contractors inspection checklist

[CedReugg]

I have a walkthrough on a property coming up soon and I wanted to know if anyone knows where I can download or otherwise obtain some sort of free ontractor's inspection checklist that lays out in a simple format all of the systems and aspects of a property that should be looked at and inspected along with additional space for price estimates, notes and feedback.  Thanks in advance for your responses.  They are very much appreciated.

[DannyTheGreat]

Your looking for something similar to a home inspection checklist. It won't do you any good unless you know what you're looking at. Most contractors I know use a yellow notepad and a pencil. If you plan on walking through this property with the seller, make sure you tell them it will take 2-3 hours. Use your google-fu.

[CedReugg]

I guess a home inspection checklist is exactly what I'm looking for.  Do you know of any websites that would offer a checklist that is geared toward helping investors analyze the scope and repair cost of a rehab project.  I don't think I would be very confident with a contractor that qouted me a estimate for a  rehab project based off of notes and numbers on small yellow notedpad paper.  One last question is should it really take 3 hours to figure out a reliable ball park estimate for repair cost on a 2 bedroom 1 bath 750sq ft. house?  By the way, what is google-fu?

[henryinma]

If you're going to spend some money, get yourself a real checklist. Just go to Amazon and look for home inspection. There's several books on it and it's cheap compared to buying a rehab property.

As for home inspectors or contractors, they always take 2-3 hours to go through a house. It takes that much time to inspect each item. The one I use and others I've noticed like to start from the outside and move inside and then up. Taking binoculars to inspect the roof, gutters, windows, grading, structure. Then going inside to the basement, checking for termites, looking at each system, the electrical, plumbing, heating, then moving upstairs to each room, checking outlets, checking out bathrooms, running the water, checking appliances. All that takes time. I once did a 3 family where the home inspector took 5 hours. That was the worse one I've been on, he was a slow writer. I think a couple of times we just sat there for 20 minutes while he wrote up all his notes. He was very detailed.

[reslynn]

Just make sure that the building inspector you're getting is licensed and better yet, does he have any references?

[Cliff 152]

Try the free download at www.flipthebook.com.