Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive 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. A home inspection can also include for extra of course Radon testing, pest inspections, pool inspections, water testing, energy audits, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also done (less often) by a homeseller before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners simply wanting to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your property:
1. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, etc. These items are costly to repair, which are entire systems requiring over 1.8% of the purchase price to fix.
2. Items that could lead to serious flaws – i.e. damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could grow, or a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your property inspector should counsel you about what to do about these areas of concern. He may recommend an evaluation on serious matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For example, your inspector may recommend you phone a licensed building engineer if they find sections of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency and one that would cost thousands to repair.
Home inspections are performed by a buyer when he or she signs an agreement, right?
This is not true! As you will see once you continue reading, a home inspection can be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by way of a current home owner, a proactive technique by sellers to make their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the condition of the potential home.
Home owners, particularly, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner will take the report and allow it to be into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be more objective in regards to setting a reasonable price on the home.