When considering buying a home, be it new construction or existing property, a home inspection by an engineer, builder, architect, home inspector, or other professional professional is always recommended. There are many areas of a home that are out of sight, but still critical, and a professional knows how to evaluate items such as the electrical system, mechanical systems, roof, insulation, structure, water conditions, and more. But, as a potential homeowner, here is a list of items that you can visually inspect or test in the early stages. It may be that some (many) items, in older homes, do not meet all these criteria, but then you can plan the cost of repair or replacement, if necessary, in your calculations. In new construction, things should be fine before moving in. Prepare a to-do list (a list of necessary repairs) for the builder of items that needed to be repaired or corrected before closing and moving in. My recommendation is to make repairs or corrections before closing. Once your money is in someone else’s hands, the incentive for them to do the work is significantly reduced.
Exterior:
Foundation – Check for cracks or gaps around windows and doors. Look for signs of erosion near downspouts or areas under roof runoff. Check during a storm to make sure water doesn’t run into the house and there are no puddles (puddles) near its foundation.
Sprinkler system – If the patio has a sprinkler system, turn it on if possible and verify that the sprinklers are working, that the water pressure appears adequate.
Paths and driveways – Observe that the sidewalks, steps, terraces, driveways and cobblestones are not cracked, uneven, do not retain water when it rains and appear to be in good condition.
Grass – Check the lawn for large dead spots or yellowish areas that could indicate problems if there is an underground septic field.
Death way – Verify that exterior walls are free of nicks and cracks, that any exterior holes for pipes or cables have been carefully sealed with caulk, flashing, or other sealing materials.
Windows and doors – Check that windows and doors are in good condition and that they open and close smoothly. Understand whether the windows are single panes of glass (in older homes) or a sealed two-pane system in newer homes. If the home has an insulated glass system, check for moisture between the two panels, as this could indicate a broken seal. If the windows are single pane, ask if they have shutters and screens. Bad windows can cause a significant air leak in your home and can be expensive to replace, especially if they are not of standard size.
Roofs – Visually inspect roof (from below) for missing shingles, ridge vents, apparent ripples, gutter conditions (these are plants growing out of gutters, a sign of lack of cleanliness and maintenance).
Water and sewage – Is the house connected to city water and sewage or does it have a well and / or septic field?
Mechanic
Hot water heater, heatere – request records of age, repair / maintenance, warranties and just check appearance
Electric – What amperage is the panel box? Will it need to be updated to meet your requirements? Is cable already installed and internet wired throughout the house? What condition is the wiring in the walls? (Much of this requires professional evaluation.) But you can turn all the light switches on and off to make sure they are working and test all the electrical outlets.
Heating and air conditioning – Understand what type of system the home has. Is it gas or oil? Is there an underground oil tank? If there is an underground tank, you need to be very sure that it is in good condition, as you could be responsible for significant cleaning costs if the tank has leaked to the ground. Are there radiators or a hot air central heating system with vents in every room? Does the house have central air conditioning or are there units in every room? If there are units in each room, how old are they and will they need to be replaced? Turn on the heat and / or air conditioning (if applicable) and leave it on for a while, check and make sure all radiators or vents are working.
Inside
Roofs – Look up at the ceilings and look for signs of leaks in the roof or in the bathrooms above. Color changes, the appearance of mold, or water stains or stains may indicate a problem.
The essential – look for signs of water damage on the underside of the walls: stains, color changes, deformation of the shelves or furniture at their base. This could indicate intermittent flooding. Check for a sump pump. Many areas have high water tables and the groundwater is well controlled through a sump pump.
Taps – Open all the taps and leave them running for a few minutes. This will test the pressure and flow of the water. If you turn the heat on for a while, you can make sure the hot water heater is providing at least some hot water.
Smoke detectors – Verify that smoke detectors are installed throughout the home. They can be connected to a security system or run on batteries. Make sure they are working!
Kitchen – look at cabinets, cabinet doors, faces, hinges. Check if the cabinets appear level, if the doors are cracked, stained, warped, or otherwise damaged. Is it the style you can live with or will you need to replace cabinets? Check the floor. If it’s tile, check for cracks, which could be signs of settling or improper preparation under the tile.
Accessories – check age (related to energy efficiency in refrigerators, washing machines, dryers and others), general condition and appearance. Is the laundry in an acceptable location for you?
Countertops – what is the material? All seams must be flush at the joints. Check for wear, delamination, or warping of Formica-type products and for tight and clean joints on stone countertops. If there is a tile backsplash, look at the grout. Certainly, in new construction, the grout must be very clean, completely filled, the tile faces must be clean, the corners must be smooth and straight.
Walls – In new construction, the drywall should not be cracked anywhere and the paint should completely cover all surfaces.
Floors – Bring some marbles and put them on the ground in various places. If they roll, your floors are not level and you need to know why. Old houses often settle and the unevenness may have been there for many, many years and there is no danger or structural problem, but an engineer or home inspector, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, is very important to confirm the cause. In a new home, the marbles should not roll and the floors should be level.
