
4. A description of the works inspected (reference to the quote/contract)
5. A numbered list of defects, with location and description
6. Signatures from both parties
7. The deadline agreed for remedying defects (typically 90 days)

Special case: the self-build inspection

In a self-build, the situation is mixed:

• Packages subcontracted to tradespeople → standard inspection, with report and snagging list. Each contractor is bound by the completion warranty on their package.
• Packages you built yourself → no formal inspection is possible (you cannot inspect your own work). But you must still carry out a rigorous self-assessment, because these packages will be covered by no legal warranty.
• Structural defects insurance (dommages-ouvrage under French law) → it covers the whole build, including your own work. It is your only protection on the packages you built yourself. Make sure your structural defects insurance is in place before the inspection.

The 5% retention money

If defects are listed, you have the right to withhold 5% of the total contract value until they are remedied. This mechanism is governed by French law of 16 July 1971 (loi du 16 juillet 1971):

• The 5% is held in escrow (not kept in your own account) — ideally with a trusted third party
• The contractor has the deadline agreed in the report (generally 90 days) to remedy the defects
• If everything is remedied → you release the balance
• If defects remain → you retain the corresponding sum

This retention is your most powerful negotiating lever. A tradesperson with 5% of their payment held back has every reason to return and fix the defects quickly.

After the inspection: the warranties that are triggered

The date recorded in your report is the start point for three legal warranties (French law):

This is why the inspection is so important: without a dated and signed report, none of these warranties begins. And without a warranty, you have no simple legal recourse against the contractor.

The most common mistakes to avoid

1. Inspecting too early — the contractor is pressing you, but finishes are still outstanding. Wait until the work is genuinely complete before calling the inspection.
2. Not notifying by recorded delivery — a contractor who has not been formally notified may challenge the validity of the inspection.
3. Signing without reading — the pre-filled “no defects” report is the classic trap. Read everything, word by word.
4. Forgetting the exterior — terrace, downpipes, render at plinth level, drainage… attention focuses inside and the outside gets missed.
5. Not photographing — in the event of a dispute, dated photos are your best evidence.
6. Confusing key handover with inspection — moving in does not count as a formal inspection. Formalise the report.