Items to check during a simple home inspection

[Udar Gromov]

When you contemplating to make an offer to buy a house, here are some points to check beforehand:

INSIDE
– bring a small vacuum cleaner or electric drill and check that circuit breakers are not tripping
– check gaps and evenness of all doors. Can you close and open all the locks
– check all windows are opening and closing
– check all the sliding doors and screens
– check visible unevenness or cracks in the floors
– check if stairs are creaking
– holes and patches in the ceiling
– Shower floors are tilted in the direction of the drains, water doesn’t accumulates under shower glass and not streaming outside to the bathroom floor,
– check baths and sinks stoppers are actually holding water.
– can the owners provide paint leftovers or paint codes for walls, trim and the ceiling?
– check the circuit breaker box. Are all the breakers marked clearly? What id the total capacity (normally 200 amp)
– can you hear people talking downstairs in the master bedroom?
– can you hear garage door opening and closing in the master bedroom?
– can you hear flushing of the toilets in the bedrooms?
– signs of water damage on the ceilings and on the basement floor

OUTSIDE
– does garage door sits straight on the ground? Can you hear garage door opens in master bedroom?
– check the gutters around the house. Does water can escape away from the house?
– do porch boards are secured in place and not wobbly
– does railing can withstand a leaning of a person?
– inspect gutters and downspouts. Check for signs of overflow or erosion on the ground?
– manually check the soundness of stonework. Can individual pieces be moved, are the securely attached?
– does the roof looks sturdy and neat – binoculars will help.

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