Don’t consider an inspection of the home as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property at this point in time, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the home can also include for a little extra of course, Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also used (less often) by a homeseller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by owners simply wishing to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible
The following are aspects that inspectors pay attention to during a property inspection:
1. Serious defects, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These are items that are pricey to repair, which are entire systems requiring over 2% of the buy price to repair.
2. Items that could lead to major defects – i.e., damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could grow larger, or a beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as exposed electrical 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.
Your home inspector should counsel you about what you should do about these issues. She may recommend a formal evaluation on 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 he/she finds sections of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural problem and one that would cost thousands to repair.
Home inspections are paid for by a buyer after they sign a contract, right?
This is simply not true! As you will discover when you continue reading, a home inspection can be used for interim inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by sellers to create their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the situation of the potential home.
Home owners, particularly, can take advantage of obtaining a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will undoubtedly be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner can take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the homeowner be more objective as it pertains to setting a good price on the home.