Don’t consider a home inspection as a complete 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 home can also include for extra of course Radon gas testing, water testing, energy audits, pest inspections, pool inspections and several other specific items that may be location-specific.
Home inspections are done (less often) by a 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 property inspection:
1. Serious flaws, such as large differential cracks in the home’s foundation; building out of plumb or level; decks not supported or installed properly, and others. These items are costly to fix, which we classify as items needing over two percent of the buy price to fix.
2. Things that could lead to serious 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 to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as lack of GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters), bare electrical wiring in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of safety railing on decks above 30 inches, etc.
Your property inspector should be able to advise you about what to do about these areas of concern. He may recommend an evaluation on serious matters – by certified and/or licensed professionals who are specialists in the defect areas. For example, your inspector will advise you call a licensed building engineer if they find areas of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a major structural problem.
Home inspections are merely performed by a buyer once they sign a formal agreement, right?
This is false! As you will see whenever you continue reading, a home inspection may be used for ad hoc inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current home owner, a proactive technique by home owners to create their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to determine the condition of the potential home.
Sellers, specifically, can take advantage of finding a home inspection before listing the home. Here are simply a few of the advantages for the seller:
· The seller will make repairs leisurely instead of being in a rush after the contract is signed.
· The seller will be alerted to any safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The seller usually takes the report and ensure it is into a marketing piece for the home.
· A home inspection will help the seller be more objective in regards to setting a fair price on the home.