Buying a home is is a lovely moment, but you’ll find it’s also where excitement and reality will crash together. After you get the keys, you take that first walk around with your name on the paperwork, and it all feels like a fresh start. However, then the little details start showing up.
You may notice little issues you didn’t before or during the inspection, such as the grout that’s crumbling, the tap that’s a bit loose, or the strange smell near the back door when it rains. Then you do begin to realize someone lived here before you, and they didn’t take care of things quite like they should have.
It’s frustrating because you didn’t create the problems, but now they’re yours to deal with. It’s not uncommon for some of that to get past the survey, or for it not to seem like a big deal at the time. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with a house that’s constantly fighting you though, but what matters is spotting what got missed, getting on top of it early, and fixing the things that could snowball if they’re left to drag on too long.
So, here are a few places to start looking when you’re picking up the pieces from the last owner’s shortcuts.
Run An Inventory
Go room to room and really take a look, not just at what’s visible but what sits behind or under it. Some suggestions could be to check sealant around the bath, test the windows for draughts, and look under the sink and see if anything’s been slowly dripping for longer than anyone’s admitted. Try every plug socket, run the extractor fans, flick the fuse box to see if everything’s labelled properly.
Your survey should have picked up on some of this, so now’s the time to see what they didn’t get round to fixing or didn’t want to mention. If you notice an issue highlight and document it.
Sort Out The Drains Before You Smell Them
One issue you don’t want to leave too long is the plumbing, as you don’t always see blockages coming, but you’ll definitely smell them once they’ve built up, and if the last person in the house didn’t stay on top of their checks then you might already be halfway there.
A smart move is to get someone in for drain cleaning and clearing so you know you’re starting fresh. You don’t want to start figuring out where the overflow’s coming from at nine on a Sunday morning, especially not with guests round, so try and resolve these issues on your own terms after your inspection.
Keep An Eye Out For Patch Jobs And Quick Fixes
A homeowner might not have had an issue flag up while they were selling, but that doesn’t mean they put a fantastic fix in place with no future errors at all. You’ll usually see the signs in the paintwork or the way certain cupboards don’t quite shut properly, for instance. In areas with slight neglect, the boiler might be hanging on, the garden might have a drain buried under gravel, or wall that looked freshly painted might be hiding a crack that’s just waiting for a damp patch.
If anything looks like it was done too quickly or too cheaply, assume it probably needs a second look, and go over it again. It’s frustrating and if there’s anything you were deceived by you can claim against the purchase or insurance, but it’s best to check regardless and document using a professional.
With this advice, we hope you can avoid failing maintenance checks.
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