Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property at this point in time, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include for extra, pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a home seller prior to listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by home owners 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 home inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), etc.
2. Things that could lead to serious defects – i.e. damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Serious defects, such as large cracks in the foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported correctly, and others. These items are pricey to fix, which we classify as items requiring more than two percent of the buy price to fix.
Your home inspector should advise you about what to do about these areas of concern. He/she may recommend a formal evaluation on more matters – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For example, your inspector may recommend you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if they find areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency and one that might cost thousands of dollars to repair.
Home Inspections are merely performed by a buyer once they sign a formal contract, right?
This is false! As you will discover whenever you keep reading, a home inspection may be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool with a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to produce their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the problem of the potential home.
Home owners, in particular, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection can help the home owner become more objective when it comes to setting a fair price on the home.
· The home owner will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The home owner usually takes the report and make it into a marketing piece for the home.