What Happens During a Property Assessment and Why You Should Do Yours Today
Let me explain why these are important to every homeowner – especially if you've purchased a new home.
Last week, I completed a site visit to build a digital house manual for a recently renovated property. After the homeowners purchased it, they immediately hired contractors to customize everything. Knowing they would remodel, they bought their home without an inspection.
Although numerous contractors worked on-site for months, they still needed to complete a property inspection.
Here’s what I found…
(With tips and a template to complete your home assessment quickly.)
If you've read previous blog posts, you understand that I use Excel spreadsheets for everything – only basic Excel knowledge is required.
For my property assessment, I created a simple Excel spreadsheet with the following columns of information:
Priority. What's the ranking of this particular task or assessment? I rank them by: High, Medium, and Low.
What is the mechanical equipment or the item in the household being inspected?
Finally, what is the inspection information (installation date, condition, required maintenance, and the service provider) about each appliance and mechanical equipment?
On this particular site visit, I found that, even though every kitchen and housekeeping appliance was new, the water heaters were 13 to 17 years old. No one knew the last time that they were flushed out, serviced, or had the gaskets inspected or whether they were installed per building code. Since building codes change, sometimes it's worth looking at upgrades, such as installing a water pan in case the equipment leaks.
Additionally, you’ll want to know the installation date and the lifespan of those units before determining whether repairs or replacement makes sense.
Also, note whether this is a primary residence or vacation home and if parts or equipment replacements are readily available. In other words, proactive replacement might make sense if your boiler dies during your family’s Christmas holiday and a replacement isn’t available for weeks.
Here are things most homeowners don’t think about.
We discovered that the boiler at this home, located in a freeze zone, was old and heats everything from central air and radiant floor heaters to the mechanical rooms. I snapped a picture of the metal tag certification, which told us the installation date. I quickly calculated its age…2023 - 1991 = 32 years old!
The homeowners were shocked to know this. No one had mentioned it during the renovations.
That's important information. And since it’s currently summertime, it will be less expensive to replace that boiler now,
Instead of waiting for it to fail.
Plus, there’s no concern if the unit takes 4 weeks to install.
And, there’s no threat that the other mechanical equipment will freeze (causing additional replacements).
Systems failures are always the focus of these property assessments.
It gives every homeowner important information about whether to invest in new equipment instead of putting a band-aid on repairs to get your family through their vacation with some level of comfort.
Other things to check:
Do you know how to shut off gas, water, and electricity? In case of a gas leak, a water leak, or an electrical fire, look at each of those meters. Here’s a related tip: I always instruct on whether it needs to be turned a quarter clockwise, counterclockwise, etc. Having all those instructions on a laminated sheet of paper in a notebook, in a mechanical room, inside the water meter, or wherever is extremely helpful. Again, we're preparing for emergencies.
The rest of our checklist applies to irrigation leaks, locks and keypads, steam showers, and water filtration systems—all vital information.
Let’s talk about emergency preparedness plans.
Typically, no one thinks about this until it's too late. These plans include preparations for medical and natural disaster emergencies.
On the property I saw last week, no contractors were charged with inspecting the fire extinguishers, verifying how many there were, what types, their locations, or when they were last serviced.
Having a safety inspection by the fire chief is also in everyone's best interest. Set an appointment with someone that does their property walks. My experience has been that they're happy to come out and give you their best advice to keep your home safe.
Also, if you have security gates, please install a Knox box so first responders can open your gates. If you have a drowning, if you have to dial 9-1-1, or if someone chokes or has a heart attack, first responders need to be able to enter your property very quickly, and a Knox box allows them access.
Next, smoke detectors. Here’s what to do with these devices:
If they’re hardwired, test them with your security company.
If they're battery-operated, change the batteries now, and then set a calendar reminder for one year from now to replace them.
Fireplace inspections are often a huge “miss.” People fire them up in the wintertime without inspecting them. Many won't pass the building code because they were built with the house's original construction, and those codes tend to change over time. Fortunately, there are many ways around code issues. Repairs and safety features like spark arresters or ventless gas logs are all options for keeping fireplaces burning, keeping them within code restrictions, and keeping your home safe.
Additionally, get certified in and practice drills to perform CPR, and consider whether an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a smart investment. If your home is remote and emergency responders aren’t nearby, this will be your best course for saving someone’s life.
One of the biggest misses we found on the property we assessed last week was….
There were two double garage doors. Both looked like the openers were aged, although I couldn’t determine when they’d been installed – the light bulb’s protective panels looked yellowed. Upon further inspection, the wall brackets holding the spring to the wall weren’t secure, and the rod holding the spring was bowed. This was a major Red Flag, so the homeowners and I discussed not using them until they could be replaced.
The garage door openers reminded me of what we experienced last week in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the power outages. When we lost power, many of my friends and family members couldn’t get their cars out of the garage because, when they pulled the quick-release handle, the springs no longer supported the garage doors' weight, so manually lifting those was no longer an option. If it’s been a while since yours were serviced, have them inspected to determine their current condition and safety.
This site assessment was the first time any contractor had looked at these items to assess their safety and functionality. It’s no one's fault, and we’re not pointing any fingers. But, if those garage door opener springs failed, if there was a fire, or if someone suffered a heart attack at this property, many people, including the homeowner, would experience immediate regret that they hadn’t been better prepared.
Another thing that people look past is contractors’ documents
Specifically, insurance certificates and workers comp.
You’ll want to ensure that your contractors are insured and licensed (some states don’t require licenses for trades other than electrical, plumbing, and HVAC). California, for example, has some of the stricter contractor laws. You must be licensed to sell home improvement services over $500.
Final advice
Think of this property assessment as your best course for being prepared in an emergency, lowering your risk and the probability that your vacation will be ruined due to lack of heat (or whatever the situation). Create a simple Excel spreadsheet to capture the above information, or download our spreadsheet template for your documentation. Reviewing these items and collecting the information takes about a day, but you'll sleep better knowing more about your home.
