What's on the checklist

People ask what a visit actually consists of. Here it is, in the order we do it, which is the same order every week so that nothing gets skipped and the photographs line up from one report to the next.

Outside first

Walk the perimeter. Doors, windows, locks and seals. Signs of pests, signs of water, anything that has been moved. Pool and jacuzzi level, and any sign of a leak. The garden and irrigation if we are running them. Mail and parcels collected.

Then the air

AC running in every zone, thermostats where they should be, drain lines clear, filters looked at. A humidity reading in each main room, written on the report. Windows opened where it is safe and the outside air is drier than the inside air.

Then the water

Every tap run. Every toilet flushed. Floor drains and traps topped up so they do not dry out. Under every sink, every ceiling and the walls beneath wet rooms checked for leaks.

Then the house

Breaker panel. Fridge and freezer working, anything expired thrown out, a dishwasher cycle run. Non-essentials unplugged. Alarm and CCTV if fitted, smoke detectors tested. Lights tested, blinds and curtains rotated so the house looks lived in. Indoor plants watered. Household staff, if any are left at the home, seen and spoken to.

Then the cars

Each car started to circulate oil and coolant, with the battery maintainer left connected between visits. Battery voltage taken after the start. Tyre pressures checked. The car moved within its own parking space so the tyres rest on a new spot. Never on the road.

Then the report

Timestamped photographs of every room, in the same order. A short video walking through the home. The readings. Anything we found, with photographs and a costed plan. The time we arrived and the time we left. Sent within 24 hours.

It takes between 45 and 60 minutes, and longer when there are several cars.