Buying a house is a serious task, something that requires detailed planning, inspection, a lot of paperwork and patience. Buying an older house is all that, and then some more, especially in the inspection area. Finding a property at the right price can turn out to be twice as expensive if, once it was purchased, you keep finding flaws you missed during the pre-purchase inspection. Therefore, if you wish to be as certain as possible, this is the list of checks you must do before even considering the purchase.
Foundation
Just as the name says is, it is the base of the house and it is the most important architectural part since everything else is built upon it. If the foundation is weak, the entire house is weak too and you should look elsewhere. The best places to check the quality of foundation are the floors and the walls. If there are any cracks in the walls, covered or not covered by paint, it is a sure sign that there is something wrong with the foundation. The same goes for floors, the angle they are at and the cracks.
Insulation
Having thoroughly checked the foundation, you are now ready for insulation inspection. It is of great importance when it comes to energy efficiency of houses in general, especially in case of an older house. Energy loses can be particularly high in case of poor insulation, while if the insulation is solid it can bring savings of up to 40 percent when it comes to heating and cooling bills. These figures are not to be overlooked so make sure you check all the walls, attic and basement, as well.
Installations
Let us put it in a poetic way, Installations are the life energy network of the house and they need to be in great shape in order to keep the house alive and functional. Therefore, perform a detailed check of all electrical wiring and sockets and make sure you identify the problematic areas, if there are any. The same applies to all plumbing and heating and cooling installations. If there are no flaws, or they can be fixed without much hassle and investment, you are ready to take the next checking step.
Roof
When roofs are concerned, it is leaks and holes you are primarily looking for when checking them from the outside. When the attic view is concerned, check the surface for any signs of water, a proof that there is a leak even if you missed the crack from the outside and make sure that the beams are not damaged, for the sake of the safety of the entire structure. Gutters need to be in perfect order as well, otherwise there is a high risk of walls being damaged by precipitations.
Paperwork
If you are satisfied with the architectural state of the house and you do not have any issues that cannot be solved, make sure you double check if everything is OK with the paperwork, as well. This does not solely concern the sales contract you will be signing. It is equally important that you check the section 32 vendor’s statement. It can contain some rather unusual notions, such as an entry saying that you can paint your house solely in blue or that you cannot change anything about its interior. All in all, take your time or hire a professional to check every aspect of it in detail.
Having covered all these recommended checks you can rest assured that the older house you are keen on purchasing will serve you well for years to come. Naturally, with proper maintenance and normal use, making it no different than it would be the case with any new house on the market.