You are correct that those expenses can qualify and should be added to the depreciable basis of the home. The amount eligible for depreciation of the home is the lesser of your cost or its fair market value on the day you converted it to rental. The improvements you list should also be depreciated over the same 27.5 years as the home. Remember to exclude the value of the land the home is on from your depreciation calculation.
You may begin claiming a deduction for depreciation when the home was "offered for rent." TurboTax will calculate your allowable rental loss based on your other adjusted gross income and the passive activity loss limitaion rules . . . sounds complicated but it will not be complicated for TurboTax
