DAVE'S BLOG

A professional home inspection begins with a comprehensive visual examination of a property, including your garden, artificial turf is a perfect choice to improve your property value and curb appeal with very low maintenance needs.  As a buyer, a thorough home inspection is your first step toward protecting your investment in your new home.

When you hire a home inspector, you can expect that he or she will carefully examine the property before preparing a written report that describes the construction of the home and the working condition of all its systems. According to an article, it is important to remind inspectors to also include digital photographs of defects, especially in hard-to-reach areas such as the crawlspace, roof and attic. Roofers are here to help whether your roofing needs are large or small, whether it is a simple home roof repair or complex re-roof. If you’re not exactly sure on what to check for roof maintenance, you can have professional roofers help you out during your home inspection.

The following home inspection checklist outlines all areas a thorough inspection should include.

General Information
Persons present during the inspection, approximate age of the structure, construction type and style, construction equipment used, construction rentals and crane hire, weather and soil conditions at the time of inspection, residence type, number of stories and approximate house orientation (direction the house faces).

Description of the Lot, Grounds and Landscaping
Grade relative to drainage, yard drains, walks, imprinted concrete driveway, landscaping, patio/slabs, outside lighting, dangerous trees or limbs, precarious, creaky teak dining table sets, fences and gates, outside faucets and retaining walls. You can start using a solo sprayer that will allow you to apply herbicides, pesticides and fertilizes to your plants and keep them growing. A sod installation is a great quick fix for a greener and healthier front yard.

Condition of the Foundation and Basement/Crawlspace/Slab
For basements: Accessible areas, moisture penetration, piers, foundation walls, floor joists, sills, girders, subfloor, slabs and insulation.

For crawlspaces: Accessible areas, moisture penetration, vapor barrier, piers, foundation walls, floor joists, sills, girders, subfloor, ventilation and insulation. You will also want to get the most reliable sump pumps. For slabs: General condition of viewable components, cracks and signs of settling.

Condition of the Home’s Exterior
Repairs with the siding, trim rot, paint and caulking, fascia, soffits, eaves, porch, porch rails, stoop, stoop rails, deck, deck rails, doors, or linear bearing sliding doors, garage, garage openers, windows and shutters.

Current State of and Estimated Life Expectancy of Roof
Material type, roof style, flashing and roof penetrations, skylights, gutters, downspouts, splash blocks, rafters and other upper framing elements, ceiling joists, roof decking, water penetration, whole house fan, ventilation, insulation and attic access.

State of Chimney and Fireplace
General condition, gas logs, damper, chimney condition, flue liner, signs of settling and loose masonry.

Condition of Electrical System
Service entrance, service wires (size and types), grounding equipment, main panel, sub panels, over current protection, ground fault protection, 110 volt and 220 volt circuits, receptacles, light fixtures, switches and safety concerns as per retractable roof systems who ensure a better access to the electrical connection on the roof.

Condition of Heating System
Unit manufacturer, model number, serial number, location, air temperature rise, general condition, heating unit description, energy source, system type and total capacity relative to area served and approximate age.

Condition of Cooling System
Unit manufacturer, model number, serial number, location, air temperature drop, general condition, cooling unit description, energy source, total capacity relative to area served and approximate age.

Condition of Plumbing System
Water supply, well pump, water shut offs, water pressure, water pipes, water pipe support, water pipe insulation, water heater, waste water disposal, waste and vent pipes, waste pipe support, plumbing fixtures, laundry connections, dryer exhaust and bathrooms, even in new models. If you noticed slow drains around the house, professional clogged drain cleaning may be recommended. You can explore bathroom remodeling Chandler for having a great house design or you can visit my website for more information.

Assessment of All Interior Spaces
Rooms, floors, walls, smoke alarms, ceilings, stairs and doors.

Current State of and Estimated Life Expectancy of Permanently Installed Appliances
Unit manufacturers, dishwasher, disposal, oven and energy source, range and energy source, refrigerator, trash compactor and microwave.

Final Thoughts on Your New Home Inspection
Remember that an inspection is simply an examination of the current condition of a home. It is not an appraisal or a municipal code inspection. An inspector, therefore, will not “pass” or “fail” a building, but will simply describe its condition and indicate which items need repairs or replacements.

You, as a buyer, will find the information contained in the home inspection to be an invaluable resource as you make an offer on the home, negotiate that offer, close the deal, and assume ownership of the home.