A home is typically the largest single investment you’ll ever make, and you’ll likely spend a lot of time and energy searching for the perfect place. By the time you’re ready to buy, you’ll already know a lot about the house. However, it’s a good idea to do a little more detective work and get answers to a few investigative questions. It will give you additional peace of mind in your purchase.

Asking the right questions will not only help you get answers to those questions, it may also provide answers to questions you didn’t ask.

We will focus on the replaceable portions of the structure the roof, windows, guttering, siding, etc.

  • Is the popcorn or textured ceiling freshly painted? Possibly to hide the brown spot/dot from the condensation from the year before? 
  • How old is the roof? Need an invoice from the company who did the work. You need to ask who did it and if the labour and/or material warranty is transferable (Material should be easy, labour is not!).
  • IS THE ROOF BEEN A CASH job or Joe pick up roofer will not provide a labour warranty because they don’t offer warranty! 
  • Is THIS A COSMETIC ROOFING JOB? ROOF WILL NOT PERFORM LIKE IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THEY REUSE VALLEY FLASHING, ROOF VENT, PLUMBING BOOT, GOOSE NECK, SPRAY- PAINTING CHIMNEY FLASHING. IT LOOKS GOOD TO A HOMEOWNER OR HOME INSPECTOR BUT LITTLE THING CAN BE HIDING AND THOSE LITTLE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT THINGS. 
  • How old are the windows and doors? Over 20 years! If a high end product to start with you should be still good, if it was an economic series start to think about replacing them. Windows and doors are not cheap!
  • How old is the siding? How are the windows
  • Cedar siding? If well maintained and taking care of it will last.  If it has not been maintained it’s not repairable, the siding starts to split and rots. 
  • Deck: wood or composite? Joist structure? Composite deck could look good but the joists could be rotting. 
  • Deck: membrane deck / Duradek®: how old is the membrane? 10 years +? You will need to start considering replacement before leaks cause unseen rooting! 

When you are buying a house, it’s you who will ultimately be responsible for everything—even if you don’t know about it at the time of purchase. So ask LOTS of questions so you can be as happy with the house over the long term as you are at first sight!