Hello World! Welcome Friends! Buying a house is an emotional time, filled with stress and excitement, doubly so with a new-construction home. As one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your lifetime, you want to make sure that your home is up to standards.
This is where inspection comes in handy. Whether you’re buying an existing home or a newly built one, Open Insurance says that home inspections are handy in discovering possible oversights and quirks of a home.
In general, you can hire a professional inspector to examine a house meticulously. However, since you’ll be the homeowner, you may want to create your own home inspection checklist and accompany the inspector. If so, we share a simple home inspection checklist to follow on your own.
1. Grounds and Overall Exterior
During an inspection, the first thing you should examine is the house’s exterior and the property’s overall condition. Walk around the house on the outside and inspect the walls and their structure. You should also look for drainage and grading, the integrity of the siding and foundation, as well as the exterior paint.
Also, don’t forget to check the outdoor elements such as landscaping, garage, deck, stairs, patio, and driveway to ensure that they’re all up to your liking.
2. Roof
A home’s roof is one of the most important parts of any home. It is responsible for protecting your home’s interior all year round, so it’s only vital to ensure that it’s up to standards. If you can join your inspector up the roof, check if the roof is properly installed and sealed. Check for any shingles that are not laid right or nails sticking up. Also, don’t forget to check gutters, fascia boards, and flashings.
3. Home Openings
Next, you want to scrutinize the home’s openings. This includes the doors, windows, ventilators, and chimneys if you have one. Openings like doors and windows are more prone to wear and tear, so make sure to evaluate their conditions and expected lifespan carefully.
Search for improper installation, cracks, decay or rotting, lack of caulking, and other potential damages to each door and window in the home.
4. Kitchen
As the busiest area in a home, it’s important to ensure that every kitchen feature is in tip-top shape. Some elements you need to scrutinize include appliances, fixtures, drawers and cabinets, drainage and water flow, exhaust fan, and safety outlets.
5. Bathrooms
Bathroom issues are quite expensive to fix and replace. Thus, you want to thoroughly examine your bathroom fixtures and elements such as toilet, sink, shower, tub, tiles, flooring, and exhaust fan. More importantly, you want to check for the water pressure and flow, noting any issues with leakage and plumbing.
6. Interior Rooms
In terms of a house’s interior rooms, you have more to worry about than the paint color. Inner spaces, including the living room and bedrooms, should be examined thoroughly for potential structural issues.
In general, you should cover the walls, floors, and ceilings. Check the moldings for any protruding nail heads or any gaps in need of caulking. You also want to check for outlets, lights and switches, insulation, and temperature control.
7. Basement and Crawl Spaces
The basement and crawl space are other important components of a home inspection checklist. The most important thing you need to check in the basement is moisture. Basements are prone to moisture, which can be problematic to the overall structural integrity of the home’s foundation. Check for potential insulation-related issues or potential leaks in the area. Look for small openings that may allow pests inside. Check for these potential problems when checking the crawl space.
8. Attic
Moving to the opposite end of a house, the attic is one of the most overlooked areas of a home. However, inspecting the attic can provide signs and clues to the overall structural integrity of a house.
The most important things you need to check in the attic are insulation and ventilation. You also need to check for potential structural damage, leaks as well as plumbing integrity.
9. Major Systems
After going through each area of your home, the last things on your inspection list are the major systems installed within. This may include the home’s electrical, heating and plumbing systems. That said, since these systems are complex, it’s best to leave them to the experts for thorough inspections.
Takeaway
Your home is the biggest and most valuable investment you’ll ever make. A thorough home inspection can make sure that you’re making a good investment and help pinpoint problematic areas that should be resolved before the turnover. So, make sure to use the above list when inspecting a specific house before finally calling it your home.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
How to Bring Your Style Into Your Home
6 Reasons to Renovate Your Home This Summer
What to Look Out For in the Perfect Armchair
How Long Do Metal Roofs Really Last?
5 Ways Bad Plumbing Could be Harmful to Your Health
What Do You Need If You Want to Move to a Completely Different Part of the World?
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Toodles,
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