AFTER you've done the move-out inspection

[Frank Adams]

I always used a pretty detailed move-in and move-out inspection so I had a pretty good form. I could use the form to plan my attack on getting the unit ready for re-renting. However, sometimes people move without telling, or you evict so you don't know what you'll need until you get there.

I had a little "go" bag that I always carried with me to minimize my number of trips and my time lost chasing parts. If there was no move out inspection done that is what I would do first, so I'd have a ready reference.

Here's what I always carried:

1. Sheetrock mud, I always bought the cubic foot box, and then emptied it into a clean, good sealing empty 5 gallon paint bucket. Of course I did a lot of sheetrock work.

2. A small (16 oz) plastic can of sheetrock repair goop. The reason for this is that this sometimes is better on small nail holes. I'm just kind of quirky.

3. The flat wall paint. Again, this is a five gallon since I always used the same color, Glidden Navajo White in everything.

4. A couple of 1 1/2" "disposable" paint brushes.

5. A 3" or 4" paintbrush.

6. A small, 2' X 8' drop cloth.

7. 1" and 3" putty knives.

8. A handful of paint stirring sticks

9. Elmer's wood glue

10. Some "scrap" sheetrock pieces.

11. TSP based cleaning solution

12. Small bucket

13. Cotton rags

14. Screwdriver, pliers, claw hammer, utility knife and extra blades

15. Contractor (thick) garbage bags

16. Work light.

17. Small ladder

I found over the years that if I work with a plan, which involves looking at the whole house first, before doing anything, I've been able to do a complete "make ready" on a 2000 square foot house in just a few hours of work, instead of jumping right in and starting a mess before I've thought it out.

Starting at the room farthest from the front door, and using your checklist inspect each wall, the floor, ceiling, baseboards and doors. Pay particular attention around switch plates and outlets and around door frames and corners. These are the places that tend to get dirtiest. Good TSP cleaner will often clean these up.

Generally as I'm walking I have the small tub of spackling compound open to fill in nail holes. Anything larger I make a note and come back to that, I only open and close the 5 gallon tub of "mud" one time per trip.

Look behind doors to make sure that no one broke off the door stop and managed to get a doorknob through the sheetrock. I've managed to live almost 50 years and have never had this problem myself, but LOTS of my tenants seemed to suffer from this malady. It tends to be inversely related to income.

Do all lights work?

All electrical outlets work?

All door locks work?

Toilets and faucets all functioning properly?

All appliances and garage door opener functioning properly.

After you've done each room, step to just inside the front door and take a hard critical look. Is the carpet/floor in this room good or is it time to upgrade? Even if you don't have to paint, is the paint "fresh" looking?

Step across the street and critically assess the curb appeal. Grass and shrubs looking good? Nice borders between grass and shrubs? Exterior paint, shutters, gutters and roof look good?

Just a rough list.

I think next time I'll get into sheetrock repair and why I carry all those paint sticks.

all cash