Example
What does it look like in practice?
A 'VAT' offer includes a fitted front door, plaster and socket outlets. Another uses the same expression but provides for a different wall treatment and does not include heaters or individual appliances.
If you compare the bids by this tag alone, you may mistakenly assume that you are getting the same degree of completion for both prices.
What is it commonly confused with?
The abbreviation does not guarantee a specific national housing transfer package and does not prove quality of implementation. "Turnkey" is also a trade term if no specification is attached.
The completed common part of the building and the completion inside the apartment must be considered separately.
Why does it matter?
For the buyer, a missed item becomes an unplanned expense and delay before moving in. An accurate specification allows for a comparison of bids, a completion budget and an objective handover inspection.
It also defines what a defect or non-performance can be claimed against, instead of the dispute remaining at the level of a general advertising promise.
What to ask
What should you check next?
Request a signed application for premises and systems: walls, floors, ceilings, doors, joinery, plumbing, electricity, heating, ventilation, measuring devices, terraces and common areas. Add brands or grades when promised and equivalent exchange procedure.
When handing over, use the specification line by line with a technical specialist and enter the deviations in the protocol.