People that have bought a new home...

[Bouncer]

Ok guys, we do our, "Pre-walkthrew" of the new house on Wed and then we do our final walkthrew on closing day. We are hiring an inspector to come with us but I like to be "in the know" also on what to look for. What are the main things to look for? I have a general idea but just thought you guys might have some tips. thanks

[bad14u]

I would look at anything and everything. If something doesn't look right, mention it!
Doors- open and close properly...locks work
Windows- same as doors without cracks and sealed properly
Lights- check dimmer switches
Carpet- no spots, no noticable seams
Walls and corners- all painted, no shitty patch work, no damage to corners form moving stuff in and out
Plumbing- make sure hot water comes from hot water tap, same with cold
Heat/AC- Turn on and make sure they both work

Again I will say this....
I would look at anything and everything. If something doesn't look right, mention it! Your inspector will/should check the things you won't see...
Slab-foundation
Crawl space
Basement
Insulation
Wiring
Plumbing
Roofing
Ventilation

[num1son]

make sure all outlets work bring a lamp or something... also make sure everything lines up right tiles cabinets doors, run all faucets flush toilets check for drafts by windows and doors(tell them to reseal)

ask for duplicates of all colors used for walls and tiles so easy to reorder, try the appliances
all i can think of, oh yea run the heat and the ac to make sure both work

K

[BBAddict]

Is your pre-walk through before they put up the dry wall or is it basically finished already?

[Bouncer]

Is your pre-walk through before they put up the dry wall or is it basically finished already?

we walked threw the house a million times before the dry wall went up. the house is all done now.

[Scrumhalf]

This is the time to be picky because they won't come out again until about a year later to patch up settling cracks.

As others mentioned, check all outlets and quality of all finish carpentry, like cabinets, stairway railings, etc. for alignment, finish quality, etc. Check all grouting around windows, countertops, etc., especially if you have granite or tile countertops. Make sure all windows slide open and shut smoothly, and that the weatherstripping around the doors is airtight and that all doors open and close smoothly and latch, i.e. the doors are not hung misaligned. In the yard, check functioning of sprinkler systems if you have them installed, as well as the quality of siding and caulking - real important in rainy weather. I assume you checked out the blown insulation in the attic already. It doesn't hurt to make sure all drywall cracks have been patched up, although you will get settling cracks over the next few months that you would need to go back and fix. Make sure all faucets, toilets, etc. work without leaks.

Probably not absolutely essential but real nice anyway - do a walk of the yard and the crawl space and have them clean up all the garbage that they inevitably leave hehind. I found burger wrappers in my crawl space that I had to have them remove. Also, lots of lots of nails discarded from nail guns and chunks of insulation in the crawl space - they just leave stuff lying around all over the place and if you are paying good money for the house, there is no need to have to clean up after them.

And oh yeah.... the sidewalk in front of your house is your responsibility, so check for cracks, etc. in the concrete. They left about a 6-inch wide sinkhole in one of the concrete sections in the sidewalk in front of my house and I had them repour the whole slab.

[ROCKETW19]

no need to stress over it to much bouncer the person takin you for the walkthrew will show/check the normal things like windows and doors if the water works drains ect. what you need to look at is things like are the tiles the ones you picked out? does the carpet have any showing seams ect an inspector would be a waist of money for a new house but a must for a pre-owned! you will have at least a one year warranty so you can find things later like my garage door stoped opening and they will come fix it. i was just like you on my first house. but when i got this one it was much less stressfull cuzz i knew more. youll be fine and congrats on the house.

[Puddles]

Fill the tub(s) and sink(s) with water and make sure they hold water, then let it drain out and make sure the pipes that empty to the sewer are clear and working fine. Run the dishwasher as well and flush all the toilets a few times in succession. Test major appliances like the oven/stove, micro, etc.

Our pipe leading to the sewer was clogged with dirt/sand so after we closed and I took a bath, the downstairs toilet overflowed. At least it was clean bathwater but still, what a PIA.

Also, make sure the slab by your front door is angled so that water will run towards the street and not puddle up in front of the door.

Check the sprinkler system and garage door opener too.

Make sure they show you how to remove the screens from your windows for when you have to clean them.


Good luck, hope it all goes smoothly!

[malibu barbie]

If you are getting a jacuzi tub, take a look at the pump and make sure that it is hooked up. The first night we turned ours on for a few minutes, got a glass of wine, lit some candles, and then discovered a major flood under the tub. We had to use towels, mops and a fan to get it all dried up.

[dot1]

If you find anything major wrong, do not close! No matter how much the builder promises to fix it, once you close and he has his money you are no longer a priority. Small things you can live with are ok but remember as long as you have not closed you are his priority!

[hitmansb]

If you find anything major wrong, do not close! No matter how much the builder promises to fix it, once you close and he has his money you are no longer a priority. Small things you can live with are ok but remember as long as you have not closed you are his priority!

Very true....good advice.

[Kayak Jones]

If you find anything major wrong, do not close! No matter how much the builder promises to fix it, once you close and he has his money you are no longer a priority. Small things you can live with are ok but remember as long as you have not closed you are his priority!

Excellent advice but the same applies to the little things just as much. The builder will usually be much more inclined to complete or fix the big things for obvious reasons. It's the little ones, and there are usually dozens of them, that they are slow to take care of. Be a pain in the ass. It's your home. If there are to many little things left incomplete, don't close. You be the judge on what you can and can't live with.

You will be inclined, like the vast majority of homeowners, to go ahead and close when ther is still a punch list with numerous "little" things left unfinished because they are after all, "just little things", and you guys are tired of the BS and just want to get in the house. Don't do it. It's far more convenient for you and the builder to have them finished before you close than after.

[ROCKETW19]

If you find anything major wrong, do not close! No matter how much the builder promises to fix it, once you close and he has his money you are no longer a priority. Small things you can live with are ok but remember as long as you have not closed you are his priority!

advise is good but after you first walk threw and find something wrong they will fix before your final walkthrew. true they want your money but they also have a rep that needs to be good. dont stress over it.

[meat12]

I forgot to check my dishwasher. It doesnt work, but i got free cable so i figure i'm even

[Bulldog743]

Ok guys, we do our, "Pre-walkthrew" of the new house on Wed and then we do our final walkthrew on closing day. We are hiring an inspector to come with us but I like to be "in the know" also on what to look for. What are the main things to look for? I have a general idea but just thought you guys might have some tips. thanks

I am a master electrician---Look at the main panel board, make sure back panel (wood) is painted (behind elec. panel) also check all GFI receptacles to make sure they work (push test button). look at how the wire is stapled in the basement, if it is neat and tiddy, means they had pride in their work, if its sloppy they didn't.... Look for cracks in the drywall and any roof shingles that look out of place, todays homes are built as fast as possible, with very little care to craftmanship, ask how long the let drywall sit after spackling, it should take at least 2 days to dry so they can sand spackling.. Nobody ever does it, therefore everyone has cracks in their drywall, ask how many inches of topsoil are left on yard and if any was removed from property (i made them return 4in. of mine)..... Look at the mechanicals---- hot water heater, should be placed off of floor........ HVAC units, should be square and level and all pipes should be fastened securely... Open and close every window in the house, and look inside window to make sure its insulated/sea;ed correctly, look at insulation in basement--should not be dis-colored and should be tucked up nicely into ceiling area, sump-pump? Garage doors, should open and close tightly and without loud noises.... Good Luck!