Don’t consider a home inspection as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather an evaluation of the property 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 for 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 before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners 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. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed correctly, etc. These items are pricey to repair, which we classify as entire systems needing more than 2% of the buy price to fix.
2. Things that could lead to major flaws – 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 in to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as exposed electrical wiring in bathrooms and kitchens, lack of safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), etc.
Your home inspector should counsel you about what you should do about these problems. She may recommend an evaluation on serious issues – by licensed or certified professionals who specialize in the defect areas. For example, your inspector will advise you phone a licensed building engineer if he/she finds areas of the home that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural problem.
Home Inspections are conducted by a buyer after they sign a formal agreement, right?
This isn’t true! As you will see once you read on, a home inspection may be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to create their property more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the problem of the potential home.
Homeowners, in particular, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a some of the advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner knows your home! The home inspector will have the ability to have answers to his/her questions on the real history of any problems they find.
· A home inspection may help the home owner become more objective in regards to setting a reasonable price on the home.
· The home owner will take the report and ensure it is into an advertising piece for the home.
· The home owner is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The home owner can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.