Don’t consider a home inspection as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather property evaluation 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 for extra of course pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also conducted (less often) by a seller before listing the property to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners simply wishing to keep the home investment value as high as possible, care for their homes, and prevent surprises.
The following are areas that inspectors pay close attention to when inspecting your home:
1. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, etc. These items are pricey to repair, which we classify as entire systems requiring over 1.8% of the purchase price to repair.
2. Items that could lead to major flaws – i.e., a roof leak that could get bigger, damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, no safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), etc.
Your home inspector should be able to counsel you on what to do about these problems. She may recommend an evaluation on more matters – by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For instance, your inspector may advise you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home inspections are always done by a buyer after he or she signs an agreement, right?
This is patently false! As you will see once you read on, 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 produce their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner knows the home! The home inspector will have a way to get answers to his/her questions on the history of any problems they find.
· A home inspection may help the home owner be much more objective as it pertains to setting a reasonable price on the home.
· The home owner may take the report and ensure it is into an advertising piece for the home.
· The home owner will undoubtedly be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The home owner will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry after the contract is signed.