Pre-purchase assessment — find the unauthorised works before you sign the SPA.
Buying a property in Singapore? Three things kill the deal at conveyancing: unauthorised mezzanines, illegal extensions, and structural defects from past A&A. CVC Engineers inspects the property, flags every compliance issue, and gives you a lawyer-ready report — with the regularisation cost priced — before you commit.
Get a pre-purchase quoteWhy your conveyancing lawyer wants this report.
Property lawyers can read a title search. They cannot tell whether a mezzanine in the loft was approved by BCA. CVC Engineers fills that gap — a registered Professional Engineer's independent compliance assessment, written so a lawyer can rely on it.
Most pre-purchase deal failures in Singapore happen at the buyer's lawyer's compliance check — usually 2–4 weeks after the Option to Purchase is exercised. The lawyer asks for as-built drawings and BCA approvals; the seller can't produce them; the buyer either walks away or negotiates a price reduction.
CVC Engineers' pre-purchase assessment runs before you exercise the OTP. The deliverable is a written report covering:
- Compliance check — every visible structural element vs. BCA approved drawings
- Unauthorised works register — identified items, severity grading, regularisation feasibility
- Structural defect map — cracks, settlement, water damage, façade integrity
- Regularisation cost estimate — itemised, with timeline
- Risk grade — Green / Amber / Red recommendation
- Lawyer's annex — short-form summary your conveyancing lawyer can attach to the SPA
When to commission:
- Pre-OTP — best timing. You haven't paid the option fee, walking away costs nothing.
- Post-OTP, pre-SPA — common. You have ~14 days to discover problems; we can rush.
- Selling side — sellers commission us to clear the file before listing, removing buyer-side surprises and supporting the asking price.
- Bank financing — some banks now require a structural compliance letter for older landed properties before approving the loan.
- Insurance underwriting — high-value heritage properties may require structural certification before policy issue.
Properties we commonly assess: landed homes (especially those with rear A&A), older condominiums (1980s–2000s), HDB flats with renovation history, conservation shophouses, commercial units with prior fit-out, and any property with a known unauthorised works dispute.
A real pre-purchase report sheet.
Visualised compliance audit of a 2-storey landed home being assessed for sale. Plan view shows every checked item; status colour-codes the findings; the cost-to-clear annex on the right is the number your lawyer will care about most.
Pre-purchase assessment cost ranges.
Indicative 2026 fees. Rush turnaround (≤ 3 days) available for an additional 50%.
| Property type | Size / scope | Indicative fee (SGD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDB flat | 3-room to executive | 1,500 – 2,500 | Most common. Focus on past renovation history. |
| Condo unit | 1-BR to penthouse | 1,800 – 4,000 | Higher fee for older condos / penthouse mezz |
| Landed home — terrace | Single unit | 2,500 – 5,000 | Including rear / front yard structures |
| Landed home — semi-D / detached | Single unit | 3,500 – 7,000 | Larger envelope, more pages of records |
| Conservation shophouse | Single shophouse | 4,000 – 8,000 | URA Conservation overlay adds complexity |
| Commercial unit / office floor | Single strata | 3,000 – 6,000 | Past fit-out compliance focus |
| Industrial / B2 unit | Single strata | 3,500 – 7,500 | JTC compliance + mezzanine check |
| Rush turnaround (≤ 3 days) | Any | +50% | Add to base fee. Common pre-OTP timing. |
After the assessment — what comes next.
About to sign? Get the report first.
Address, property type, your timeline. We reply within one working day with a fixed-fee scope and the earliest site visit slot. Rush turnaround available.
Get a pre-purchase quote