The 138 point home checklist is an annual inspection guide from JJ Legacy Contracting that walks you through your home from the roof to the hot water tank. It covers 58 exterior and 80 interior checks, with a focus on finding water before it causes damage. It works best printed and repeated once a year.
If you own a home in Ancaster or anywhere across Hamilton, you probably know the feeling. Everything looks fine until a brown spot appears on the ceiling, or a baseboard starts to swell, and suddenly a small repair turns into a home renovation you never planned for. Most of those surprises start quietly, and most of them start with water.
Why does an annual home check matter?
A clogged gutter overflows, erodes the soil, and floods a basement. A thin crack in the caulking around a window lets in enough rain over a few seasons to ruin flooring, drywall, and insulation. Small things caught early are what keep a home holding its value.
James Ott, owner of JJ Legacy Contracting, grew up in the trades alongside a father with more than 50 years of contracting experience. He built this checklist to be as thorough as a pre-purchase home inspection, so homeowners can stay ahead of problems instead of reacting to them.
What does the 138 point home checklist cover?
The guide starts outside. You check the roof for moss, loose shingles, and exposed nail heads, then confirm gutters slope toward the downspouts and that downspouts carry water away from the foundation. It covers siding and brick, window and door caulking, vents and wire entry points, yard grading, fences, and decks. Some details are specific: deck balusters should be no more than 4 inches apart, a step that is off by just 1/16 of an inch can trip most people, and asphalt driveways should be sealed every 2 to 5 years.
Inside, the checklist moves through the attic, drywall, trim, doors, flooring, appliances, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, the hot water tank, and the water softener. Current code calls for R60 attic insulation, though many older attics can’t fit that much and still vent properly. An electrical panel scanned with a thermal camera should not show circuits above 60°C (140°F). One-inch furnace filters need changing at least every 90 days, while 4-inch filters can be changed twice a year. Many checks use two simple tools, a thermal imaging camera and a moisture meter, to find leaks hiding behind finished walls.
What are the most important checks if you only do five?
If 138 items feels like a lot, start with the five that stop the most water damage. Each one comes straight from the checklist.
- Gutters and downspouts. Clear out debris, make sure gutters slope toward the downspouts, and confirm the downspout ends carry water away from the foundation.
- Yard grading. Walk the perimeter and look for any spot where water would run toward the house. Frost and snow melt can shift your grade from one year to the next.
- Window and door caulking. Look for cracked, brittle, or missing caulking on the outside. Also check that no one has over-caulked a leaky window, since a blocked sill drain can push water back into the home.
- Shower and tub silicone. If it’s discoloured, cracking, or pulling away from the wall, cut it out with a razor blade and replace it. It’s the first thing to wear out in any bathroom.
- Furnace, A/C, and humidifier drain lines. Make sure each line runs into the floor drain. A line that has slipped out is one of the most common causes of unexplained basement water damage.
These five take an afternoon and need little more than a ladder and a flashlight.
Which checks matter most for your bathroom?
Bathrooms are where water does the most hidden damage. To test your shower’s waterproofing, plug the drain, fill the base with about an inch of water, and scan the area and the ceiling below with a thermal camera. Tile itself is not waterproof. A proper shower relies on a membrane underneath, and when that membrane fails, water travels into the floor and walls.
The guide also asks you to check where your bath fan actually vents. James has found many fans exhausting straight onto the attic floor or screwed to a regular roof vent, which sends steamy air into the attic and leads to mold and rot. If either check turns up a problem, it is often the first sign that a bathroom renovation is worth discussing.
What should you do if you find a problem?
Many items on the list are simple fixes, like greasing a squeaky hinge, adjusting a cabinet door, or replacing worn weather stripping. Others, like a failed shower membrane or moisture behind drywall, need a closer look. Either way, you’ll know what you are dealing with, and that is a much better place to start than a surprise.
The goal is a home that stays safe, comfortable, and valuable year after year, with you in control of what happens to it. Reach out to JJ Legacy Contracting today for your free copy of the full 138 point home checklist. If it raises questions, we’d love to talk through the job with you. Book a qualification call and we’ll help you sort out what needs attention now and what can wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I use the 138 point home checklist?
Once a year is the recommendation. Several items, like proper installation of vents and flashing, matter most the first time you inspect a home that is new to you.
Do I need special tools?
Most checks only need your eyes and a ladder. A thermal imaging camera and a moisture meter make the interior water checks far more reliable, especially behind finished walls and under showers.
What is the most common cause of hidden water damage?
In the guide, water shows up again and again through failed caulking, poor drainage, and improper venting. One of the most common causes James sees in basements is simply a furnace, A/C, or humidifier drain line that has slipped out of the floor drain.
Can JJ Legacy help if my checklist finds a bigger issue?
Yes. JJ Legacy Contracting works with homeowners across Ancaster and Hamilton on interior and bathroom renovations, and a qualification call is the easiest way to talk through what you found.