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.

Add a 10–20% contingency line — older homes always reveal something behind the drywall. Compare the all-in number (purchase + rehab + carrying + selling) against ARV to confirm the deal still pencils before any line item is ordered.

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.

Mulch beds, edge the lawn, trim overgrowth, replace dead shrubs, and paint or replace the front door. Curb appeal is the photo that drives the click-through on Zillow — defer it too long and you list with bad photos.

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.

Bring attic R-value to current code minimum (commonly R-38 or R-49 depending on climate zone). Replace any rodent-contaminated batts in the crawl. Inadequate insulation shows up on energy-efficient buyer comparisons and during home inspection thermal scans.

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.

WaterSense-labeled 1.28 GPF toilets and 1.5 GPM faucets. Some jurisdictions (CA, CO) require WaterSense fixtures at point-of-sale — check the local rule. The label also helps the listing's energy-efficiency narrative.

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.

Caulk every window perimeter and door frame, replace any failed weatherstripping, foam any visible penetrations in the rim joist. A blower-door pre-test is cheap insurance if the buyer pool includes any energy-conscious purchasers running a HERS rating.

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.

Package: permit sign-offs, lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978), seller's property disclosure, appliance warranties, paint and flooring SKUs for buyer reference, and the contractor warranty letters. The cleaner the file, the faster the close.