Don’t consider a home inspection as a complete 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. An inspection of the property can also include pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also used (less often) by a home 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 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. Safety hazards, such as lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), bare wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
2. Items that could lead to serious defects – damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could grow larger, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Serious defects, such as large cracks in the foundation; building out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported properly, etc. These are items that are costly to fix, which are items requiring more than two percent of the buy price to fix.
Your home inspector should counsel you on what to do about these issues. He may recommend an evaluation on more issues – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector may recommend you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if they find sections of the property that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home inspections are only done by a buyer once they sign a contract, right?
This is false! As you will discover when you keep reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool with a current homeowner, a proactive technique by sellers to produce their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the condition of the potential home.
Homeowners, specifically, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will undoubtedly be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The homeowner will take the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner become more objective when it comes to setting a good price on the home.