Checklist to Prepare your Home to Ace an Inspection – Part 2

Is your Alaska home inspection ready before listing? In our last article we listed some of the items you should inspect before the sale. The extra time you take to prepare your home and fix any issues will save you time and money as well as potential hiccups during the closing process.

Here are the final items on our checklist:

1. Check your Bathroom for issues – Take a moment to inspect each of the bathrooms in your home and check for any potential issues. Inspect the area around the base of the bath or shower for any stains or signs of past leaking. Are you tub or shower tiles secure and the surfaces solid? Inspect the condition of your caulking inside and outside the tub and shower area. Test that your sink, tub and shower drain properly and there is adequate flow and pressure at all fixtures. Check that your exhaust fan is working as designed. Lastly, check that your toilet does not rock, is stable, and that there are no stains around the base.
2. Inspect your Kitchen – Are your cabinets in good condition? Do the doors and drawers operate as designed? Check that your built-in appliances are all operational. Look for signs of leaks in pipes under sinks and check that the cabinet floor is solid without stains or decay. Is the water flow to your sink adequate? Check for rust or deterioration on garbage disposal or waste pipes. Is your dishwasher draining properly without any leaks? Do all parts operate? Check that the baskets and doors work as designed. Is there a working exhaust fan that vents to the exterior? Is there electrical outlet protection for outlets within 6 feet of your sink? These are known as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter or GFCI.
3. Check all rooms – Walk into each room and check that the floors, walls and ceilings are straight, plumb and level. The floor, ceilings and walls should be free of stains, in good condition and without cracks. The paint, wall covering, and paneling should be in good condition, and there should be adequate insulation in the walls. If there is a fireplace make sure it is not cracked, damaged or stained and should be maintained. The flue should be cleaned and lined and the damper operating efficiently. There should be a heating/cooling source in each room. Check all electrical outlets and make sure they are operational and that there are adequate numbers for each room. Lights and switches should be working. The doors should latch and operate easily without broken hardware or any decay/damage. Check that windows all have weather stripping, are free of decay, open and close easily and that there is no broken glass.
4. Check your attic – Your attic shouldn’t have any open electrical splices, no plumbing, exhaust or appliance vents should terminate in the attic. There should be sufficient and properly installed insulation. Check that there is adequate ventilation with all ventilation operational. There should be no stains on underside of roofing.
5. Roof – Check composition shingles, wood shingles or shakes, or flat roofs for any signs of damage or decay. Check the flashing around roof penetrations. Check the Soffits and fascia for decay or stains. There should not be any excess roofing cement, tar or caulk. Check that all vents are clean and unpainted. Your gutters should be free of decay, clean, not bending or sagging with all joints sealed and no sections missing. Chimneys should be straight, properly flashed and in good condition.
6. Doors, windows and trim – Check wood frames and trim for signs of cracks, rot or decay. The joins around the frames should be caulked. Make sure that there is no broken glass or damaged screens on windows and no broken double-paned window seals. Drip caps should be installed over windows and storm windows, or thermal glass used. Muntin and Mullion glazing compounds should be in good condition.
7. Check Exteriors – The exterior should be in good condition with proper clearance between ground and any wood siding materials. No vines on the surface of the structure, and no stains.
8. Check Structure – The board lines should be straight and level. The sides of the house shouldn’t bow or sag. Window and door frames should appear square. The foundation should be in good condition without significant cracks.
9. Check area around the house – There should be proper drainage away from house, no standing water, and no signs of leaks from septic or leech field. Check that the landscaping is in good condition and that there are no branches or brush touching the house or hanging over the roof. All structures should be in good conditions on property. Check that all railings, decks, driveways, sidewalks, patios and entrance landings are in good condition and secure.

These are just a few items that you can check to make sure that your home is in tip top shape and can save you thousands of dollars down the line. This list isn’t exhaustive but can give you a leg up in the selling process. If you have any questions at all, please contact us! We are happy to help you make the process as smooth as possible.