When you make a house inspection checklist, it is important that you know what types of things to look for. There are different elements about the home that you want to look over when you buy it. This way, you can know what you are legally able to ask for from the seller. If the seller sells the home to you without fixing something that they know is wrong, and they do not tell you about it, they could have to give you the money for the repairs. It is very important to look over a home if you are about to purchase it, but it is also a good idea to look it over if you have already purchased it and you are starting the renovation. What you need to remember is that there may be problems in places that are hard to see. You should start by looking at the roof. Make sure that none of the beams have rotted, making it unstable. Make sure that there are not any holes or leaks that can let water into the home. A simple inspection will be able to show if these kinds of problems exist. Since they can be so expensive to fix, it is a good idea to look for them if there is any chance that the seller will have to pay. Next, you should look at the pipes that are in the basement. If the home does not have a basement, you should look in the crawlspace. When these pipes break, you will run into two problems. First, you will not be able to use the water in your home. More importantly, though, you could end up with a flooded basement that requires a lot of repairs. You need to find pipes that have fallen into disrepair before they break in order to prevent these things. Finally, you need to look at the framing around the windows. A lot of water can get into the walls at these points. This can lead to rot and decay. You may need to replace the windows, or you may at least need to take them out, redo the framing, and put them back in. You should be sure that your house inspection checklist includes all of the three places that are listed above so that you can contact the seller with any legal concerns that you have.