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Home Inspection Checklist for Home Buyers
If you want to do your preliminary home inspection, then here are the main categories and items a home inspector will look at.
Roofs: tiles/shingles, flashing, trim, gutters, leaks
Foundations: trees too close to the house, visible exterior cracks
Yards: proper drainage, condition of driveway and walkways
Appliances: function and age
Structure: fire damage, water stains, insect infestations
Electrical: working outlets and switches, age of the electrical panel
Plumbing: noisy pipes, leaks, water pressure
General: condition, updates needed
Special features: garage, pool pumps, etc.
You can also take a look at a professional home inspectors’ checklist here, from the International Association of Home Inspectors.
When to Freak Out & Not
First time home buyers can find their first home inspection report quite scary.
A good home inspector will be very detailed and highlight every minor detail which could be improved upon. That can look scary and sound like a lot of money. However, it is important to differentiate between what is urgent and what is nice to have that is a normal defect and may be fixed later on.
According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, the most common issues found are:
Faulty Wiring: Wires without wire nuts, open junction boxes.
Faulty Plumbing: Low water pressure, water stains on ceilings.
Poor Drainage: Soggy areas in the yard, leaks in the basement.
Bad Gutters: Clogged gutters, basement dampness.
Foundation Flaws: Small cracks, sticking doors and windows.
Poor Maintenance: Chipped paint, worn shingles, cracked driveway.
These are described as problems that “can be easily fixed with the right contractor, and shouldn’t be deal breakers.”
View on Buzzpadd ↗If you want to do your preliminary home inspection, then here are the main categories and items a home inspector will look at.
Roofs: tiles/shingles, flashing, trim, gutters, leaks
Foundations: trees too close to the house, visible exterior cracks
Yards: proper drainage, condition of driveway and walkways
Appliances: function and age
Structure: fire damage, water stains, insect infestations
Electrical: working outlets and switches, age of the electrical panel
Plumbing: noisy pipes, leaks, water pressure
General: condition, updates needed
Special features: garage, pool pumps, etc.
You can also take a look at a professional home inspectors’ checklist here, from the International Association of Home Inspectors.
When to Freak Out & Not
First time home buyers can find their first home inspection report quite scary.
A good home inspector will be very detailed and highlight every minor detail which could be improved upon. That can look scary and sound like a lot of money. However, it is important to differentiate between what is urgent and what is nice to have that is a normal defect and may be fixed later on.
According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, the most common issues found are:
Faulty Wiring: Wires without wire nuts, open junction boxes.
Faulty Plumbing: Low water pressure, water stains on ceilings.
Poor Drainage: Soggy areas in the yard, leaks in the basement.
Bad Gutters: Clogged gutters, basement dampness.
Foundation Flaws: Small cracks, sticking doors and windows.
Poor Maintenance: Chipped paint, worn shingles, cracked driveway.
These are described as problems that “can be easily fixed with the right contractor, and shouldn’t be deal breakers.”