5 Things to look out for when going on home inspections

There are so many processes that goes into renting or buying a house in Nigeria, one of which is ‘home inspection’. It is also one of the many dilemmas of house hunting as it could take a day or days for some people to find a property they are interested in. Home inspection is carried out to check out the condition of the property before proceeding to rent the property. Home inspections are a very important part of the home-renting process that can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Whether you have rented ten different homes in the past or you are about to rent your first home, a home inspection in almost every case is highly recommended. Going for a few inspections and conducting simple maintenance checks would help make a difference between finding your dream home and stepping into a costly nightmare.

To navigate saving time, cost and energy when it comes to property inspection, you need to create an inspection checklist. An home inspection checklist is a list of areas to take note of when inspecting. Here are some things you need to mark on your checklist during inspection:

Exterior

What is the condition of the outside of the home? Has it been repainted recently? Are there any repairs needed? These are questions you should consider when checking out a home. You should look through the building and apartment to see obvious cracks, or disfigures that need to be discussed.

Interior

The interior areas of a property may seem the most straightforward but then it is important to check certain things such as the rooms; get to know their measurements and if they are well ventilated, are there adequate electrical outlets in the rooms. Inspect each rooms to confirm that services (plumbing, electrical and so on) installed are working properly. You should also check the doors and windows to be sure they open and shut properly. Checkout for wall dampness, evidence of leaks though the window or ceiling. The tile situation, kitchen cabinet, toilet and the bedrooms to see if you need to flag anything.

Plumbing

Check plumbing around the home to ensure that it is functional and comprises only quality materials. Be sure the pipes are flowing well and are not clogged up, restricting water flow or leaking. Also, check if the house has a proper drainage system.

Electrical

Checking the electrical connections and appliances is also very important. An electrical system inspection will typically test out all the light fixtures, outlets to ensure that they are grounded, and circuit breakers. Check if the cables are working. You need to ask critical questions. Are the sockets working? Is there any sign of overheating from the fuse? Has there been a fire outbreak in the house before?

Other amenities

A plus aspect that you should inquire about is the amenities promised. If the amenities mentioned by the agent or landlord haven’t been delivered or not in a good working condition, you shouldn’t have to pay for them separately. This could give you some room to negotiate for a lower price.

The entire process of property inspection could be quite stressful but would definitely save you more stress in the future. If a problem is uncovered during an inspection, this should not necessarily discourage you from renting the home. This would rather help you determine the value of the home and prevent you from overpaying or experiencing unwanted repairs in the future.

If your inspected home passed this checklist, you can pay your rent with Kwaba.

You can also read;

Why you shouldn’t skip a home inspection

5 things you need to look out for when choosing your next apartment