Don’t consider an inspection of the home and property as a final 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. A home inspection can also include, for extra fees, energy audits, Radon gas testing, water testing, pool inspections, pest inspections, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are used (less often) by a homeseller before 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 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 close attention to during an inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), bare electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, no safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
2. Major flaws, such as large cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of plumb or level; decks not installed or supported correctly, and others. These items are pricey to repair, which we classify as systems needing more than 2% of the buy price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to major flaws – i.e., a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, damaged down spouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
Your property inspector should be able to advise you on what you should do about these problems. She may recommend a formal evaluation on more matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For example, your inspector may advise you phone a licensed structural or building engineer if he/she finds sections of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are only conducted by a buyer when he or she signs a formal contract, right?
This is not true! 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 by way of a current home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to make their house more sellable, and by buyers wanting to ascertain the problem of the potential home.
Home owners, specifically, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner is going to 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 home owner become more objective in regards to setting a fair price on the home.
· The home owner will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush following the contract is signed.
· The home owner will take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.