Pre-Listing & Post-Inspection Repairs in Philadelphia

Repairs for sellers, buyers and realtors: getting a home ready to list, and handling the buyer's inspection report quickly so the sale stays on schedule.

Call (215) 391-6380 Request an estimate

Open 7 days, 6 AM–10 PM, including evenings and weekends. Call (215) 391-6380.

What I handle

Pre-listing repair and touch-up lists
Post-inspection repair items
Drywall, plaster and paint touch-ups
Doors, windows, hardware and caulking
Fixture, outlet and minor plumbing fixes
Leak and water-damage repairs

Pre-listing repairs: make a good first impression

Buyers notice the small things: the crack over the doorway, the stained ceiling, the door that drags, the missing outlet cover, the dated light fixture. Each one makes a buyer wonder what else has been put off. Taking care of them before the listing photos go up makes the house show better and gives an inspector less to write about.

I typically work from a walk-through list or your agent's notes: patching and touching up walls and ceilings, adjusting doors and hardware, re-caulking tubs, showers and sinks, swapping fixtures, fixing running toilets and dripping faucets, tightening railings, and replacing damaged trim. For older Philadelphia row homes, that often includes plaster crack repair and fixing old water stains properly, starting with the source.

Post-inspection repairs: keep the deal moving

Once the buyer's inspection comes back, there's usually a deadline. Send me the report, or just the items the seller agreed to fix, and I'll tell you what I can handle and when. Typical items include loose railings, damaged drywall, door and window problems, caulking and sealing, GFCI outlets and fixtures, minor plumbing leaks, and evidence of past roof or plumbing leaks that needs a repair and a cleanup.

Because I'm open 7 days a week, 6 AM to 10 PM, I can often fit repairs around showings and tight settlement dates, including evenings and weekends. After the work I can send photos of each completed item, which helps you document the repairs for the other side.

Water stains and leak history

Nothing worries a buyer like a ceiling stain. Painting over it without fixing the cause can make things worse once the inspector's moisture meter finds it. I trace the source, whether it's a roof seam, flashing, a supply line or a shower, and fix it. Then I replace or repair the damaged drywall or plaster and finish it ready for paint. See leak detection & repair, roof leak repair and water-damaged drywall repair.

For realtors

If you list or sell homes in Fishtown, the River Wards, Center City or anywhere else in Philadelphia or on the Main Line, it helps to have one person you can call for the repair list. I'm Scott, the owner. I opened Fishtown Home Solutions & Handyman in 2015, I have more than 10 years of experience, I'm insured, and I do all of the work myself. You'll deal directly with the person doing the work, and I communicate in English, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian, which helps with some sellers and buyers. A punch-list day is often the most efficient way to clear a pre-listing list in one visit.

Common pre-listing items in older Philadelphia homes

Every house is different, but in older Philadelphia row homes the same items come up again and again before a sale. Cracked plaster along the ceilings and stair walls. Old water stains on top-floor ceilings from flat-roof leaks that were fixed long ago but never cleaned up. Interior doors that rub or won't latch because the frames have settled. Worn caulk around tubs, showers and kitchen sinks. Loose stair railings and balusters. Missing or mismatched outlet and switch covers, outdated light fixtures, and dripping faucets or running toilets. None of these are big jobs, but together they shape how buyers and inspectors see the house.

Fixing them in one organized visit is usually the most efficient approach. I go room by room, handle what's on the list, and point out anything I notice that you may want to look at before an inspector does, so you can decide what to fix and what to disclose.