A standard home inspection covers a lot of ground quickly. Foundations get looked at, but rarely with the depth that Central Missouri clay warrants. If you are buying in Warrensburg, Knob Noster or anywhere in Johnson County, these are worth checking yourself before you are past your inspection window.
Walk the exterior first
- Which way does the ground slope at each corner? Toward the house is a future expense.
- Where do the downspouts discharge? Right at the wall is a red flag.
- Any stair-step cracking in brick, especially at corners and above windows?
- Is there a visible gap between soil and foundation?
- Are sidewalks, driveway or patio sunken or tilting toward the house?
Inside the basement or crawl space
- Fresh paint on only the basement walls, which sometimes covers staining or cracks
- Efflorescence, the white chalky residue left when water passes through masonry
- Horizontal cracking or any inward bow, checked with a string line
- A sump pump, and whether the pit shows a high water line
- In crawl spaces: standing water, a musty smell, sagging joists, or a missing vapor barrier
Inside the living space
- Do interior doors latch properly, or do they swing on their own?
- Set a ball on the floor in a few rooms and see whether it rolls consistently
- Cracks in drywall at door and window corners
- Gaps where trim meets walls or ceilings
- Windows that stick or will not lock
Questions worth asking the seller
- Has any foundation or drainage work been done, and is there documentation?
- Is any repair under a transferable warranty?
- Does the basement or crawl space take water in heavy rain?
- Has the yard been regraded or have downspouts been extended?
A note for military families
If you are PCSing to Whiteman Air Force Base on a compressed timeline, this is exactly the wrong thing to leave to a rushed walkthrough. We can usually turn around an independent foundation assessment quickly and put the findings in writing, which is useful whether you are buying, selling or negotiating a repair credit.
If something turns up
Evidence of past repair is not automatically bad. Properly piered and documented work with a transferable warranty can be reassuring. What matters is knowing what happened, whether the cause was addressed, and whether it is still moving.
We do free inspections for buyers and sellers across our Central Missouri service area.
Not sure what you are looking at? We do free inspections across Warrensburg and the surrounding Johnson County area, and we will tell you honestly if you do not need work done. Call (816) 718-3385 or request an estimate.