Graphical abstract

This study determines the types of defects often detected in residential buildings based on the criteria set by the Construction Industry Standard (CIS) 7: 2006–Quality Assessment System for Building Construction Work. Twenty-two terraced two-story houses located in Selangor, Malaysia were visually inspected and assessed in terms of building condition, and results were reported based on the Condition Survey Protocol 1 Matrix. Assessment findings were consolidated with those of defective groups based on the criteria of CIS 7: 2006 to determine the defect type, building component, and construction field in which defects often occur. Results show that most of the inspected houses are dilapidated even though they were recently completed. The most severe building defects are detected in the architecture. Furthermore, floors and walls are major contributors to building defects. Mainly as a result of poor workmanship, the most common defects involve finishing, alignment and evenness, and joint and gap. Thus, this study proposes a method to ensure high-quality workmanship