Don’t consider a home inspection as a complete 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. An inspection of the home can also include Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are paid for (less often) by a seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by home owners simply wanting 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. Safety hazards, such as lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed electrical wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, etc.
2. Major defects, such as large cracks in the foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which we classify as items needing more than two percent of the purchase price to fix.
3. Things that could lead to major defects – a beam that was not tied to the structure properly, a roof leak that could grow, or damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion.
Your home inspector will counsel you on what you should do about these problems. He/she may recommend an evaluation on matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you call a licensed structural or building engineer if they find sections of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home inspections are only paid for by a buyer when he or she signs an agreement, right?
This is not true! As you will see once you read on, a home inspection can be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by sellers to make their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the problem of the potential home.
Homeowners, particularly, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the seller:
· The seller can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The seller will be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it down for open house tours.
· The seller will take the report and allow it to be into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the seller be much more objective as it pertains to setting a fair price on the home.