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 property can also include for a little extra of course, Radon testing, pest inspections, pool inspections, water testing, energy audits, and other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are paid for (less often) by a home seller before putting the property on the market to see if there are any hidden problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners simply wishing to keep the home investment value as high as possible, care for their homes, and prevent surprises.
The following are aspects that inspectors pay close attention to during an inspection:
1. Safety hazards, such as exposed electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), etc.
2. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the foundation; building out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, and others. These items are pricey to repair, which are items needing over 2% of the buy price to repair.
3. Items that could lead to major flaws – a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a support beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
Your property inspector should counsel you on what you should do about these problems. He 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 structural or building engineer if he/she finds areas of the property that are misaligned, as this could indicate a major structural problem.
Home Inspections are done by a buyer once they sign a contract, right?
This isn’t true! As you will discover once you read on, 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 home owners to create their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to find out the problem of the potential home.
Homeowners, specifically, can take advantage of getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a some of the advantages for the seller:
· The seller could make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The seller is likely to be alerted to any safety issues found in the house before they open it up for open house tours.
· The seller will take the report and make it into an advertising piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the seller be more objective when it comes to setting a reasonable price on the home.