Essential Checklist for Homeowners after Home Renovation Process

Home renovation is one of the most important occasions in home ownership.  As the house is not always in its tip-top condition, there are times when home improvement jobs are necessary.

Requiring schedule, effort, and budget, homeowners have to make a blueprint of how they would like their run-down houses to become.

Some houses need major renovation while others just need basic repairs and refurbishments. As the home remodeling or renovation draws closer, the homework is still not done.  The most crucial stage is just starting: the walkthrough.

It is an important step for full customer satisfaction; this is when the homeowner will scrutinize every detail of the home renovation project in the presence of his contractor.  

The homeowner should make sure that his contractor has completed all the works and has satisfied all the obligations stated in the renovation contract in a way that the homeowner deems satisfactory.

Once it is done the way homeowners want their home to be reconditioned, they would feel a sense of pride and peace of mind.  

The homeowner may get swept away with the excitement of living in his newly renovated home. Arming himself with a checklist would help not to miss the very significant details which he needs to examine once they finish the home renovation.

Here is an essential checklist for homeowners when they conduct the walkthrough:

Read more: How To Find Relevant Home Renovation Information On Google?

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A) Matters of concern with the contractor

• Take time to walk through the entire home to check the renovation’s overall quality.
• Check if the general contractor has properly cleaned the home. 

• Ask the general contractor to explain the manuals, warranties, and other maintenance information for the home appliances. The latter, such as smart thermostats and Wi-Fi-ready refrigerators are getting further advanced. Hence, complete understanding would be necessary for every homeowner.
• Make a list of the hidden defects (for example, gaping holes) between the cabinet itself and the base in the kitchen.
• Take note of the poor-quality materials used. Inform the contractor afterward about these issues.
• Ensure that the contractor will rectify the issues before the handover.
• See to it that the complete list of issues has been fully resolved and addressed.
• Make sure they accomplish the renovation handover task.
• Find out when the renovation warranty starts.
• Keep track of the renovation contract and home appliances’ warranty expiry dates.
• Make a list of the areas of improvements to be incorporated for the succeeding renovation project.

Read more: How to Deal With A Difficult Contractor?

B) The Living Room

For the carpentry works, check the workmanship of the following:

• counters
• wardrobe
• kitchen cabinets
• TV console
• bookshelf
• shoe cabinet

Run your hand on the surface of the woodwork, especially the edges.  Ensure that the sharp edges have been sanded down already to protect the little children at home.

2. Ensure that there are no air bubbles on the laminate finish of the furniture.
3. Be sure to change the locks on the home after the home renovation has been finished and handed over.
4. Guarantee that you can open and close the cabinets and the doors. Furthermore, see to it that the knobs or handles are tight.
5. Include plumbing and electrical works in the remodeling process.  The homeowner should check if the lights could be turned on and off properly. Check every light switch throughout the whole house.
6. The electrical home appliances should run correctly, such as the following:
   a. refrigerator
   b. stovetop
   c. washer
   d. dishwasher
   e. dryer
   f. oven
   g. water heater
   h. microwave
7. Turn on the air conditioner and the heater.  Place your hand in front of the vent. Ensure that they are in proper working order.
8. Check the walls and the flooring if they are free from debris and dust.  See to it that there are no chips or dents created during the remodeling process.
9. Test each socket inside the home using an LED circuit tester.
10. Open and close every window. Make sure that there are no discrepancies.                                        

    

2. Feel, look, and listen to every issue in the way the doors and the windows move. Ensure that they are in correct order.
3. See to it that all the smoke detectors are working properly.
4. Thoroughly examine every aspect of the furniture and make sure they are dust-free.
5. Guarantee that the upholstered pieces of furniture have been steam-cleaned or vacuumed several times, ensuring they are hypoallergenic and clean.
6. Clean the plastic and wooden pieces, TVs, tables, and dressers with a damp cloth.  After wiping them, dry them with a towel.
7. Stains on the furniture should be absent.
8. Ensure that the ledges, the ornaments on the shelves, the door handles, and the walls have been wiped down and are dust-free.
9. Carpets should be cleaned with the right type of vacuum as this is a key part of the post-renovation clean-up.
10. Guarantee that the floors and all the tiles and wooden surfaces are spotlessly clean and have been mopped.
11. Ceiling fans and lighting fixtures should be wiped with a wet cloth, dried out, and dust-free.

Read more: Strategy Is The Key To Any Successful Home Renovation

C) Kitchen

1. Closely inspect the countertops as plenty of them are vulnerable to cracks and chips during the home renovation process.
2. Pipe leakage should be absent. Find any back-ups in the pipes, hiccups in the water pressure, and other issues.  
3. Make sure that the backsplash is even and clean.  There should be no cracks, and the grout lines should be consistent.
4. Turn the garbage disposal on and off. Test the range hood as well.

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D) Bathroom

1. Guarantee that the toilet flushes properly and refills to a normal level.
2. The cold and hot water in the bathroom should flow from the correct channel.
3. Turn on each tap and sink. Let them run for at least two minutes.  Test the temperature controls by running both cold and hot water.                                                                                        

   

   Water photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com

1. Check under the sink for leaks.
2. The bathroom ceiling vents should be in proper order.
3. Test the bathtub and the shower to ensure that the faucets are functioning properly.  Run them for at least two minutes to make sure that they drain the right way.
4. See to it that bathroom accessories, like shower curtain rods, towel bars, and toilet paper holders, are correctly installed.
5. The tiles in the bathroom like on the shower wall and the floor should be evenly spaced.  The grout lines should be consistent, and there should be no cracks.
6. The medicine cabinets and bathroom mirrors should be aligned and evenly placed.
7. Open and close all the bathroom drawers and the cabinets, ensuring that they smoothly move.

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E) Bedroom

1. Evaluate the alignment of the bedroom cabinets and ensure that they are safely installed.
2. Check every closet and make sure that the doors close and open properly.
3. Ensure that everything is clean in the bedroom and is in proper working order.

Read more: Helpful Tips For Your First DIY Home Renovation

F) Garage

1. Evaluate the garage doors and their openers. See to it that they are in correct order.
2. Double check if the circuit breaker is functioning properly and that there are no wires exposed.

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A homeowner should feel confident during the important stage of the walkthrough. He should be meticulously thorough during the home renovation evaluation process.  

If he feels anxious, intimidated, or guilty to scrutinize every aspect of the works in his own home, he has the option to hire a third party inspector to join them. This personnel will provide an additional set of seasoned eyes to help check for any discrepancies.

The homeowner should speak what he thinks during the evaluation period.  It is best to express what he feels the contractors missed to fix instead of grumbling about these renovation issues in the coming years.

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Conclusion

The walkthrough ensures the homeowner that his home renovation project turns out exactly the way he planned it.  It is also recommended for a homeowner that, prior to hiring a contractor, he should do his research, get quotes, read reviews, and ensure that he hires only the best contractor.

Once the homeowner has evaluated most, if not all, of the items on this checklist, it is time to enjoy his newly refurbished home sweet home. Reaching the finale of his extensive renovation journey, he will finally realize that his dream home renovation has come to fruition.

A get-together with friends and family members would be ideal.  Having a simple and small open-house party would be great to celebrate this milestone of homeownership. 

Read more: Keeping Your Neighbors Happy During Renovations

Written by Kukun staff. September 26, 2018

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