Don’t consider a home inspection 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. A home inspection can also include for extra, 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 before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, 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. Safety hazards, such as lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, etc.
2. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported correctly, etc. These items are expensive to repair, which are items requiring more than 2% of the purchase price to repair.
3. Things that could lead to major flaws – i.e., a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly, a roof flashing leak that could grow, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
Your inspector will advise you on what you should do about these areas of concern. He may recommend an evaluation on serious issues – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For instance, your inspector may recommend you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if he/she finds sections of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home inspections are only conducted by a buyer when they sign a formal agreement, right?
This is not true! As you will discover whenever you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool with a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the problem of the potential home.
Sellers, specifically, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a few of the advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The home owner is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The home owner may take the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the home owner become more objective as it pertains to setting a reasonable price on the home.