Although it may not be the biggest room in a home by far the bathroom is often the busiest. When preparing a home for sale – and whilst in the process of showing and selling it- the bathroom can also be a source of some of a home seller’s worst repair headaches, as often problems in a bathroom are water related and can become an emergency repair situation to avoid permanent and expensive damage.
And then there are the potential buyers themselves. Most are looking for a move in ready home, one that does not need ‘fixing’. They tend to look at utility rooms like bathrooms with a very keen eye – something we have advised here on this blog in the past and do in ‘real life’ – and so do home inspectors should a potential home purchase get that far. And in post pandemic times – when hygiene is everything – the focus on bathrooms is more intense than ever.
Keeping in mind that a little prevention can go a long way giving the bathroom – or bathrooms – in your home for sale an occasional “check-up”, especially before prospective buyers arrive, is always a good idea. Here are some of the things to look at, and for
Flush the toilet, run the shower and the faucet on the sink, one by one (as any savvy home buyer will too). Does all of this water flow well and drain or flush away properly? Is the hot water working and does it heat in a reasonable amount of time? Do you hear any strange gurgles in the pipes? If something does not seem right calling in a plumber before bigger problems arise is a must.
Inspect the bathtub and the counters for obvious cracks, chips or other damage.
Push a foot down on the floor directly nearest the bathtub. If there is softness or even too much give that may be a sign of water leak that will need to be fixed before it damages the flooring and makes the space unsafe – and puts doubts in buyer’s minds.
Check the area around the toilet base. Any moisture here usually indicates that the toilet seal needs to be repaired or replaced to stop a leak.
If the bathroom has under-sink cabinets, which most do, open them all up and not only look for signs of a leak but also for other problems, especially as excess moisture in this kind of an enclosed area can cause mould and mildew. If you can see nothing but there is a musty smell, investigate further to determine the cause of the odor.
Check any and all electrical outlets in the bathroom to make sure that they work properly and that any fault interrupters are functional as well.
If you find any of these problems, don’t wait, call in a qualified person to fix them as soon as possible, as the successful sale of your home may actually depend on it.
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