Don’t consider an inspection of the home as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property on the day it is inspected, taking into account normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the home can also include pool inspections, water testing, Radon gas testing, pest inspections, energy audits, and many 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 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 aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during a home inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), exposed electrical 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 differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported correctly, and others. These are items that are expensive to repair, which we classify as entire systems needing over 2% of the buy price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to serious flaws – i.e. a roof flashing leak that could grow, 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 be able to counsel you on what you should do about these issues. He may recommend a formal evaluation on more matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For example, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural problem.
Home inspections are always paid for by a buyer when they sign an agreement, right?
This is not true! As you will see whenever you keep reading, a home inspection may be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to produce their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the situation of the potential home.
Homeowners, in particular, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a some of the advantages for the homeowner:
· The homeowner may make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The homeowner will undoubtedly be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it down for open house tours.
· The homeowner usually takes the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection can help the homeowner become more objective in regards to setting a fair price on the home.