Interior and wet areas

Layout against your actual brief

Check room dimensions and layout against your buying brief's space requirements rather than a general impression — a property can feel spacious in photos and still not fit the furniture or use pattern your household actually needs. Check natural light, ventilation, storage and power-outlet placement, none of which usually appear in listing photos.

Signs of recent work

Fresh paint in one isolated area, new flooring that doesn't match the rest of the property, or a section of ceiling that looks different from the rest can indicate recent repair work — not necessarily a problem, but worth asking about specifically, and worth checking against the Section 32 and council records for whether a permit was obtained if the work was structural or significant.

Wet areas — the limits of a visual check

In bathrooms, laundries and kitchens, check sealant condition around showers and baths, ventilation (an exhaust fan, or a window), any odour, staining on cabinetry below sinks, and water pressure at taps. A visual check cannot detect a leak behind tiling or under flooring — that requires either invasive testing or reading a professional building inspection report, which typically also cannot detect concealed leaks without specific moisture-testing equipment.

Practical checklist

Interior and wet-area checklist

• Measure key rooms against your buying brief's space requirements
• Check natural light, ventilation, storage and power-outlet placement
• Look for isolated fresh paint, mismatched flooring or ceiling patching
• In wet areas, check sealant condition, ventilation, odour and cabinetry
• Ask about any recent work, and check whether a permit applied

Questions for a professional

• Was any renovation or repair work carried out, and was a building permit obtained if required?

Official resources