Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a final evaluation, but rather property evaluation at this point in time, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include for a little extra of course, energy audits, Radon gas testing, water testing, pool inspections, pest inspections, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also conducted (less often) by a homeseller before listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wishing 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 home:
1. Major flaws, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported correctly, and others. These are items that are costly to fix, which are items requiring over 2% of the buy price to repair.
2. Items that could lead to major flaws – i.e., damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof leak that could get bigger, or a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your property inspector will counsel you about what to do about these areas of concern. She may recommend an evaluation on matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For example, your inspector will advise you call a licensed structural or building engineer if he/she finds areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural problem and one that would cost thousands to repair.
Home inspections are just paid for by a buyer once they sign a formal contract, right?
This is patently false! As you will see when you keep reading, a home inspection can be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to create their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the situation of the potential home.
Sellers, in particular, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the seller:
· The seller knows the home! The home inspector will be able to get answers to his/her questions on the history of any problems they find.
· A home inspection will help the seller be much more objective in regards to setting a good price on the home.
· The seller usually takes the report and allow it to be into an advertising piece for the home.
· The seller will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it up for open house tours.
· The seller could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry after the contract is signed.