When buying your first home, it’s easy to get carried away by emotions from the reality, but it can be a costly mistake. You might find yourself spending on costly repairs a few months after moving into the property. However, all this is avoidable. Your home is probably the biggest investment you’ll ever make, and it’s wise to check a few things before signing any papers.
Things to check before buying a home:
1 Are the ceilings sagging?
One of the first things people see when they come into a home is the ceiling, so you want to make sure it’s in great condition. Try to look keenly at the ceilings to check if they’re fixed firmly into place and don’t have a Dparachute-like appearance. But this doesn’t have to take up the whole day! Simply shine a torch across the home’s ceilings — this will show up any deflections or defects in the ceiling
2. Check for evidence of mold in the bathroom and bedrooms.
Mold can look like dirty patches on the walls or ceilings, particularly if they’ve been recently cleaned. Mold removal is normally done by mould remediation companies and it can be quite an expensive affair. You’ll also want to find out if the mold was the result of something more than simply bad upkeep (for instance water damage and so on).
3. Look at the roof downpipes
Another important thing you need to check before buying a home is whether the roof downpipes discharge into storm-water soak wells, not onto the ground Installing a stormwaters well on an established home can be extremely expensive since things like paving, garden beds and concrete may have to be excavated for the drains to be installed. You should also check for signs of excess water flow or past flooding around the bases of the roof downpipes as this could be an indication that either the soak wells require cleaning out or aren’t suitably sized, which can be a very costly maintenance item. Also, you can read some more useful home inspection tips by visiting .
4. Check the kitchen & bathroom fixtures
The kitchen and bathroom are the most expensive rooms in a house to remodel so you’ll want to make sure everything is working before moving into the home. Check the sinks, toilets, showers bathtubs to see if they’re working properly and if they’re quality fixtures. Low quality items may require to be replaced sooner rather than later. Be sure to look at the drainage as clogging can cause a bad stench in the home.
5. Are there large cracks on the walls?
Both the internal and external walls of a home should be visually and carefully checked to notice any large cracks. Usually, wall cracks with a width greater than 2.0 mm or a home with excessive cracking is a cause for concern and should be further checked by a qualified home inspector
6. Check the basement for leaks
People who’ve lived in a house with a leaky basement know how dangerous and expensive it can be to get rid of the water. Moreover, mold might grow in the home, posing hazards to the occupants Be sure to check for signs of leakage in the basement (such as watermarks] or if unsure, have a home inspector check the basement.
