General Home Inspection Checklist – Reval

Inspections can be both exhausting but exciting moments for most homebuyers. Aside from inspecting of course, it’s also going to be an opportunity to reassure yourself that you’re getting your ideal home, and basically, it’s going to be a day full of fun and surprises!

Before anything else though, you need to consider getting a professional home inspector. If possible, allocate a decent amount of time for the activity so you won’t miss anything. Remember, this is the most crucial thing you need to do before signing any legal documents. In any case, you can bring your agent with you for inquiries and assistance.

Moreso, make sure that you also bring a home inspection checklist that you and your hired home inspector can refer to at all times. Provided below is our very own one, and we’re glad to share it with you for your convenience. Feel free to serve this as your reference:

General Home Inspection Checklist

ELECTRICAL

Avoid posing a hazard to your family by ensuring that the wirings and other electrical components of your property is in good working order. Check out the circuit breakers, conductors, main panel, outlets and switches. Are there any signs of malfunctions? What about the types of wiring and service grounding? A comprehensive electrical inspection is a MUST to prevent a fire hazard, so make sure that you also involve the following in your home inspection:

• interior components of service panels and subpanels
• light fixtures, switches and receptacles
• service drops
• service entrance conductors, cables and raceways
• service equipment and main disconnects

EXTERIOR

Definitely, the exterior of the house is always the first one to be noticed. Is everything looking good in terms of the windows, sidings and paintings on the wall? How about the wires? Are they dangling? Is the drainage far from the house or the lot? It’s important that you check all of these. including the elevation and landscaping of the property, as well as the balconies, chimney, decks, fences, garages, walkways, etc to avoid any regrets.

FOUNDATION

It all goes down to THE foundation. Check if there are cracks or any apparent shifts in the foundation of the house. Is there a problem with the base of the ceilings and walls? Take note that inspecting the standpoint and overall structure of the property would prevent you from having any serious damages in the long run. If you want to, you may even hire an engineer for this particular task.

GUTTERS AND ROOFS

Be it on a snowy or stormy day, your roof is your lifesaver! If you find that the roof is almost wearing out or collapsing, take immediate actions and ensure that it’s ALWAYS in good condition. One step to do this it to avoid having clogged downpipes and gutters. Make sure that they are securely attached and free of debris as well.

INTERIOR

From built-in microwaves to washing machines, (installed) appliances should also be checked in case they are left in the home. Apart from this, you can also save a good energy flow by making sure that the attic/roof has proper framing, ventilation and no signs of leaks. This also goes for the basement, ceilings and windows in each room, if there is any.

Other parts of the home’s interior that you should inspect include:

• ducts and vents
• fireplace
• front and garage doors, etc.
• stains in the carpet or holes in the walls
• stairways and steps

PESTS

You wouldn’t want to live in a house full of pests, right? Make sure that you at least require a pest inspection to find out if there are fungi, rodents and other wood-destroying organisms living inside the property. If possible, conduct a pest inspection in the garage and other potential areas you think these organisms are residing.

PLUMBING

What are the pipe materials used for drain, waste and vent pipes? What is the condition of the faucets, showers, sinks and toilets? Are there any unusual noises or potential cracks? How about the sump pumps and sewage ejectors? Are there any malfunctions? These are just some of the important questions you need to find out when it comes to plumbing. Make sure you’d cover everything.

SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS

Besides the sinks and toilets, it’s vital that you also inspect the air conditioner, smoke alarms and water heater. Make sure they are still working properly by keeping the batteries up to snuff or changing the filters of the heating and cooling system regularly. Other than that, you also need to check out the ff:

• access panels
• distribution, exhaust and vent systems
• insulation
• thermostats
   

During the inspection, make sure that you follow along as much as you can. It’s essential that you’re fully aware of what’s going in the property, so you’d also have an idea on what to maintain and repair.

As well, take note that not everyone on this list can be covered by just one professional home inspector. You might also need to hire other specialists such as a licensed electrician, exterminator, pest inspector, etc. to inspect certain areas. Don’t worry a lot about the money if you’re a first time homebuyer or renter. You don’t have an idea yet on how to do the inspection, so it’s probably better to be financially prepared for this activity.

Who knows? After this, you might be able to perform a DIY home inspection already. In that case, you’re going to save tons of time and money on costly future home repairs, since you already know the trouble spots to look out for as well as the materials you’ll be needing for the inspection. Correct?