Regular home inspection can help you to identify problems early, ensuring that you will have ample time to muster the time and money to fix them before they become catastrophes. This is especially true in situations where secondary problems can arise, such as a pipe leak, which, if ignored for too long, can result in a flood and costly water damage.
Protect your home from unnecessary damage by printing this Do-it-Yourself Home Inspection checklist. Then, take the time each month to spend some quality-time with your home.

Outside

Roof

• Review the tiles and slates. Have any slipped? Fallen off completely? Or suffered damage?
• Study the timbers. Is the roof sagging in any areas?
• Look at the gutters and down pipes. Are they leaking or overflowing? Are they damaged? Are they sagging in any areas?

Chimney

• Review the overall structure. Is it leaning? Are there any damaged bricks?
• Look at the chimney pots. Broken? Leaning? Do they need to be replaced? Does the mortar need to be redone?
• Study the flashings. Have any slipped or are any missing?

Walls

• Look at the structure. Are any of the bricks crumbling or otherwise damaged? Do the walls have cracks?
• Review the mortor joints. Have any eroded?

Doors

• Look at the structure. Have the timber doors rotted?
• Study the finish. Do any need to be repainted or stained?
• Review the edges. Is the sealant around the doors damaged?

Airbricks

• Are all of the airbricks open and unobstructed by spoil or paving?

This list is not just for the main structure of your home; it is also important to review the maintenance of other structures on your property as well.

Inside

Floors

• Take a walk throughout your home, stepping lightly on the floors and concentrating on bounciness, which can be an indicator of rot. Be sure to focus on the areas near the walls, which is where the first signs of rot usually appear. Take this time to note any areas that are visibly worn or damaged.
• Get down to eyelevel with the floor and look closely at floorboards for signs of rot and infestation, such as the tiny holes of woodworms. While you are there, look at skirting boards for signs of rot of infestation.

Electrics

• Working systematically through your home, turn each switch on and off to check for signs of sparks and crackles.
• Get up close to your sockets and check for burn marks.
• Are any of the electrical fixtures loose, broken, or cracked?

Gas

• Check your records for the date of your last inspection by a ‘Gas Safe’ (CORGI) registered gas fitter. Take this time to book an appointment on the 1-year anniversary of the last visit.
• Look at your gas fire and around it for signs of burn marks.
• Turn on your gas fire and ensure that the flame is an orange-yellow colour, not a bright yellow one.

Plumbing

• Working systematically through your home, turn on each tap to check the water’s pressure and visual quality.
• After checking the water, turn the tap off and ensure that it does not drip or otherwise waste water.
• Look at all accessible pipes to check for leaks.

Plaster

• Are there any areas where the wallpaper is coming off? Are there places where the walls are crumbly?
• Are there any cracks? It is very important that you don’t ignore cracks, particularly those that are long and straight, which could indicate a structural problem.

Next Steps
After completing this quick home inspection, you are well prepared to improve the maintenance of your home. The notes that you will have made during your inspection will allow you to contact the necessary service people and schedule the proper tasks. To make this part of the task easier to manage, try grouping the issues into the following categories:

1. Work that must be completed immediately by a specialist. Take this list and call the necessary professionals right away, booking convenient times for them to visit.
2. Work that must be completed immediately, but that I can do myself. Use this list to prepare yourself for the necessary DIY jobs. For example, you may now want to create a shopping list of required tools and products.
3. Work that can and should wait until later. Although you should guard against putting too many jobs on this list, there are some tasks that are not urgent and that will be less expensive/easier to complete at a later time (such as a different season). Place this list in your diary with a reminder on when to get the jobs done.

NOTE: The work will only be easier and less expensive if the problem is stable and will not worsen or create more problems with time.

You should also consider whether any of these repairs will be covered by your insurance, and begin filling out the necessary paperwork.