The Middle Tennessee New Homeowner Checklist

You have the keys. This is the order to do things in, written for this climate rather than a generic checklist: 50.51 inches of rain a year, a normal January low of 30.1F, a normal July high of 90.9F, and an average of 18 tornadoes a year across Middle Tennessee (NWS Nashville, 1991–2020 normals and 1995–2025 tornado data).

What should you do in the first week?

• Find and label the water shut-off. Then the gas shut-off and the breaker panel. Do this before you need it.
• Change the locks or rekey. Then set up whatever monitoring you want — home security and smart home.
• Set up utilities and water. Nashville Metro Water raised rates 3% effective January 1, 2026; expect a base charge plus volumetric tiers.
• Deep clean before the furniture lands. Easiest week of the whole year to do it — cleaning services.
• Change the HVAC filter. Whatever the seller said, change it.

• Get the HVAC serviced. Two hard seasons here, and you want to know the system''s condition on your own terms, not in July — HVAC companies.
• Have the roof and gutters looked at. This is the single highest-value check in Middle Tennessee. Clogged gutters plus 50 inches of rain is how foundations get wet — roofing and siding and gutters.
• Walk the drainage. After the first heavy rain, watch where water goes. If it runs toward the house, fix the grading — excavation and land clearing or foundation and waterproofing.
• Test for radon. EPA places Davidson County in Zone 1, the highest potential band; Cheatham and Dickson are Zone 2 (EPA Map of Radon Zones).
• Book pest control. Termites and ants are a fact of life here — pest control.
• Check the trees. Anything leaning over the roof is a March-to-May problem waiting to happen — tree services.
• Quote your insurance properly. Tennessee averages roughly $2,672 to $3,045 a year for $300,000 of dwelling coverage against a US average near $2,470 (Bankrate and Insure.com, 2025–2026).

What should you do in the first year?

• Service the plumbing and water heater. Ages and leaks, in that order — plumbing.
• Have the electrical panel checked if the house predates the 1990s — electrical.
• Seal the driveway or repair the concrete before winter freeze-thaw widens the cracks — concrete and masonry.
• Sort the yard. Grading, beds, irrigation — landscaping and hardscaping.
• Fence it if you have pets or kids — fencing.
• Plan the bigger projects. Kitchens, bathrooms and additions book out months ahead here — kitchen remodeling, bathroom remodeling, general contractors.

What is the storm-season checklist?

Main severe season is March through May, with a secondary season November through February (NWS Nashville).

• Trim limbs away from the roof and power lines.
• Clear gutters and downspout outlets before spring.
• Photograph every room and the roof for your insurance file.
• Know where you shelter — interior room, lowest floor, away from windows.
• Save a restoration company number before you need it. After a regional storm, the good ones are booked within hours.

Who is legally allowed to do the work?

Tennessee requires a contractor licence for projects of $25,000 or more, and a separate Home Improvement licence for jobs between $3,000 and $24,999 in the counties that adopted that law — including Davidson, Robertson and Rutherford (Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors). Ask for the licence number, and check it.

Where do you find the companies?

Browse by service, or open your town page to see who works there. Listings are free and results are not sold.

Where do you go next?

Read what home services will you need after moving here for the order to hire in, or go back to Moving to Middle Tennessee.

Climate and rules above are as published by NWS Nashville, EPA and the State of Tennessee; figures were current in 2025 or 2026.