Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a complete 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 home can also include pest inspections, pool inspections, energy audits, Radon testing, water testing, energy audits, and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also conducted (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by owners 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. Serious defects, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which are systems requiring more than two percent of the purchase price to fix.
2. Items that could lead to major defects – i.e. a roof flashing leak that could grow, damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a support beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as no safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), exposed electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
Your property inspector should be able to advise you on what you should do about these areas of concern. She may recommend a formal evaluation on serious matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the problem areas. For example, your inspector may recommend you phone a licensed building engineer if he/she finds areas of the property that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural problem.
Home Inspections are always paid for by a buyer when he or she signs a formal contract, right?
This is not true! As you will see once you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by home owners to produce their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, particularly, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a some of the advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner is going to be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection can help the home owner become more objective as it pertains to setting a fair price on the home.
· The home owner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The home owner may take the report and make it into a marketing piece for the home.