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One of the best things about your AAA House Manager membership is that the benefits begin right away. In fact, your First Home Visit can be held as quickly as three days after becoming a member. It’s the first of two assessments a year included in your membership that allow your House Manager to familiarize themselves with your home, then monitor its condition as the months go on.
How it works
So what happens during this first visit? First of all, plan for your House Manager to spend a couple hours at your home. Starting at the entryway, they’ll walk through each room documenting the condition of a multitude of items. They’ll be taking notes on their phone and snapping pictures of doors, walls, floors, and anything in need of repair. They will test all electrical outlets, thoroughly inspect major appliances, perform safety checks and evaluate the overall state of your home.
So it’s like a home inspection and appraisal?
Yes and no. It’s true that we’re coming in to assess the condition of your home, but there are some key differences from the inspection that was done when you bought it. We don’t do a structural inspection, so we’re not looking at the condition of your home’s foundation. (Though we will certainly note if we see any glaring issues or concerns.) We do take photos to include in your Home Health Report, but we don’t use them to help establish an estimated value for your home. They are for us to track work that is performed and to reference when you order services in the future.
Routine maintenance tasks will be performed
Bonus! While going room to room, your House Manager will pause to perform a few maintenance tasks, including:
Vacuuming refrigerator coils:
When was the last time you pulled your fridge out and cleared away the dust bunnies? Exactly. We check this off the list right out of the gate because it’s something most people don’t think to do, yet there are huge benefits. Clear coils will help keep your fridge cool and running much more efficiently.Cleaning out the dryer vent:
This is a priority in our book because a clogged dryer vent is a fire hazard. We don’t want to take any chances, so we go ahead and tackle it for you in during our first visit.Oiling garage coils:
Loud squeaking, banging, humming or crunching sounds are signs that the garage door is in desperate need of lubrication. Yet, surprisingly, it’s something many of us just put up with. Quieting the door will not only ensure it’s working properly, but it’ll prevent you from being driven crazy by those awful noises.Performing a five point toilet inspection:
Leaks. They’re one of the most common issues we get called in to help on. Depending on your type of toilets and how they’re installed, leaks may be difficult to detect. And if that happens, you could be facing major water damage. We’ll make sure everything is working properly and if not, fix it right away.All of these tasks will be performed again during your six month home health check-up, plus a flush of your water heater.
Should you skip it?
We’re often asked if it’s ok to skip the assessment and jump right in on tackling projects a member has in mind. We get it, your to-do list is ready to go. But, what if there are additional, potentially more destructive issues that you haven’t considered or aren’t aware of? Just like when you take your car to a mechanic, we need to look under the hood before we get to work. So, while we may be able to jump right into a project (depending on what it is of course), we prefer to start at the beginning. For us, it’s a best practice.
Home Health Report
Your Home Health Report will arrive in your AAA House Manager account within a week of the visit. You’ll see it in the “Home Health Reports” section of your dashboard. The report will include a detailed summary of tasks that need to be completed before they become a major problem. Don’t feel overwhelmed! We’ll work together to prioritize and schedule necessary work to ensure your home is in tip-top shape as quickly as possible.
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The time we invest into your First Home Visit and Home Health Report would cost at least $300 with other service providers, but is included in your AAA House Manager membership at no additional cost. And it's the perfect starting off point — the first step in getting your home in tip top shape.
