ARQUS Check carries out independent pre-purchase apartment inspections in Thessaloniki, Halkidiki and Central Macedonia. We inspect the building first (façades, structure, roof terrace, stairwell, lift, meters, parking) and then the apartment itself, visually and non-destructively, with a thermal camera and moisture meter. The site visit usually takes 2–4 hours, and within 48–72 hours you receive a PDF report in English with photos, a score for each system and repair-cost estimates, co-signed by a civil engineer who is a member of the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE).
The building first, then the flat
When you buy an apartment in Greece, you also buy a share of the building (the polykatoikia). A roof terrace with failed waterproofing, render coming away from the façade or a lift that needs upgrading all become shared costs that you will pay part of. And many problems you can see inside a flat, such as damp on a top-floor ceiling or on a wall facing the light well, start outside it.
That is why every apartment inspection starts with the building.
What we inspect
Building and common areas
- General view and façades: render, external insulation, spalling.
- Foundations and structure where visible (pilotis, basement): cracks, settlement, exposed rebar.
- Damp, water ingress and mould odours in façades, basement and common areas.
- Building entrance: door, entry-phone panel, mailboxes.
- Stairwell and corridors: steps, handrails, lighting.
- Lift: shaft, car, doors, levelling, certification.
- Roof terrace: waterproofing, rainwater outlets, parapets, rooftop installations.
- Water meters, main water supply, tank and booster pump if any.
- Electricity meters and the common-area panel.
- Central-heating boiler room: boiler, burner, tank, flue.
- Common-area fire safety: extinguishers, emergency lighting, escape routes.
Parking
- Space dimensions and marking.
- Entrance, exit and ramp: gradient, visibility, manoeuvring.
- Garage door and operator: remote control, safety devices.
- Floor, drainage and watertightness.
- Lighting, ventilation and fire safety.
- How practical it really is: ease of parking, access to stairs and lift, mechanical parking systems.
Pool and shared amenities, where present
- Pool basin and lining, plant room (pumps, filters, dosing, ventilation).
- Water circulation, pool deck and safety, pool electrics.
- Garden, playground, gym, storage rooms.
The apartment
- Structure and envelope: columns, beams and slabs (cracks), external walls and thermal bridges, windows and shutters, balconies (cantilevers, falls, drainage), entrance door.
- Electrics: consumer unit, breakers and RCD, wiring, sockets and switches, light fittings, earthing, entry phone, telecoms.
- Plumbing: hot and cold pipework, drains and traps, water heater or solar, bathrooms, kitchen, pressure and flow.
- Heating and cooling: air-conditioning units (indoor and outdoor), radiators and heat meters, thermostats, bathroom and kitchen extraction, individual gas boiler, fireplace.
- Interior finishes: walls, floors, ceilings, doors, wardrobes, kitchen, tiling and grout.
- Damp and mould: readings with a moisture meter, FLIR thermal camera and endoscopic camera.
- Safety: smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, extinguisher, railings (height, gaps) and child safety.
Documents
We record whether they exist: building permit, topographic survey, land registry entry or title, TAP certificate, legalisation of unauthorised works (Law 4495/2017), Energy Performance Certificate, ENFIA, building regulations, floor plans, utility clearance certificates and insurance.
How it works
- Enquiry. Address, floor, size, whether there is parking or a pool, and your timeline.
- Quote and appointment. We ask the seller or agent for access to the roof terrace, basement, boiler room and parking space.
- Site visit of 2–4 hours. Building first, then apartment.
- Report in 48–72 hours, before you sign the preliminary contract.
What the report contains
- A summary of key findings, split between the building and the apartment.
- A score for every system.
- Prioritised issues with indicative repair-cost estimates.
- Photo evidence and thermal images.
- Your choice of English, German, Bulgarian, Serbian or Greek.
- Co-signature by a TEE-member civil engineer.
Who it is for
- First-time buyers who want to know what maintenance costs lie ahead.
- Investors buying to let who need a clear picture before renovating.
- Buyers who live elsewhere in Greece or abroad and cannot view the property themselves.
We are not estate agents, we do not act for the seller and we take no commissions.
What it does not cover
The inspection is visual and non-invasive. We do not open walls, move furniture or inspect pipes and cables inside walls. We do not assess structural adequacy, issue Energy Performance Certificates, measure exact floor area or value the property. See the full list of what we don't do.
Where we work
Thessaloniki and its suburbs, Halkidiki and Central Macedonia. Buying a detached house or villa instead? See our villa and house inspection. Read more about our founder and lead inspector, Georgios Papangelou.
Next step
- Phone & WhatsApp: +30 698 750 4050
- Email: a4uusa@yahoo.com
- Office: Navarchou Kountourioti 19, 2nd floor, 54625 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Hours: Monday–Saturday, 09:00–19:00 (Greek time)