Don’t consider a home inspection as a complete evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property on the day it is inspected, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. A home inspection can also include, for extra fees, pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are also conducted (less often) by a home seller prior to putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by home owners simply wanting 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 lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, etc.
2. Serious flaws, such as large cracks in the foundation; building out of plumb or level; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These are items that are costly to fix, which are systems needing over 2% of the purchase price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to major flaws – a roof leak that could grow, damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a beam that was not tied to the structure properly.
Your home inspector will advise you on what to do about these issues. She may recommend an evaluation on serious matters – by licensed or certified professionals who specialize in the problem areas. For instance, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed building engineer if he/she finds sections of the property that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are always done by a buyer when they sign a formal agreement, right?
This is false! As you will see when you continue reading, a home inspection can be utilized for ad hoc inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool with a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the problem of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can benefit from finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a several advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner will soon be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it down for open house tours.
· A home inspection may help the homeowner be much more objective in regards to setting a fair price on the home.
· The homeowner could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner can take the report and make it into a marketing piece for the home.