Why have a house inspected before you buy it
A house can look spotless in the advert's photos and hide cracks under fresh render, damp behind a piece of furniture, makeshift wiring or a roof that lets water in during the rainy season. Once the sale is signed, these repairs are yours.
When you buy from abroad, it is hard to get a fair picture: the seller or the agent wants the deal to go through, and a relative does not always have a technical eye. An independent inspection gives you facts, observed on the day of the visit, to decide on.
What the technician inspects
The technician goes through the house room by room, from the outside to the roof, and photographs everything in the SEETLU app:
- Cracks in walls, columns and the slab
- Damp and leaks, at the foot of the walls and under the roof
- The electrical panel and the visible state of the wiring
- Visible plumbing: water supply, drains, septic tank
- The roof or roof terrace, waterproofing and drainage
- Doors, windows, render and finishes
- The surroundings: wall, access, immediate neighbours
Every photo carries the date, the time in Dakar and where you live, the GPS position and a fingerprint that reveals any editing. The report reaches your client area, checked by SEETLU, with a « Verify this report » link you can show the seller, your bank or your notary.
It is a visual inspection: SEETLU observes and reports, we do not certify the structure and we do not replace a structural engineer. If a point needs an engineer's opinion, the report says so.
Price of the pre-purchase inspection
For a studio or a flat with up to two bedrooms, the inspection takes one day: 125,000 FCFA, report included. For a villa or a building, the number of days depends on the area and the floors; each extra day on site costs 80,000 FCFA. A finished villa up to 300 m² usually takes two days, that is 205,000 FCFA. Travel depends on the town and is always shown in your quote, sent the same day.
Using the report to negotiate
A defect that is observed, photographed and dated is a concrete argument. You can ask the seller to repair it before the sale, to lower the price, or decide to walk away. Either way, you decide: SEETLU takes no side, does not negotiate for you and never touches the money of the sale.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be there during the inspection?
No. The seller or the agent just needs to let the technician in on the agreed date. You follow everything from afar and receive the report within 24 hours in your client area.
How long does the inspection take?
One day for a studio or a flat with up to two bedrooms. For a villa or a building, the estimate is given in the quote from the area and the floors, then confirmed after the visit.
Does the inspection rule out hidden defects?
No. The technician observes what can be seen on the day of the visit and documents it with sealed photos. Nothing is taken apart and the structure is not certified. What cannot be seen cannot be observed.
Do you also check the house's papers?
The technician can compare what they see with the plans you send. The legal check of the title deed remains the notary's job.
Buying a house in Senegal?
Ask for your quote today: an approved technician inspects the house before you sign, and you receive the report within 24 hours.
Read also : the land check · house plans · the building permit · home watch · the SEETLU home page