A beautiful interior cannot tell you whether rainwater collects outside, a road becomes impassable or a building has the approvals claimed in its advert. Weather and construction checks belong in the viewing process, not at the end of negotiation.
Visit at the right times
Inspect the property in daylight and, if practical, after significant rain. Look for water marks on compound walls, swollen doors, salt deposits, damp cupboards and recently replaced skirting. Walk the road that connects the building to a main route. Ask residents how long water remains after storms, but treat any one answer as a lead to verify rather than a guarantee.
Look at drainage direction, blocked channels, low points and whether neighbouring plots have been raised above the property. A dry viewing on a dry day tells you little about seasonal access. Flood history is often local to a street or plot, so broad area reputation is insufficient.
Request documents appropriate to the building
For a new or substantially altered building, ask for planning approval and completion evidence. Lagos's building-control agency says its inspectors compare construction with the development permit and issue a certificate after final inspection. Its guide outlines stage inspection and fitness-for-habitation processes. Ask the owner for document numbers that can be checked; do not mistake a sales brochure or structural drawing for a final certificate.
Visible distress deserves professional attention. Cracks, sinking floors, exposed reinforcement, persistent leaks or improvised extra floors are reasons to commission a qualified inspection. A layperson's checklist cannot establish structural safety.
Put findings into the decision
Estimate the cost of waterproofing, drainage, maintenance and insurance as well as the risk to belongings and daily access. For a rental, have promised repairs and the condition of the unit recorded before paying. For a purchase, make unresolved inspection concerns conditions of the offer or walk away.
Ask a local agent about comparable properties and practical access, but hire an independent building professional when the stakes justify it. The safest property is one whose physical condition and approvals you can verify, not merely one that looks new.
Sources
Official pages this guide relies on. Rules and fees change, so check the current version before you act.
- Building-control agency (lasbca.lagosstate.gov.ng)
- Guide (lasbca.lagosstate.gov.ng)
Related reading: Questions to ask at a viewing · Buying checklist.