In buying a house, we must know the status of the house to be able to give a better appraisal and create a win-win situation for both.

To do this, we must do a comprehensive inspection of the house and determine what are the repairs needed? Know how extensive repairs will be before you take them on.

1. Drainage.

The most common problem found by inspectors is poor drainage. The extent of drainage problems should be considered and how to improve the drainage. To improve drainage, you may have to go from just cleaning roof gutters, repair or to a more costly installation of a new roof gutters and downspouts. Sometimes, the lawn may have to be re-graded to allow water to flow smoothly away from the house.

2. Electrical wiring.

Outdated electrical system can pose danger to the home as faulty electrical wiring can cause fire. This is a common problem, especially in older homes. This is a potentially hazardous defect that should not be taken lightly as this may cause death. You may have to replace a part or the entire electrical system to ensure that the house you will buy is safe.

3. Roof.

Old or damaged shingles, or improper flashing may cause roof damage. It's cheap and relatively easy to repair shingles and small amounts of flashing, but if the roof is old, you’ll be faced with a more costly repair or replacement of the whole roof.

4. Heating System.

Older heating system or one that has been poorly maintained poses a serious health and safety hazard. You may have to repair or replace the old furnace. This is a major expense, but new furnaces are more energy-efficient, which in the long run will save you money. If the heating system is anything but electrical, you may have to install carbon monoxide detectors in a couple of locations in the house.

5. Poorly maintained home.

Poor maintenance can be evidenced by cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry, broken fixtures or shoddy wiring or plumbing. You can easily repaint a wall, replace a fixture or repair a brick wall, but makeshift electrical or plumbing situations are serious and potentially dangerous problems. Make sure that any such wires or pipes are replaced.

6. Minor Structural damage.

Minor structural damage means the house is not likely to fall down, but you should deal with the problem before it becomes more serious. Such damage is usually caused by water seepage into the foundation, floor joists, rafters or window and door headers. First you may need to fix the cause of the problem (a leaky roof, for example), then repair or replace any damaged pieces. The more extensive the damage, the more expensive it will be to repair.

7. Plumbing.

The most common plumbing defects include old or incompatible piping materials and faulty fixtures or waste lines. These may require simple repairs, such as replacing a fixture, or more expensive measures, such as replacing the plumbing itself.

8. Water and Air Leaks.

Poor caulking and weather stripping on windows and doors may cause water to seep in as well as let air in and out making heating or cooling more costly. You may have to do simple and inexpensive repairs around windows and doors.

9. Ventilation.

Too much moisture due to poor ventilation can wreaks havoc on interior walls and structural elements. It can also worsen allergic reactions. You may have to install ventilation fans in every bathroom if there are no windows and may have to open all the windows of the house. To repair damage caused by poor ventilation, you may only have to replace drywall and other inexpensive pieces. If you may have to replace a structural element, it will be more expensive.

10. Environmental hazard.

Environmental problems are a new and growing area of home defects. They include lead-based paint(common in homes built before 1978), asbestos, formaldehyde, contaminated drinking water, radon and leaking underground oil tanks. You may need to arrange a special inspection to determine environmental problems, and they're usually expensive to fix.