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 Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wanting to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your home:
1. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed correctly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which are items requiring more than two percent of the buy price to fix.
2. Items that could lead to major defects – a beam that was not tied in to the structure properly, a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
3. Safety hazards, such as lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your property inspector will counsel you on what to do about these issues. 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 will recommend you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are only done by a buyer after he or she signs a contract, right?
This is patently false! As you might find when you continue reading, a home inspection can be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the problem of the potential home.
Homeowners, particularly, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner may 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 the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner will take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner become more objective as it pertains to setting a fair price on the home.