Property Rehab Checklist

Walk every room and the exterior with the general contractor and a notebook. Photograph anything questionable — foundation cracks, water staining around windows, soft spots near tubs, panel-box condition. The walk produces the rough scope-of-work the budget is built from.

Pull the build year from the county assessor record, not the listing — listings are often wrong by a decade. Anything pre-1978 triggers EPA RRP rule requirements for any disturbance of painted surfaces and a lead-based paint disclosure on the eventual listing.

Use a certified RRP firm — DIY swabs do not satisfy EPA documentation. Keep the report in the project file; you will need it for the seller's disclosure when the rehab lists. Any contractor disturbing pre-1978 painted surfaces must also be RRP-certified.

Most jurisdictions require permits for electrical panel changes, plumbing rough-in, HVAC swap, structural work, and any window or door enlargement. Skipping permits surfaces at resale during the buyer's inspection — unpermitted work tanks deals or forces retroactive permitting at penalty rates.

Have a licensed roofer assess remaining service life — anything under 5 years remaining will surface on the buyer's inspection and trigger a credit demand. Full tear-off is often cheaper than buyer-side concessions on a roof at end of life.

Pre-1978 homes need RRP-compliant containment for any window replacement disturbing painted trim. Match window style to neighborhood comps — vinyl in a craftsman district reads cheap and hurts ARV.

Replace any rotted boards or failed Hardie panels before paint. Pressure-wash, scrape, prime, then two coats. Pick a color from the top-3 selling palette in the local market — this is not the project to express creativity.

Replace any galvanized supply lines or polybutylene — both are deal-killers on inspection. Pressure-test before drywall closes back up. Schedule the rough-in inspection with the AHJ before insulation goes back.

Federal Pacific, Zinsco, and Challenger panels are uninsurable in many markets — replace regardless of working condition. Add AFCI/GFCI per current NEC, especially in kitchens and bathrooms. Get the rough inspection signed off before drywall.

Service-only if the unit is under 8 years old and clean; otherwise swap for a 14+ SEER condenser and matched air handler. R-22 systems are no longer worth servicing — refrigerant cost alone exceeds the swap value within one season.

Match the finish level to the comp set — quartz where comps have quartz, granite or laminate where they don't. Order cabinets early; lead times of 4–8 weeks are common for stocked-but-not-warehoused lines and will gate every other kitchen task.

Stainless package on the appliances unless the comps say otherwise. Brushed nickel or matte black on fixtures — chrome reads dated. Keep all manuals and warranties in the project file for the buyer's closing packet.

LVP through main living areas is the current default in most flip markets — durable, photogenic, cheaper than engineered hardwood. Tile in wet areas. Avoid mixing more than two flooring types across the main floor; it reads chopped up in photos.

Single warm-neutral wall color throughout (Agreeable Gray, Repose Gray, Edgecomb Gray, or local equivalent). Flat-white ceilings, semi-gloss trim. Skip accent walls — they date the listing and limit the buyer pool.

Schedule the AHJ final at least a week before your target list date. The certificate of occupancy or final permit sign-off goes in the listing file — buyer's lender will ask for it on any rehab where the appraiser flags recent work.

Common re-inspection failures: missing GFCI in a basement outlet, smoke/CO alarm placement, handrail height, and missing access panels at tub valves. Fix the list, schedule the re-inspection, get the corrected sign-off in writing.

Walk every room with the GC and a fresh eye — touch-up paint, drawer alignment, caulk lines, grout haze, sticky doors. Hold final retention until the punch list is signed off; chasing a paid GC back to a finished house is hard.