Before you sign the final HDB release form on your BTO flat, you should have already done the requisite self-education on the potential faults to check in your new home (in case you have decided not to engage with a professional defect check contractor), performed a thorough inspection where you identified defects or any construction aspects you weren’t happy with, and consolidated a report on them for filing as a rectification request at the BSC. 

Self-education is one half of a successful home defect check, the other half is securing the right set of tools and knowing the function of each tool and how to use it during the inspection. This article on the telescopic wall check hammer is the first in a series of five micro reviews on the different tools you will be needing to carry out an effective inspection of your BTO flat. These tools are all included in BTO Defect Check’s $20 deal which also includes an empowering thirty-minute in-person demonstration of their use by our expert team of handymen and home inspection specialists.

What is a telescopic wall check hammer?

A wall check hammer is a stainless steel tube with a stainless steel weight at its tip. It is normally outfitted with a telescopic handle so it can be extended to a desired length, especially when you are trying to reach and test areas that are tight and difficult to access. The telescopic handle is also coated with an anti-skid sponge to enable a firm grip when using the hammer.

Why do you need a telescopic wall check hammer?

Whenever you need to check for structural defects on the ceilings, tiled floors, and walls, you use a telescopic wall check hammer to test the integrity of those parts. Hollow and unevenly thickened areas as well as loose tiles are easily revealed through a tap of a telescopic wall check hammer.

Where do you get a telescopic wall check hammer?

Hardware stores might carry a telescopic wall check hammer that you can use for your home inspection. Or, you can source one from an online shopping platform. We also recommend getting your very own telescopic wall check hammer as part of BTO Defect Check’s $20 deal of expertly curated set of home inspection tools plus a thirty-minute in-person demonstration of their use by our skilled team of handymen.

The underlying defects that the telescopic wall check hammer–as well as the other essential home inspection tools–can help you uncover may have been caused by HDB’s construction or from your requested renovation work–which means it is important that you complete and file your inspection report within one month of your key-collection day, which is also the start date of your Defects Liability Period, and way before you begin any renovation work on your flat.