We live in base housing. Since we live in base housing, we cannot leave this base until we pass the inspection. It's basically what people go through when they leave an apartment or a house they're renting.
Before the final inspection, there's a pre-inspection. This is when base housing workers go through your house and let you know what you need to clean and pay for. You can opt to use their cleaning service, but you still have things you are responsible for.
It's stressful, I won't lie. When you have kids and pets, you know there are damages. We've gone through three pre-inspections so far. This will be the fourth.
Here are thoughts that are always going through my head during a pre-inspection.
1. You want me to pay how much for your cleaning service? (It's about $300.)
2. If I stand against the stain on the wall that I can't get out, will they charge me for it if they can't see it?
3. When we get into our bedroom: holy crap, I didn't put the KY gel away. How mortifying.
4. After being handed the packet of things we still need to clean even if we pay them to clean: why am I paying you guys so much to clean and I still have to clean?
5. Why are you saying you'll charge us for carpet damage when you'll probably be ripping it all out anyway after we move? (This happened when Natalie tried to clean out a stain she made with bleach. Sighs.)
6. That stain was already there when we moved in. (Nice try. When you move in, base housing workers walk with you through the house and mark down any issues.)
7. If you used better materials when building the houses, maybe so many things wouldn't be falling apart.
8. Yes, I do have a lot of things. I know the garage is scary but the boxes are all filled with MEMORIES.
9. I know I have weeds in the front yard. I hate to garden. Why must you put gardens in front of the homes? I kill plants. I don't mean to, but it happens. Yes, I'll pull out all the weeds and make the garden look "decent." (Even though they usually have yard people come in no matter what..) I'm not sure what's going on with the rose bush.
Have you had to go through an inspection before?
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Off post housing inspections aren't a rough as on post. Possibly part of why I never want to live on post. We have never had to pay anything and always got our full deposit back when leaving. Then again I make sure the house is spotless. The only thing we have to pay out of pocket is to get the carpets professionally cleaned. I'm fine with this especially because we have 2 large dogs. The most we have ever paid for that is $100, but we know this upfront and put a few bucks away every month for it. I think going through so many inspections would make me a nervous wreck.
ReplyDeleteI have had similar thoughts during our moves. I think the pre-inspection is a good reality check though... When you are looking for new housing in Texas you will be forgiving of the occupants and you will be able to see the forest thru the trees. Good luck in your move!
ReplyDeleteLol! I've gone through this renting. It's a pain in the ass. Surprisingly, I've gotten my deposits back. Even tho I was a total drunkard and general buffoon in college...I managed to keep it clean! I mean. I should get some credit for that. Lol
ReplyDeleteOh ya gotta love the inspections! We have been through 3 and there have been some ridiculous things they have wanted done. However, we have skated by haha.
ReplyDeleteUgh! My husband is finishing out the last couple years of his National Guard contract (he's been in 9 years so far) and is thinking of switching to active duty when that time is up. I love reading about on post vs. off post, the more lifestyle things. This sounds like quite the trip! How frustrating. I've had similar thoughts about civilian housing, but not to this extent. Thanks for sharing - I enjoyed reading!
ReplyDeleteWe are currently living in the first house we've ever bought. I do remember some nightmares moving out of rental apartments before though. We had one landlord who was ridiculously picky and it really pissed me off!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this reminded me of my apartment inspections from decades ago! I swear I moved about 8 times in one building over the course of 5 years. It sucked.
ReplyDeleteI had some good laughs here though.
I hope the inspections (and move) go well!
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Yikes! That sounds serious. In college we had to have an inspection to be checked out of our dorm at the end of the year - but it was just one room, so no big deal. Good luck :)!
ReplyDeleteGood heavens! I'm sure the rose bush is fine it just needs to be trimmed back and maybe dead headed. Trimming is in Feb though so don't do it.
ReplyDeleteI used bleach on carpet as a kid too!
Good luck with the move and $300 is way too much!
Bwahaha! Number 3! Oh my goodness! Yes how stressful. Ugh! I have gone through home inspections before and yep those are stressful.
ReplyDeleteArgh, that doesn't sound like fun at all. 4th pre-inspection? Sheesh!! Hope it all goes well in the end!!
ReplyDeleteYikes...that is stressful!! All will work out in the end!! Cleaning even after you pay them to clean is like cleaning the house before a cleaning lady comes to clean it. I know people who do that!! HA! Good Luck!!
ReplyDeleteOnly apartment inspections, but ours was pretty lax. (If it gives you any idea, they allowed the previous tenants in our apartment to put up wallpaper borders in some of the rooms and management PAINTED RIGHT OVER THEM before we moved in - it looked terrible!) But some inspections can be really white glove. Hope it went okay!
ReplyDeleteYes. Our 1st one a piece of glass fell on the inspector who was german and he was NOT pleased. Some how we still passed.
ReplyDeleteYikes. I sold my last house 4 years ago and I'm still damaged by the fact that the inspection was Friday at 4pm and they didn't let us know if they had any contigencies/things to be fixed until monday when they were back in the office. Longest weekend of my life!
ReplyDeletehahahah, #3. I couldn't stop laughing at that.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd freak out and have to leave the inspection!
We had one off post housing inspection and I felt so invaded. Apparently someone in my husband's unit was nasty and was living in a state of squalor, so we all had to get inspected. We got inspected on a Saturday morning! All went well. :)
ReplyDeleteXOXO
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Sounds like a nightmare.. I am with you on the killing of plants thing. Don't do it on purpose but they just seem to die on me :(
ReplyDelete