6 Essential Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist for 2025

Buildings, whether residential towers, commercial offices or mixed-use complexes, face wear and tear every day. Weather, usage, ageing materials, and evolving safety standards mean that even well-built properties need regular checks. As we move into 2025, there is growing pressure, such as regulatory, financial, and ethical, to ensure buildings are safe, efficient, and compliant.

A strong building maintenance inspection checklist helps managers, owners, and facility teams stay ahead of issues. It serves as a guide for what to inspect, when to do it, and how to act on findings. In doing so, it saves money, prevents accidents, extends the life of building components, and helps with maintaining tenant satisfaction.

What Is a Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist?

A building maintenance inspection checklist is a structured list of all the items, systems, and areas in a building that should be inspected regularly. 

The checklist covers structural components (like walls, roofs, facades), mechanical components (such as plumbing, ACMV, electrical), safety features (fire alarms, emergency lighting), and other parts like finishes and fixtures. It is used by trained personnel: property managers, facility engineers, or external inspectors to ensure nothing important is overlooked.

In addition, the checklist often includes details such as condition ratings, required repairs, compliance with local codes, and priority levels. 

For example, in Singapore, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has regulations like the Periodic Structural Inspection (PSI) regime for building structures and the Periodic Facade Inspection (PFI) regime for exterior facades. These set minimum inspection intervals for certain building types to ensure public safety.

6 Essential Items to Include in a 2025 Checklist

For 2025, inspection checklists must cover both traditional maintenance areas and emerging concerns.

1. Exterior Facade and Structural Integrity

Inspect exterior walls, parapets, windows, joints, and any decorative facade elements for cracks, corrosion, spalling, or loose parts. Singapore’s PFI regime requires buildings more than 20 years old and over 13 metres tall to undergo facade inspections every seven years. 

2. Roof, Gutters and Drainage Systems

Check roof membranes, tiles, flashing and seals. Confirm that gutters and downspouts are clear, properly attached, and that water is draining away from the building. Ponding water or blocked drainage often leads to leaks or structural damage.

3. Electrical and Lighting Systems

Inspect wiring, switchboards, outlets, emergency lighting, exit signs, and circuit breakers. Ensure that all lighting is functional, safely wired, and meets code for fire safety and energy efficiency.

4. Plumbing, Water Supply and Sanitation

Look for leaks, pipe corrosion, water pressure issues, and the condition of water heaters. Sanitary facilities, sewers, and sewer vents should be inspected to prevent health hazards and water damage.

5. Fire Safety and Emergency Systems

Inspect fire alarms, sprinklers, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, smoke detectors and evacuation signs. Check that pathways are clear, exit doors open properly, and backup systems (power, water) are functional.

6. ACMV, Ventilation, and Air Quality

Inspect heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for filters, duct cleanliness, blower performance, and cooling coils. Also check for indoor air quality metrics like humidity, mould, and ventilation flow.

Key Benefits of Using a Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist

Below are five of the most important benefits.

• Improved Safety: Regular inspections catch hazards early, such as loose facade elements or structural cracks, reducing risk to occupants and the public.

• Cost Savings: Early detection of issues like leaks, rust, or electrical faults means repairs can be scheduled rather than emergency fixes, which are often much more expensive.

• Regulatory Compliance: Many jurisdictions have requirements like Singapore’s PFI and PSI regimes, which mandate inspections at set intervals. A checklist helps ensure all legal and code obligations are met. 

• Preserving Property Value: Well-maintained buildings look better, perform better in energy efficiency, and attract tenants or buyers. That helps maintain or increase the asset’s value.

• Better Planning and Budgeting: With documented inspection results over time, property managers can budget ahead for maintenance, allocate resources more wisely, and avoid surprises.

How Often Should Inspections Be Done in 2025?

Inspection frequency depends on building type, age, use, and local regulation. For many buildings in Singapore, structural inspections have set intervals. Non-residential buildings often require structural inspection every five years. Buildings used mostly for residential purposes may have longer intervals, like every ten years. 

