Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a final evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property at this point in time, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the property can also include for a little extra of course, pest inspections, pool inspections, energy audits, Radon testing, water testing, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also used (less often) by a home seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners simply wishing to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible
The following are aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during a property inspection:
1. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These items are expensive to fix, which are systems needing more than two percent of the purchase price to repair.
2. Items that could lead to serious defects – damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof leak that could get bigger, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
Your inspector will advise you about what you should do about these problems. He/she may recommend an evaluation on issues – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For instance, your inspector may advise you phone a licensed building engineer if he/she finds areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home Inspections are just paid for by a buyer when they sign a formal contract, right?
This is false! As you will discover whenever you keep reading, a home inspection can be utilized for interim inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by way of a current home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to produce their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the situation of the potential home.
Homeowners, in particular, can benefit from obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner usually takes the report and allow it to be into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be much more objective as it pertains to setting a reasonable price on the home.