New Home Inspection Checklist

Doing a final walk through before closing is an important process of the home buying experience. There is nothing worse than buying a house and finding out that something went drastically wrong from the time of the initial home inspection and after you signed the bottom line claiming the house as your own.

This process is to help you save money and time in possible expenses by having the builder fix any major issues/problems before moving in. No new home is without defaults. No new home is perfect.  The city inspector signs off on the house being up to building codes; this does not include cosmetic or functional issues.

List of some items you want to check on the final walk-through are:

$$$ Test the doorbell.

$$$ Turn on and off EVERY light fixture

$$$ Run water for approximately 5 minutes & look under sinks for leaks

$$$ Make sure all debris is removed from the house

$$$ Open and close all windows to ensure they are not stuck, broken or non functional.

$$$ Inspect and test all appliances currently in the house.

$$$ Open and close all doors.

$$$ Flush ALL toilets in the house.

$$$ Check garage door openers.

$$$ Test both heating and air conditioning units.

$$$ Run garbage disposal and exhaust fans.

$$$ Inspect ceilings, walls and floors for any water damage, holes or other noticeable defects.

$$$ Check porches and decks for sturdiness and missing posts.

Other tips to consider for the final walk through:

Make your own list and put it in writing. Don't rely on the builder's representative to make your list for you, make your own or you can Google checklists if you need help. Mail the list (track it) to the builder.

DON'T RUSH! Take your time and don't let the builder's representative rush you if they only have an hour. You can send your concerns or comments to the builder later.

Give yourself approximately 7-10 days prior to closing to schedule the walk through. You want to make sure you have plenty of time before closing to allow time for the builder to fix any discrepancies.

Don't close on the house until issues are taken care of. The builder may not be as motivated to get the issues resolved right away if you have already closed on the house.

These are just suggestions to help you have a smoother process of moving in and saving money if it can be helped. Good luck and congratulations on your new home!