Checking For Quality
SIGNS OF GOOD CONSTRUCTION
When you walk through the house of a "reference," you need to look for signs of good building construction. These are often not obvious.
At first, you may feel embarrassed having to ask the homeowners you're visiting if you can open their windows or doors, or look in the closets, but remember that when you build your own house, you are making the investment of a lifetime. Who you choose to be your builder will affect the quality of your life for many years to come. Surely that is worth the effort to summon up the courage to take a close and thorough look.
Here are some details to examine that indicate whether or not a house is well constructed:
When you walk through the house of a "reference," you need to look for signs of good building construction. These are often not obvious.
At first, you may feel embarrassed having to ask the homeowners you're visiting if you can open their windows or doors, or look in the closets, but remember that when you build your own house, you are making the investment of a lifetime. Who you choose to be your builder will affect the quality of your life for many years to come. Surely that is worth the effort to summon up the courage to take a close and thorough look.
Here are some details to examine that indicate whether or not a house is well constructed:
- LOOK FOR SIGNS OF ROOF LEAKS. Do the roof shingles lay flat? Leaks can be revealed from discolorations and stains in the interior ceilings or walls caused by water seeping through cracks and into the house.
- CHECK THAT THE WALLS ARE STRAIGHT. Find an area or corner, typically in the kitchen or bath, where a row of floor tile or a patterned sheet of vinyl flooring meets a wall. If the last row of tile or vinyl patterning that is closest to the wall runs uniformly parallel to the wall, chances are the wall is straight. If the tile strip is wider at one end and narrower at the other, then the wall may not be straight.
- CHECK THE QUALITY OF THE PAINT JOB. If the builder does the job right, he does it right everywhere, according to one expert. Look at the backside of doors. Step inside a walk-in closet and make sure the door casing on the inside is caulked and painted properly.
- TEST THE WINDOWS AND DOORS. Pull the windows up and down; and push the doors open and closed. Do the windows go all the way up? Do they close and seal properly? Are the cracks around the door uniformly spaced to indicate that the door is hung well and the doorway is standing properly?
Interior doors should open and close easily. But the tighter the house is constructed, the better it will hold up against heat, cold and other weather conditions--and the harder it will be to close the exterior door. Because it is fitted with weather stripping and is meant to be a protection against climatic elements, the exterior door shouldn't close with the push of a fingertip. - CHECK FOR LEVEL COUNTERTOPS AND TIGHT SEAMS. Do objects on countertops remain stationery or upright? Or do they roll or topple because the counter isn't level? Tight seams on countertops will prevent dirt from building up in them and the countertop materials from being damaged with daily use. If laminate is not properly seamed, for example, it will absorb water and swell.
- TEST APPLIANCES AND FIXTURES TO SEE IF THEY OPERATE PROPERLY. Does the toilet flush properly? Is it evenly set on its base? Do drawers in built-in cabinets pull in and out smoothly? Do the floors or stairs squeak when walked upon?
- LOOK FOR CLEANLY DETAILED WOODWORK. Are the cuts and patterns clean, consistent and well-detailed on the moldings and trims? Are the baseboards set evenly against the floor with no gaps?
- ASK THE OWNERS HOW THE HOUSE IS INSULATED. How high are their heating bills? Have any energy efficient features been installed? Are there drafts from the windows?