House viewing checklist for those things you wish you would have checked?

[Stresssy]

I’m viewing a property on Wednesday, this is the 2nd viewing and I’m wondering if anyone has any ideas on what I should be looking for? Did you purchase a house recently and think, “I wish I would have checked that” ? My checklist starts with check the toilets flush 😆 and then my mind goes blank! I’m going in to this on Wednesday and leaving my feelings on the doorstep as I walk in. 🤭 I really feel like this house is the one ☺️

THE ROOF. Even just visually - is it old, is it new, is it covered with lichen etc. When we have bought a house back in 2019, we have negotiated 35k down because roof was old and needed replacement. And when we got to make the roof after covid, it was 45k already + scaffolding another 2.5k eeeeek.

Check the drainage in terms of rain. Does water flow towards the house or away? If it flows towards the house is there a drain? If you get the chance to take a look on a rainy day does water collect? Do gutters leak down the house (which could cause damp).

If there is a drive is there a drop kerb?

Check the ceilings - for roof leaks upstairs and for bathroom leaks downstairs.

If you hope to extend it will help to know where the sewers run (you might need the plans or a survey for this later). I think if you need to build over a main drain or shared sewer you might need to redirect it or get a build over agreement with the water board.

If internal walls have been removed has an RSJ been installed?
If a chimney has been removed downstairs has it been removed upstairs? If not has it been supported?

Do windows have lintels in good condition (our house is around 80 years old and no proper lintels - about half the houses on the street have had them replaced)

How dark the rooms are during the day with the lights off

Nailed it.

Just check everything opens and closes and works. Definitely check if the boiler has recently been serviced. Turn the lights on and off, and it turns out our lights were wired weirdly. We knew we needed new wiring, but it was a mess.

Check the steps on the stirs aren't wobbling and that the floors don't spring weirdly those are signs of rot/wooden worm.

Move stuff on window sills and in front of walls where you can. To check for damp spots on the walls.

Oh yes! This time of year on a sunny day, it should be really light inside. Our old house was so dark in winter

You’re all amazing thank you for leaving these great tips. I will have a survey done on the property as I do suspect they’ve patched up some damp. I have a very sensitive nose and I could smell it. It’s a 1920’s home but it has great bones and if felt nice on the first viewing. I have everything crossed for Wednesday and I’m about to start writing a list 🤓

I forgot the most important point, signal reception, so important if you work from home.

I didn't check it at my viewing and it's annoyingly very weak. I'm 66 and on my own and carry my mobile all the time but with this weak signal decided to research wifi calling on PAYG - and even then the calls drop off. I do still have a landline, luckily.

Check the boiler, servicing date etc

I've not read replies so may be repeating, that all Windows open as sometimes lintel can have slipped and be expensive for builder to fix. Radiators work, boilers okay, no leaks on ceiling above bath. Doors all shut properly and kitchen cupboards and drawers all open and close okay. Back gate opens and closes okay.

I wish we had checked the hot water pump as it is so noisy despite getting it replaced.

Do they have pets? How regularly are they treated for fleas.?

Carpet moths. Bare or worn patches on the carpet. Move furniture to check.

Although op as someone who has bought quite a few homes - many of the things people have listed (including me) wouldn’t stop the sale.

I would have still bought my house - for example - if I was aware thefridge didn’t work or the back gate stuck.

I wouldnt even negotiate on price for a fridge or a gate or a carpet.

I once had someone try to negotiate because their survey said my relatively news and pristine shower wasn’t sealed correctly. It didn’t leak so I am not sure what the complaint actually was about - it was sealed inline with the manufacturer’s instructions. I laughed and told them the price was as agreed.

no house will ever be perfect and you can worry yourself out of a purchase over very small stuff that most homeowners take in their stride.

Yes to this!!!

Neighbours and what the parking situation is like.

I have lovely neighbours now. My old ones were awful.

See what it is like in the area different times of the day. For example pop there in the evening and weekends when most people are back from work.

Inside. Think about where you are going to store things.

Other stuff as above. Also if the house is on septic tanks for sewage then make sure that is checked. I know of someone who had an issue with that and was expensive.

Drainage and floods. If you are lazy like me then think about how the kids will get to school when they are old enough to go by themselves.

We checked: boiler, windows, appliances being left, general state of the electrics / plumbing.

The house we are buying has been very well maintained. We have got to know our vendors pretty well and it’s obvious how well looked after it has been, so whilst everything isn’t brand new, we know we shouldn’t have any nasty surprises.

We actually viewed a house that superficially looked lovely (well decorated etc) but after having a closer look, it was obvious they hadn’t done any real work to it and the electrics, plumbing and boiler were likely to need doing imminently.

@TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams thus has scared me 😳 not even something I would have thought of 🫣 and they definitely had a dog I could smell it 😆 but nothing a serious deep clean couldn’t fix I’m just not sure about the fleas 😩 would it be cheeky to ask? Would any pet owners be offended by this?

Check the garden and boundaries for invasive weeds like horsetail, Japanese knotweed, etc.

@Wishitsnows its funny you commented on this because DH felt like the rooms were a little dark at the front of the house on our first viewing but I believe it could be how the bay windows were dressed? They had very heavy tasseled “festoon style” drapes in an almost brown colour which hung quite low across the front of the bays rather than in to the recess of the bays. I hope this makes sense I’ve attached a pic as an example. Would I be wrong in thinking these were blocking the majority of light?

@VirtuousUpwardSpiral i have this is my notes JKW scares the life out of me. I will compile a list for our surveyor and get them to check for this too. 🥰 Thank you

Check where the nearest church is (church bells practice) school is, fire station is and any neighbours with dogs.

All those things have drove me mad with the amount of noise they bring ...... and I've lived very close to all of them 😂

Is the house single glazed? Victorians had this style of curtain with pelmets because of draughts.

We were a bit naive when we viewed our current house. A check list for viewing is a great idea. It’s only the 3rd house we have bought having lived in our previous we discovered home for almost 20 years and at the time houses were selling quickly so when we saw and loved the house we had to move quick.
we knew the area and the house was a lot newer than our previous one. We did notice that the boiler looked pretty ancient and we would need to replace it at some point but we’ve had to replace and re locate the boiler within a few months of moving in.

Fortunately everything else worked, taps, windows, doors. The only thing that was an unwelcome surprise when we moved in was that the lovely solid oak floor which was in the hall and lounge was missing a large chunk - we assume where a fireplace might have been at some point. We didn’t see this on viewing as that’s where the owners had their sofa 🙈 fortunately we’ve been able to put our sofa in the same location but I feel a little cheated 🤣

Try driving from your workplace to the house in rush hour to see if there’s horrendous traffic and it takes for ever. If you are really keen, get up early and try getting to work from the house in the morning. Check parking at the same time if you don’t have plenty of off street parking.

I wish we’d checked the tank in the attic. When we moved in it very nearly overflowed and we had to call a plumber.

Make sure you do a walk though the day before closing to check that whatever they said they’re leaving, they do. Also that they’ve cleared all their shit out of the attic and that the heating etc. is working.