When you buy a house in Las Vegas, after checking the neighborhood, and after examining the layout of the house for your family needs, now, it is the time to look at the building itself.
To inspect a house, first, look at the structure. If there are cracks on the exterior walls, it may be indicated that either the structure is moving, or the soil below is sinking. However, if the crack is no more than the thickness of a quarter coin, don't worry about it. If the crack is more than the width of a pencil, it may have a serious problem. Furthermore, if there is only one or two hairline size cracks, it is not a problem. Due to the extreme hot climate in Las Vegas, the stucco is always drying too fast, therefore, crack lines occur. (Does the crack line will cause leaking problem in raining day? No, it will not, because, there is a water proved building paper behind the stucco.)
WATER SOFTENER COMPARISON
If there is a crack line at one side of the house, and the other crack line at opposite of the house, it may mean that the foundation of the house is cracked into two pieces.
If there are crack lines at the upper corners of the door and window openings, it may mean the building is either distorting or twisting. If there are crack lines showing at many windows and doors, it may be indicate a serious structural problem.
Crack lines may also show on the driveway. If the crack lines are not that many and are no more than the thickness of a quarter, it is not a problem.
Second, look the water marks inside the house at the ceiling. If there are brown marks on the ceiling, it means the roof is leaking. It may cost a lot of money to repair the roof. If the water amrks are close to the kitchen and bathroom, it means there are leaking pipes in the house.
Third, take look the mechanical system. If the outside box of the air condition is rustic and dirty, it may be said that you shall have a new one soon, after you buy the house. The life span of a air condition is only 10 years.
Fourth, look at the water heater. If the base of the water heater showing a lot of mineral liked product and the faucet at the base has a kind of rustic look, it may mean that the water heater shall be replaced soon.
Fifth, look at the electrical system of the house. If the house is built before 1970, make sure it has both 110V and 220V for the house. Look at the electrical outlet, make sure it has ground. Look at the outlet near the sink in kitchen and bath room; make sure, they have the re-set button, because it is required by the Uniform Building Code to have a Ground Fault Interrupter (FGI).
Number six, check the plumbing system. Some house has no water softener system, therefore, there are white mineral sediment around he hot water faucet. Those are hard to clean, may be need to replace.
For foreclosure house, the most scary story, the previous owner dump the concrete into the sewage system. So, it is necessary to flash all of the toilet to make sure that there is no drainage problem.
Seventh, check the mold problem. If there is a black line at the base of a shower pan or where the wall meet with the tub, it is the mold. Some infectious areas can be cleaned up by chemical, some may require to remove the sheet rock and to rebuilt all of the infected areas.
Finally, to check the backyard. How does the water going to be drained out from the back? Sometime, to built a drainage system in a backyard to bring the water to the street on the front can be very expensive.
After inspection the house with this seven steps, a home buyer can have a rough idea about how much is the cost to remodel the house after purchase.
Eight Steps to Inspect a House WATER SOFTENER COMPARISON
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