Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather property evaluation on the day it is inspected, considering 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, Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and many other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also used (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by home owners simply wishing to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay attention to during an inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), bare wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
2. Major defects, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported correctly, etc. These items are costly to fix, which we classify as entire systems needing over 2% of the purchase price to repair.
3. Things that could lead to serious defects – damaged downspouts 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.
Your property inspector should advise you about what you should do about these areas of concern. He may recommend a formal evaluation on serious matters – by licensed or certified professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are just performed by a buyer when he or she signs an agreement, right?
This isn’t true! As you might find once you continue 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 create their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the situation of the potential home.
Sellers, in particular, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a some of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner is going to be alerted to any safety issues found in your 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 can help the homeowner be much more objective when it comes to setting a fair price on the home.