Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a complete evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property on the day it is inspected, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the home can also include for a little extra of course, pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also paid for (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners simply wanting to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during an inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), etc.
2. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the foundation; structure out of plumb or level; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These items are pricey to fix, which we classify as entire systems needing over two percent of the purchase price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to major flaws – i.e., a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly, a roof leak that could get bigger, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
Your property inspector will counsel you on what to do about these areas of concern. He may recommend a formal evaluation on more matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will recommend you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural problem and one that might cost thousands of dollars to fix
Home inspections are merely paid for by a buyer after he or she signs a formal contract, right?
This isn’t true! As you might find whenever you keep reading, a home inspection can be utilized for ad hoc inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the condition of the potential home.
Home owners, in particular, can benefit from finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry after the contract is signed.
· The home owner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it up for open house tours.
· The home owner may take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the home owner be more objective when it comes to setting a fair price on the home.