Home Inspection Part I

The process to adopt via the foster care system is, truth be told, a fairly lengthy process. You don’t just sign up to get a child and have one placed. There are many steps that happen, and the home inspection is one of them. This is part I, the Home Inspection Part I, of our next adoption home inspection.

Home Inspection Part I

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Why is there a Home Inspection Part I and Home Inspection Part II? Well, because we failed our first home inspection yesterday, so the state has to come back.

We went through this whole process about two years ago, but we didn’t keep notes or anything really, and we couldn’t remember a whole lot about what is and is not acceptable.

The first reason they had to come was to do a “location change,” which is just their official way of documenting that we physically moved to a new house. We, obviously, passed that one. 🙂

I think we failed to some degree in most rooms of our house, but the toughest one for me to get over is what happened with my water fountain. When we bought this house, it came with a water fountain in the backyard. The fountain cannot be moved easily. It is pure stone, and so the owners didn’t want to move it, and we gladly wrote it into the contract for it to stay with us. It’s my dream sleeping “device” and backyard “zen” tool. With just the flip of a switch, we can turn it on and listen to the drip-drop and all the peacefulness it brings.

Until now, of course. Apparently, if there is any water-containing item in the backyard, it cannot be filled more than 3 inches with water without having a 5-foot gate around it. Clearly, we are not putting a gate around it, and so, we have to fill it with rocks sans-water.

I about cried. Getting another child is worth everything, but yet again I sit here and think, “I feel so punished for not being able to have a child.”

Let’s carry on.

People always ask questions about the foster-to-adopt process. I am doing my best this time around to bring you in and show how it all plays out in reality because again you don’t just call and say you want a child and one is delivered. It’s a process, a lengthy one….and it’s both physically and emotionally draining.

After our home inspection yesterday, I put together a list of 10 things that you’ll need to ensure your house is compliant with prior to final inspection sign-off. (Note: this is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather a starting place of absolutes.)

1. All medications and supplements must be locked up.
2. All chemicals and cleaning supplies (including any in the garage) must be locked up.
3. If you have a ledge in your bathroom shower, there can be no shampoos/conditioners/soaps/etc. laying out, unless they are in 2oz bottles or less and up at least 5 feet.
4. Laundry detergent and other laundry cleaning supplies must be locked up or placed at least 5 feet above the ground.
5. If you have guns, they must be locked. (This should not even have to be stated, but there you have it.)
6. If you want your home licensed for one child, they must have a crib or bed plus closet or dresser of some sort.
7. Anything in the backyard that is filled with more than 3 feet of water must have a gate around it. Otherwise, said item must be filled with rocks/bricks/etc.
8. You must have a First Aid kit readily available.
9. You must have an Emergency Plan readily available.
10. A smoke detector, battery-operated or hard-wired, must be installed on each floor of the home and be operable at all times.

For the record, we passed #’s 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10.

In addition to the above, in order for the home inspection to be complete, you need to do the following:

1. Fill out an application (or in our case re-application).
2. Complete 8-hours of annual continuing education.
3. Make sure all CPR requirements are current.

We still need to complete #’s 2 and 3.

We have one month to complete all of the above. They will come back around the first week of November for the final walk through.

A little stressful? Yes.

Worth it? I mean, just look at her…..you be the judge.

Interested in more posts on foster adoption or adoption in general? Click HERE to grab them!

Xox,
SKH