Exemptions apply, for example, for low-rise houses used exclusively as residences or temporary structures. 

Facade inspections under the PFI regime must occur every seven years for certain buildings that exceed age or height thresholds. Apart from regulatory requirements, routine inspections (monthly, quarterly, semi-annual) of critical systems like fire safety, plumbing, and electrical are helpful. These shorter interval inspections help discover defects early before they become more serious or expensive to fix.

Best Practices for Carrying Out Inspections

To make inspections effective, you need more than a good checklist. How you carry out the inspections matters just as much. These best practices help ensure inspections are thorough, reliable, and useful.

• Use Trained and Qualified Inspectors: Qualified engineers, electricians, or certified facade inspectors ensure technical issues are recognised properly, compliance is identified, and professional guidance is given.

• Document Everything Clearly: Use photographs, condition ratings, and detailed notes. Clear documentation aids follow-up work, budgeting, and accountability.

• Prioritise Safety during Inspection: Ensure safe access to roofs, facades, or high areas. Use proper safety gear and methods to protect inspectors and occupants.

• Follow Up Promptly on Defects: When issues are found, prioritise them by severity and schedule repairs quickly. Delaying fixes often leads to bigger problems later.

• Review and Update the Checklist Regularly: As building codes, technologies, and environmental concerns evolve, your checklist must adapt. What worked ten years ago may no longer be enough.

Modern Tools That Simplify Building Inspections in 2025

Here are some tools and technologies that are making building inspection easier, safer, and more precise.

1. Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Useful for inspecting high facades, roofs, and hard-to-reach exterior areas. Singapore’s BCA guidelines have encouraged the use of drones for facade inspections under the new PFI regime. 
   

2. Thermal Imaging and Infrared Cameras: These detect hidden issues like water ingress or insulation failure by spotting temperature differences. For facades and roofing, this helps find leaks or defects not visible.
   

3. Mobile Inspection Apps: Apps allow inspectors to record findings onsite, attach photos, assign condition ratings, and generate reports automatically. This cuts paperwork, reduces errors, and speeds up follow-up actions.
   

4. Cloud-Based Reporting and Data Management: Storing inspection histories in cloud platforms enables easier trend analysis, monitoring recurring issues across multiple properties, and helps in long-term planning.
   

5. Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Twins: These allow managers to visualise building components in 3D, simulate different maintenance scenarios, and predict performance. BIM helps detect clashes, plan interventions, and track assets more accurately.

Conclusion on Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist for 2025

A building maintenance inspection checklist is essential in 2025 for keeping buildings safe, compliant and efficient. With regulations tightening, ageing building stock, and rising demand for sustainability, skipping or having incomplete inspections is risky.

At Abacus Property, we combine our experience in alternative facility management with careful attention to detail so that our clients get consistent, high-quality services.

Contact us to learn how we can help you implement a robust inspection system tailored to your buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist for 2025

What Should Be Included In A Building Maintenance Inspection Checklist?

The checklist should include items like structural integrity, exterior facades, roof drainage, plumbing leaks, electrical safety, fire and emergency systems, ACMV performance, and documentation of any defects.

Who Should Conduct Building Inspections?

Inspections should be carried out by trained, qualified professionals such as structural engineers, facade inspectors, certified electricians or certified facility managers, depending on the component. For regulatory inspections, a Competent Person must be appointed.

How Often Should Building Inspections Be Done?

It depends on the type, use, and age of the building. For example, in Singapore, non-residential buildings require structural inspection every five years, while all residential building inspections happen every ten years. Facade inspections for older tall buildings are required every seven years under new regimes. 

What Are Common Tools Used During Inspections?

Tools may include drones for external scans, infrared cameras for thermal leaks, mobile apps to capture findings onsite, cloud software to manage data, and BIM or digital twin platforms for modelling and planning.

How Does A Checklist Help With Budgeting And Maintenance Planning?

A documented checklist with condition reports over time helps facility teams see recurring issues, predict when systems may fail, and allocate maintenance budgets before emergencies happen. It supports strategic decisions and helps reduce unexpected expenses.