Did you know, according to a study from Repair Price, the average home inspection report finds around $11,000 worth of needed repairs? Doors that need adjusting made up the most common repair on the list. An average of 55 percent of homes had doors that needed an adjustment!
Are you planning on buying or selling a home? One essential step in the home buying/selling process is the home inspection.
Having an inspection before you sell or buy a home can help you avoid the hassle of fixes later. Regardless of whether you’re buying or selling, this home inspection checklist can help you make sure you and your professional inspector hit all of the essential home inspection points.
Foundation
Foundation issues promise costly repairs down the road. The most obvious foundation red flag for a home inspector is cracking. The foundation may crack or you could see cracks in the walls or floor.
A foundation may also sink or settle. Some settling is normal, especially for a newer home. However, if you notice one side of a home is much lower than the other, this is a bad sign for the foundation.
Exterior
How does the exterior of the home look? You can swap out cosmetic issues like paint colors or paving stones easily but deeper damage requires more time and money to fix. Your home inspector should look closely at major concerns like the condition of the roof, the siding of the house, and the chimney (if applicable).
Additionally, don’t forget to check the landscaping. Pools or large puddles of water may indicate drainage issues. If there’s a septic tank, be sure to check on that as well.
Interior
Here are some major points about the interior to hit during a house inspection:
- Proper insulation
- Proper operation of all windows and doors
- Checking attic and/or basement for termite damage
- Signs of water damage on walls and floors
- Appliances in working order
- Any leakage from sinks and showerheads
These are all in addition to doing a slow walk-through of the house to assess the general appearance of the inside of the home.
Plumbing/HVAC
When assessing the plumbing and HVAC, you can ask yourself or your home inspector the following questions. Does the hot water work from each faucet in the house? Do any pipes leak either under the sinks or in crawl spaces?
Does each vent in the house produce sufficient airflow? Do both the cooling and the heating functions work? Have air filters in the A/C units been changed recently?
Electrical
The final step in your home inspection checklist is the electrical components. Exercising great caution, your home inspector will check out the condition of the electrical systems of the house. Do all of the outlets work?
Are there any exposed wires in the house? Do you know where the service panel is? Do any of the breakers or fuses appear to be over-heating?
Start Checking Off Your Home Inspection Checklist
As you and the home inspector you hire go through this home inspection checklist, you’ll ensure that everything in the home is functioning properly and in top condition to buy or sell. If you live in Central Florida and are planning on buying or selling, check us out at Central Florida Building Inspectors. All of our inspectors are state-licensed and certified to offer you the highest quality of home inspection available.
Contact us today for more information!
