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 property can also include for extra, energy audits, Radon gas testing, water testing, pool inspections, pest inspections, and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are done (less often) by a seller before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wishing to prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value high, and care for their homes.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during a home inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), etc.
2. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported correctly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which are items needing over two percent of the purchase price to fix.
3. Items that could lead to major defects – i.e. a roof flashing leak that could grow larger, damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
Your inspector should be able to advise you about what to do about these problems. She may recommend a formal evaluation on issues – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For instance, your inspector will recommend you call a licensed building engineer if he/she finds sections of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural problem and one that might cost thousands to repair.
Home Inspections are always paid for by a buyer after he or she signs a contract, right?
This is false! As you might find whenever you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool with a current homeowner, a proactive technique by sellers to create their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a some of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in your home before they open it up for open house tours.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be more objective when it comes to setting a good price on the home.
· The homeowner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will take the report and ensure it is into an advertising piece for the home.