Don’t consider an inspection of the home 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 property can also include, for extra fees, energy audits, Radon gas testing, water testing, pool inspections, pest inspections, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a homeseller before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by 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 safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, etc.
2. Things that could lead to serious flaws – i.e. a beam that was not tied to the structure properly, a roof leak that could grow larger, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
3. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported properly, etc. These are items that are expensive to fix, which are entire systems requiring more than 2% of the purchase price to fix.
Your property inspector should counsel you on what you should do about these areas of concern. He may recommend an evaluation on serious matters – by licensed or certified professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For example, your inspector may recommend you call a licensed structural or building engineer if he/she finds sections of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency and one that would cost thousands to fix
Home inspections are always performed by a buyer once they sign a contract, right?
This isn’t true! As you will see whenever you keep reading, a home inspection can be utilized for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool with a current homeowner, a proactive technique by sellers to produce their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the situation of the potential home.
Homeowners, specifically, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be much more objective as it pertains to setting a fair price on the home.
· The homeowner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner usually takes the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.