Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as an exhaustive 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 home can also include for extra of course pest inspections, pool inspections, energy audits, Radon testing, water testing, energy audits, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also paid for (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 keep the home investment value as high as possible, care for their homes, and prevent surprises.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during a home inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), etc.
2. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These items are expensive to repair, which we classify as systems needing over two percent of the purchase price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to major flaws – i.e., a roof leak that could grow larger, damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a support beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
Your property inspector should counsel you about what you should do about these areas of concern. He may recommend a formal evaluation on serious issues – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if they find areas of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency and one that would cost thousands to repair.
Home inspections are always done by a buyer after he or she signs a formal contract, right?
This is false! As you will discover once you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by homeowners to make their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can benefit from finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are only a some of the advantages for the seller:
· The seller can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The seller will be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The seller may take the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the seller be more objective as it pertains to setting a reasonable price on the home.