Streaks, clouds and colour differences
Uneven areas become visible in raking light. Without a photo before handover, the client usually bears the cost of making good later.
Painting & final surfaces: visual inspection in daylight
Paint and wallpaper offer the greatest potential for dispute: streaks, stains and untidy edges often only become visible in raking light. Check every room systematically — corrections are cheaper now than after moving in.
The most common expensive defects in painting and surfaces
Untidy edges at ceiling, floor and openings
Look out for frayed lines, colour transitions and paint residue on adjacent components. These are typical complaints and expensive to make good.
Stains, touch-ups and bleed-through
Moisture marks, filler spots and insufficient priming only show clearly after drying. Document these anomalies precisely.
Wallpaper joints and pattern faults
Open joints, bubbles and misaligned patterns jump out immediately upon moving in. They are hard to settle without dispute later.
What you should document and check now in painting and surfaces
Photograph every wall in raking light
Examine the surfaces in daylight from a distance of about one metre. Take an overview photo per room and close-ups of defects in side-falling light.
Check edges and junctions systematically
Check the transitions at the ceiling, floor connections as well as window and door reveals. Look for straight lines and clean colour transitions.
Mark and note open items
Mark the spot with masking tape and note the room and wall side. This makes the list for making good and handover unambiguous.
Check wallpapers and textured surfaces
Photograph joint seams, bubbles and visible touch-ups from close up. If necessary, use a flashlight for flat raking light.
Secure paint and edges now
Upload your photos — you will get a structured overview of the open items on surfaces and edges.