Al Carrell: Well, Michael, for these folks the happy day has arrived. The house is finished. Now they just made out a punch list. As a home builder you've probably seen a few of those, right?
Michael Holigan: I see about 800 punch lists a year.
A.C.: Well, let's go through and you tell me what to look for and maybe we'll find some other things they should know about.
M.H.: Let's take a look. The first thing to check on any new home or preexisting home is the foundation. Make sure that you have 3 to 6 inches of exposed foundation so no water's getting in the home in a heavy rain. Also, make sure if you have a brick home, that your weep holes are open and not clogged up, so if any moisture gets behind the wall, it had a way to get out. On all of your landscaping, including your yard, make sure everything slopes away from the house so you're not trapping water up against the home. Same goes with driveways, sidewalks and patio's, everything needs to slope away from the house. On the landscaping itself, make sure that it's at least 18 inches away from the house. That way the landscaping's not trapping any water up against the home.
A.C.: If the house has central air conditioning, be sure that the large line coming out is completely insulated. And any kind of a line that enters the house should be caulked so that you don't have a big hole around there. And even though this is antique brick, you don't want these bright paint splatters, that ought to be cleaned up.
M.H.: The walk-through is a great opportunity to make sure you're getting everything you're expecting in your home, so take your time. Your construction superintendent will walk through the home with you and make a punch list. That's a list of things that are missing or need to be repaired. Refer back to your selection sheet to make sure your choices of colors and types of materials have been used in completing your home. When it's possible, check the insulation and make sure the doors and windows are sealed with weatherstripping and caulk. No matter what season of the year you buy your home, you should check out both the heating and air conditioning systems to make sure they're working properly. Once you've let one run through a cycle, check out the other.
A.C.: You want to be sure and check the drains. And you can do that by turning the water on several places and leaving it running for a long time. Also check the hot water side to be sure that you have hot water.
M.H.: Test out all the appliances in your home and any other equipment. Turn on the dishwasher and let it run a full cycle. And take the time to check descriptions and model numbers. If you upgraded to a certain kind of appliance, read the manufacturer's label to make sure that's what you got. And remember to test all the electrical outlets and the light switches in the house too. It's not unusual to find minor unfinished work in a walk-through, so be patient. Your home is constructed out of literally thousands of parts, and normally by hundreds of people. Any problem that is found can normally be fixed in a short amount of time.
A.C.: You will have nicked places on the paint, so be sure that your painter leaves some touchup paint. Even though you might be able to go in and match it, having the exact paint is a lot better. And be sure you store it where it's not going to freeze.
M.H.: Once you've moved in, notify your builder immediately when something covered in your warranty malfunctions. After all the work they've put into your home, they're as eager as you are to have you settled in comfortably in your new house.
Episode 43 1996 - 97 Season
| Ragging Off | Stud Marker | Xeriscaping | Final Walk-through | Pro-Measure Plus | Excess Humidity | Detectors | Paint Protectors | Second Mortgages |