Slater Young's House Inspection Checklist Before You Pay Your Contractor

The thought of moving into your new home — which you probably saved up for years and took a while to build — makes you giddy. But this can easily turn into disappointment when the expectations you set have not been met.

What to check in a home inspection

Before final payments are made, it’s best to go and check your house for any potential issues before its turnover. But what exactly should you be looking out for?

On his YouTube channel, celebrity dad, CEO, and licensed engineer Slater Young shares a 7-point checklist that homeowners should be looking at when inspecting their home before moving in.

“I decided to make this video — a beginner’s guide to inspecting your home project just to cover the basics of what to look out for, what to check, and how to know if things are done right or if it should be revised,” he shares.

What you'll need

Slater offers a printable checklist here, but he also suggests sticking a post-it or masking tape on each item that needs to be fixed in your home. Put a number and write it down a notebook so you can check each item off once it’s fixed. Make sure to tell all workers that they are not allowed to remove the marks — if they do, you would see it on your notes.

1. Aesthetics

The first thing to check is the paint. Make sure there are no splatters on the floor, doors, windows, and frames. Check if the walls were painted properly, especially if there are contrasting colors. Also ensure that there are no paint overlaps — example, painting over switches and outlets.

Next are crooked outlets and switches. Slater admits it’s his pet peeve. “If the outlet is loose, hindi nila na-install ng maayos,” he says, adding that it’s difficult and complicated to have it fixed after turnover.

Make sure that all lines are straight. This includes the wall itself, the corners, and edges (like windowsills and walls around the door).

Check for cracks in the walls and ceilings. Slater clarifies that these cracks will return as the house “moves” but “at least ‘pag turnover nila, tama na siya.”

Check for dings and scratches. This can be on the walls, doors, cabinets, and handles. Mark everything so it can be repaired before turnover.

2. Tiles

According to Slater, check the tiles if they are: hollow, if the grout between them is level or even, and the tiles are not loose. Use a stick or coin to knock the tiles — if it sounds hollow, it’s most likely loose.

Checking the tiles is important especially if you have a pool. According to Slater, their contractor had to retile their pool three times because Slater knocked on the tiles every after installation. This should also be done while the pool is empty to avoid a headache later on.

“[If] this is substandard work, it has to be done right especially for something that is expensive and something that is very hard to repair in the future,” he shares.

3. Electricity

Switch on the lights in every room and make sure it stays on (no flickering!). Get a charger and your phone and test every outlet to see if it’s working.

You’d also want to switch all your appliances on — the fridge, oven, aircon, etc – to make sure that they can all run without tripping the electricity. If you have an aircon, switch it on for a while to check for leaks and cooling capacity.

Before your contractor leaves, Slater also suggests labeling the electric panel per area or switch, so you’ll have an easier time identifying each later on for future repairs.

4. Plumbing

Turn on all faucets and showers — indoor and outdoor — so you can check for leaks. Also check if these were installed properly (nothing loose). Make sure to try flushing all toilets to ensure that it seals right after.

Check the drain for proper water flow. Make sure it doesn’t smell! Also check the pipes under the sink for any leaks and make sure the bathroom gets proper ventilation (whether through a window or exhaust).

5. Water leaks

Slater says this is an important step. If it rains hard, go to your house and check for leaks in the ceilings. “If may puddle sa floor and may roof ka na, that would mean mayroong leak dito,” he says.

Check for moisture on the walls — does the paint bulge or are there streaks of water? Also check for puddles in the exterior area “to make sure ‘yung slope ng drains are going to where they should go.”

6. Doors and windows

This is pretty straightforward. Check if the doors and windows are functioning properly — open and close and lock and unlock. Ensure all cabinet doors and drawers are also up to standard.

If you have sliding doors or windows, make sure they are functioning. Check for deep scratches on the glass and make sure to have it replaced!

7. Gas

If your kitchen runs on gas, check that all burners are functional, the exhaust is running, and there are no leaks. Slater’s tip: put a mixture of soap and water and brush it on connection points where you suspect there might be leaks. “Kapag nag-bubble ‘yan, that says that there are leaks.”

Ready to be a homeowner? Click here to read a single mom's inspiring story on how she was able to buy a house at 25

This story originally appeared on Smartparenting.com.ph.

* Minor edits have been made by the Realliving.com.ph editors.