Zürich
Independent Building Surveys
Independent technical inspections for property buyers in Zürich — saving you unnecessary hidden costs of up to CHF 100,000.
Load-bearing walls, settlement cracks, structural integrity.
Tiles, flashing, insulation, timber condition.
Rising damp, condensation, water ingress — measured, not guessed.
Wiring age, safety standards, capacity.
Pipe condition, drainage, water pressure.
Seals, frames, thermal performance.
Thermal bridges, U-values, energy performance.
Structural versus cosmetic — and which is which.
Boiler age, radiators, air exchange.
Independent floor-area measurement and verification.
Render, balconies, drainage, boundary structures.
Visible mould, humidity levels, ventilation adequacy.
I’m Alice Carpenter — Baugutachterin and RICS-accredited Building Surveyor. I arrive with a thermal camera and moisture meters, I go into the cellar, I get onto the roof, and I read the minutes of the owners’ assembly — because the most expensive thing in a Swiss purchase is rarely the crack you can see. Then I tell you, in plain English, exactly what you are buying: the good, the bad, and the expensive.
British training, continental practice. Before ABC Experts I worked for boutique technical due-diligence firms across the DACH region, which is why every finding in my reports carries a number rather than an adjective. I work exclusively for buyers and owners — never for the seller, never for the contractor whose work I am assessing.
Every finding in the report is backed by a reading — surface moisture, infrared temperature, humidity, structure. If a wall is damp, you'll know how damp, how far, and what it costs to fix.
Capacitive moisture mapping · infrared thermometry · thermal imaging on request · endoscope inspection
| Reading (capacitive) | Condition | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 40 | Dry | Low — normal for heated rooms |
| 40 – 80 | Elevated | Watch — cause worth investigating |
| 80 – 120 | Damp | High — active moisture likely |
| 120 + | Saturated | Critical — remediation needed |
"The apartment always looks perfect. The building, the roof, the minutes — that's where the money hides."
A link or address is enough. We reply within one working day with the next Zürich inspection dates and a fixed price.
Scheduled Zürich dates, several properties per trip — that's how travel stays included and prices stay fixed. You're welcome to join.
Every defect photographed, rated and costed, in clear English — ready for your negotiation, or your walk-away decision.
The flat itself was fine. Two floors up: mould and a saturated wall. And in the minutes of the owners’ assembly: a rejected insurance claim the seller never mentioned — collective repairs of €20,000+ heading for every owner.
A burst riser, an insurance repair, a gleaming new bathroom. But next door, paint was peeling off the shared wall — the repair had sealed the moisture in, and the pin meter proved it.
Fixed prices, agreed before you book: a Red Flag Check from CHF 750, a full building survey from CHF 1'450, and a remote document review from CHF 250. Villa and estate inspections are quoted individually within 48 hours. Travel within the Zurich area is included on scheduled inspection dates — no hidden fees.
The Red Flag Check answers one question: are there deal-breakers? One to two hours on site, a traffic-light summary, and a clear go / no-go recommendation. The Full Survey documents everything — every defect photographed and costed, documents reviewed, negotiation summary included. If you upgrade from Red Flag to Full later, the fee is credited.
Yes — that is its main job. Each defect comes with photographic evidence and an estimated repair cost, giving you concrete numbers for the negotiation. Clients typically negotiate CHF 15,000–40,000 off the purchase price, or walk away from a bad purchase before it becomes theirs.
Yes — Küsnacht, Zollikon, Herrliberg, Erlenbach, the lake communities and beyond. Villa inspections cover the full footprint: main house, outbuildings, grounds, drainage, pools and boundary structures. Quoted individually, fixed price within 48 hours.
Send the listing or address through the form below or by WhatsApp. Within one working day you receive the next available Zürich dates and a fixed price. No obligation — and no payment until the date is confirmed.
We reply within one working day with the next available Zürich dates. After the inspection, your written report arrives within 24 hours — photos, ratings and repair costs included. If your offer deadline is tight, say so; we can often accommodate it.
Yes — and we encourage it. Walking the property together is worth half the report: you see every finding in place and can ask anything on the spot. If you can't attend, we call you afterwards and walk you through the findings one by one.
Ideally: the listing, floor plans, minutes of the owners' assemblies from the last three years, the renewal fund statement, and any past damage or repair reports. Don't worry if you have only part of this — we'll tell you exactly what is missing and why it matters.
We are based in Switzerland and operate across the whole DACH region — Zürich and German-speaking Switzerland, Germany, and Austria on request. Zürich inspections run on scheduled dates, several properties per trip, which keeps travel included and prices fixed.
Yes. ABC Experts provides independent, English-speaking building surveys across Zurich and the surrounding area — Wiedikon, Enge, Seefeld, Oerlikon, Altstetten, Küsnacht, Zollikon, Winterthur and beyond. Every report and consultation is delivered in clear English, with German available on request.
Yes. Start with the remote document review (from CHF 250): we read the listing, plans, minutes and fund statements and tell you whether the property deserves a flight. If it does, we inspect on site — with you there or on a video call.
Yes. Building surveying is not a protected profession in the canton of Zürich, and our work is fully covered by professional indemnity insurance. Certification: DESAG-certified expert for building damage and valuation per DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024.
Twelve areas: foundation and structure, roof and attic, moisture and damp, electrical systems, plumbing, windows and doors, insulation and energy, walls and cracks, heating and ventilation, floor area and layout, façade and exterior, and mould and air quality. Every finding is photographed, rated traffic-light style and given a repair cost estimate — plus a review of the sale documents.
Yes, and with special attention to what surrounds the apartment: the building's common parts, the roof, the façade, and the paperwork — minutes of the owners' assembly, the renewal fund (Erneuerungsfonds), and planned works. An underfunded Erneuerungsfonds is one of the most expensive surprises in Swiss property purchases.
Construction physics doesn't stop at the border — damp, cracks, roofs and botched renovations behave the same in Wiedikon as in Wilmersdorf. Where Swiss norms (SIA) are relevant to a finding, the report says so.
Yes, on request. We attend the handover (Abnahme) with you, document every defect before you sign, and make sure nothing is accepted until it is properly recorded — the moment defects become your problem is the moment you sign.