Before the visit, and before you close
A little preparation, a much better report.
An inspector can only report what he can reach. Six things to make reachable before the visit, and the walk-through checklists to run before you close.
Or call (714) 371-8422Before the inspection
Give the inspector clear access.
Preparing your house for a home inspection. If you are having your home inspected, you should be prepared to give the inspector access.
The inspector will need clear access to:
06points of access
The water heater
Plumbing access behind tubs and showers
Electrical panel
If your house was built post 1980, it probably has a G.F.C.I. receptacle in the garage, Make sure the inspector is able to access the outlet in the garage.
Furnace and/or air handler
Attic Hatch
If the attic is used for storage, make some room for the inspector inside the attic for him to move around.
Crawl Space accesses
Before you close
The walk-through, checked against the report.
The report describes the property on the day of the inspection. Run these on your final walk-through and go over them with your agent before closing, so anything that has changed since is settled before it is yours.
35questions, 7 lists
Electrical: ELECTRICAL INSPECTION CHECKLIST
- Did you make sure the light fixtures are all in place?
- Do the light fixtures, switches and receptacles all function?
- Does the doorbell work?
Heating and cooling: HEATING AND COOLING HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST
- Do the thermostat, heating and cooling systems function?
- Is there adequate air flow through the heating and cooling registers?
- Did all the radiators or convectors get warm in a reasonable amount of time?
Kitchen: KITCHEN CHECKLIST
- Do all the appliances function properly?
- Did you check for any damage to the counter tops or cabinets?
- Did you check the operation of the cabinets and drawers?
General: GENERAL HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST, HOME INSPECTION CHECK LIST
- Were all your questions answered that you have for the home inspector?
- Were all your questions for the home owner answered in writing to your satisfaction?
- Have the previously agreed to repairs been professionally completed?
- Have warranties and guarantees been provided for agreed upon repairs?
- Did you follow your home inspectors' recommendations and have all recommended additional inspections and invasive inspections performed?
- OR Are you willing to take these open ended risks?
Exterior: EXTERIOR HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST
- Have you checked the operation of the windows and screens?
- Have steps been taken to stop water from accumulating near the building?
- Did you check doors, decks, siding, windows & fences for damage / deterioration?
- Are there any signs of water infiltration from the roof, siding or windows?
- Are there any signs of gutter or downspout problems?
- Are the downspouts discharging water away from the foundation?
- Has the soil around the home been pitched away from the foundation?
Interior: INTERIOR CHECKLIST
- Have all the areas listed in your home inspection report as inaccessible or not traversed been accessed & professionally inspected to determine if defects exist?
- Do the garage doors and their openers function?
- Did you test the reversing devices for the garage door openers?
- Did you find out why any stains or cracks on any of the walls or ceilings that have become larger or have appeared since the time of the home inspection?
- Have all cracked windows or mirrors been repaired?
- Have all the clouded double pane windows been replaced?
- Are all the permanently installed fixtures or appliances been in place and in good condition?
- Did you check for any signs of birds, rodents or animals?
- Has any damage to damage to the walls, floor or ceilings been repaired?
Plumbing: PLUMBING HOME INSPECTION
- Did you check all the plumbing fixture faucets to determine if they leak or drip?
- Did you check all the plumbing fixtures for chips or damaged?
- Did you run water for a time through all plumbing fixtures and check for leakage?
- Did you run water for a time through all plumbing fixtures and check for stoppage?
Changes and problems that appear after the inspection are not covered by it, and no inspector covers them. The walk-through is where you catch them.