How to Prioritize Home Repairs

First of all – I adore you guys! I’ve been listening to the podcast and find it incredibly helpful; you both are so generous with your talents.

I purchased a “starter home” type house when I was single, but got married and moved in with my husband. We rented the house out, keeping in mind we wanted to move back after retiring. Now we’re retired and back in my original “Money Pit”, and we want to get serious about improvements!

Our house isn’t in complete shambles, but we know there’s probably a LONG list of things that need to be done. We’re overwhelmed and frozen in place. What is the best way to prioritize home repairs? Should we hire a professional who could evaluate the house and give us a game plan?

Our Answer

Dorothea,

Thank you for the kind words! Great question, and we totally understand what you’re feeling. Lots of people suffer from “analysis paralysis” when faced with so many things to do because they do not know what to do first! There is a great option, however, which you actually brought up in your question. What I would do is hire a professional home inspector to evaluate your home first. Home inspectors are terrific because they are not in the business of selling you repairs. If you were to ask a contractor to do such an inspection, you are guaranteed to be presented with quotes for all the things they would love to fix on your house.

On the other hand, with a home inspector, you’ll just be getting a report that gives you the facts. He will tell you what needs to be fixed and in what order. Generally speaking, safety items need to be fixed first. For example, wiring problems that could cause a fire or uneven steps that could cause a fall. Next, you will want to tackle the structural issues that could cause the building to deteriorate. Finally, you will work toward the cosmetics – updating a kitchen, painting a room, or installing new faucets or fixtures. If you would like, you can take a look at this blog where we list out the most popular home improvement projects we’re asked about on the national radio show. This may come in handy when you are completing your projects!

All in all, if you use a home inspector you will get that impartial expert advice. The best way to find a home inspector is to find one here, at the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thank you for reaching out, and please let us know if we can help with anything else!