Don’t consider a home inspection as an exhaustive evaluation, but rather property evaluation on the day it is inspected, considering normal wear and tear of the home based on age and location. An inspection of the property 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 done (less often) by a home seller before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems, and also by homeowners 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 home inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as lack of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), bare wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
2. Items that could lead to serious defects – damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, a roof flashing leak that could grow, or a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
3. Serious defects, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not supported or installed correctly, and others. These are items that are pricey to repair, which we classify as systems needing more than 2% of the buy price to repair.
Your inspector will counsel you about what to do about these areas of concern. He/she may recommend a formal evaluation on more issues – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the problem areas. For example, your inspector may recommend you call a licensed structural or building engineer if they find sections of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural problem and one that might cost thousands to fix
Home inspections are performed by a buyer after he or she signs a contract, right?
This is false! As you will see once you continue reading, a home inspection can be used for interim inspections in new construction projects, as a maintenance tool by way of a current home owner, a proactive technique by homeowners to make their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the condition of the potential home.
Home owners, in particular, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a several advantages for the home owner:
· The home owner can make repairs leisurely instead of being in a hurry following the contract is signed.
· 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 will take the report and ensure it is into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection may help the home owner become more objective when it comes to setting a reasonable price on the home.