Moving into new home checklist

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rph12
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2011 8:26 am

Moving into new home checklist

Post by rph12 »

We are closing on our first home soon, and we've been trying to figure out our checklist before we move into our new home. What are some common problems other Bogleheads have run into when they moved into a house that could have been potentially addressed while the house was still vacant? Our apartment lease runs through the end of January, so we have time to do things before we move in.

Here's our checklist so far (in this order):
1. Have pest control come and do a whole house preventative service to avoid any unpleasant surprises come spring/take care of any mice living in the crawl space
2. Have the fireplace cleaned (wood burning, no gas line)
3. Have radon mitigation system installed (sellers were supposed to do this, but then offered a credit instead)
4. Have carpets cleaned (new carpets installed by sellers (investors), but who knows what's been tracked in by contractors during rehab and residue from pest control)
5. Have professional cleaning service come and do a whole house cleaning (floors are dirty/dusty, bathrooms were not cleaned by sellers)
6. Change locks after all these services are done before we start moving things over

Any major things my wife and I haven't thought of to do?
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Bengineer
Posts: 655
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:25 am
Location: NC

Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by Bengineer »

If the carpet is pristine now, some carpet protection film over the traffic areas until the work is done might pay off.

Get after whatever you can now - much easier to run around with a ladder and clean up after than with furniture in and art on the walls. Stuff to consider:
  • Any electrical outlets, switches, bath fans, lighting, network or CATV wiring.
  • Wall patching - holes, bad finish areas, screw pops, etc.
  • Interior painting - like all those wall colors? Trim cracks showing?
  • Attic work - sealing, insulating, hvac unit & ducting all good?
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tractorguy
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Location: Chicago Suburb

Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by tractorguy »

I'd add painting and any major redecorating that needs to be done to the list of things to do before moving in. It is much, much easier to paint rooms when you don't have to move and cover furniture.

Be sure to set aside a few hundred dollars or more for gotcha's. My daughter and husband just moved 3 months ago and are still finding small things that are annoying and need to be addressed. Shelves and towel rods will need to be put up, trim to be painted, etc. Each project is small but they add up.

As you live in a house, you'll see a lot of stuff that you will want to change that you totally missed on the walk throughs. My first house, we found out 4 months after we bought it that the guest bedroom (in an unused upstairs) was lacking a door. We would have gone much longer but my parents were coming and wanted some privacy. We found the door in the garage rafters with a huge water stain on one side. It had to be stripped and totally refinished before we could use it.
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SamB
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Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 3:17 pm

Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by SamB »

Have the chimney sweep also clean the dryer vent. Our vent had a coke bottle inserted in it.
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Kosmo
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Location: Philadelphia

Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by Kosmo »

If these were investors having contractors doing any repairs, you probably don't have much to worry about in terms of electrical/mechanical/plumbing/HVAC issues. Definitely do any painting/cosmetic work before the furniture is in place. We moved at the beginning of the year and one thing my wife insisted on was replacing all the almond colored outlets and switches with white ones. Simple tasks, but time consuming.

One recommendation: after you have the house cleaned, get drop clothes or tarps and put them down in the high traffic areas and certainly in front of every door. You don't want to get everything all dirty again when you carry in all your furniture and boxes.
Easy Rhino
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Location: San Diego

Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by Easy Rhino »

in general, try to get as many contractors in and out as possible.

and try to schedule the move in clean so it's as late as possible after they are all done. Because even one or two light contracting jobs will leave a lot of mess.

stuff we've had done since we moved in a couple months ago;
- replaced keys and door handles (just didn't like existing handles)
- fixed window screens
- replaced an exterior door
- removed tile in garage (need to replace with something but no decision yet)
- installed rain gutters
- fought an ant invasion after termite tenting was complete
- installed baby gate
- installed a few ceiling fans
- had a home energy audit
- fix fireplace ash doors

we've got an electrician coming to take care of a wide variety of gripes (which we accumulated in our first few months), some minor roof patching, and a glass doors for our fireplace on order.

and our whole yard is a wreck. we're deferring that one. We should have started watering the front yard right away though, because the grass is pretty darn dead.
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retiredjg
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Re: Moving into new home checklist

Post by retiredjg »

You need to find out now where all the utilities have their shut-offs. There will be one for water, gas, electric, etc. You don't want to do this in the middle of an emergency. Same for sprinkler system if you have one. Find out if irrigation water has a separate cut off from the house water.

Find (if the old owner didn't provide) an owner's manual for each thing in the house that you are not completely familiar with - water softener, dishwasher, sprinkler system, etc. Some of this is available on the internet. Find this info before you need it.
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