When you decide to sell, the house usually comes with a to-do list: things your real estate agent suggests fixing before it goes on the market, and items the buyer’s home inspection turns up after an offer is accepted. In this Builder Buzz episode, Brandon Bartow of Bartow Builders explains how to handle those repairs without spending your last weeks in the house chasing contractors.
Key takeaways
Pre-sale repairs often involve several trades at once, and coordinating them yourself takes time you may not have while you’re also planning a move.
A general contractor can bundle the whole list into one project with one schedule and one point of contact.
Not every item on a home inspection report has to be fixed. What gets repaired is negotiated between buyer and seller.
Safety items flagged by an inspector are usually the ones to handle first and quickly.
Small repair lists can be fitted in fairly quickly. A significant problem found in an inspection needs more lead time, so call early.
Work done properly before you leave means no phone calls about the old house after you’ve moved.
Why use one contractor for a list of pre-sale repairs?
Because the list rarely belongs to one trade. A typical pre-listing or post-inspection list might include drywall patching, paint, a door that sticks, an electrical item and a plumbing item. Handled one at a time, that means separate calls, separate schedules and separate visits, all while you’re packing.
A general contractor takes the whole list and runs it as one project. The trades are scheduled in the right order, the work is checked, and you have a single person to call about all of it.
Do I have to fix everything on the home inspection report?
No. A home inspection report is a list of observations, not a list of requirements. Which items get repaired, credited or left alone is negotiated between the buyer and the seller, usually through your agents.
Talk with your agent about which items matter before you book any work. That keeps you from paying to fix things the buyer never asked for.
Which repairs should come first?
Anything that affects safety. If the inspector flags a hazard, such as a problem with a stairway, a railing or a safe way in and out of a room, that is the kind of item to deal with right away. It protects whoever lives in the house next, and it is usually the item a buyer cares about most.
How far ahead should I call a contractor?
As early as you can. A short list of small repairs can often be worked into a contractor’s schedule without much notice. If the inspection found something significant, plan for more time, because larger repairs take longer to price, schedule and complete. If you know you’ll be listing in the spring, a call over the winter gives you the most options.
Can a contractor work with my real estate agent?
Yes, and it often makes things easier. Agents see the same kinds of repair requests again and again, and many already have contractors they call when something needs to be handled before closing. Brandon notes that local real estate professionals regularly bring Bartow in for exactly this. Your agent knows the deadlines in your offer, and the contractor knows what the work involves. Putting them in touch keeps the repairs on the same calendar as the sale.
Why does the quality of the repair matter if I’m leaving?
Because a quick patch can come back to you. A buyer who finds a poorly done repair after closing may call you, or their agent may. Repairs done properly the first time let you focus on where you’re going next rather than on the house you left behind.
What Bartow does about this
We take pre-sale and post-inspection repair lists and run them as one project, using our own carpenters and the trade partners we work with every week, so the work is coordinated and done properly before closing. Read more about how a Bartow project runs.
When you’re ready, start here or call 920-682-7100.
