The Big I Word. Inspection DUN DUN DUNNNN
Home inspections are a big deal for everyone and although
there are buyers that choose not to have an inspection done it’s not a good
idea. Even if you’re buying new
construction you should have an inspection, builders and contractors make
mistakes too. I can hear you asking the questions now. So what exactly does a
home inspector do? Why do I need a home inspection? What do I do with the
report once it’s done? What should I look out for when hiring an
inspector? All good questions and I am
going to try and address them briefly in this blog. First off, home inspectors are not required
to be licensed in many states; however inspectors can be certified by a home
trade association such as National Association of Certified Home Inspectors. You also want to make sure they have a toxic
and pest License. There is specific
license required to identify pests like rodents and mold, and toxic elements in
your house such as asbestos, lead , radiation.
When hiring defiantly do your homework.
This is your future home now is not the time to skimp. Some things to beware of are inspectors that
say “I can repair that for you.” I would avoid any inspector who is advertising
his repair service in conjunction with his inspection service. As a matter of
fact in some states they are not allowed to work on a home for a year after
inspecting it. The other thing to look
out for is an agent push one inspector over others. It is one thing to recommend it’s another to
require you to use their inspector. Again make sure you do your homework.
Some of the things the inspector will check are:
Structural Elements,
like walls, ceilings, floor, roof and foundation.
Exterior Evaluation
such as wall covering, landscaping, grading, elevation, drainage, driveways,
fence, sidewalks, fascia, trim, doors, windows, lights and exterior
receptacles.
Roof and Attic,
framing, ventilation, type of roof construction flashing and gutters.
Plumbing
including identification of pipe materials used for potable, drain, waste and
vent pipes. Toilets, showers, sinks, faucets and traps.
Systems and Components
like water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning, duck work, chimney, fireplace
and sprinklers.
Electrical main
panel, circuit breakers, types of wiring, grounding, exhaust fans, receptacles,
ceiling fans and lighting fixtures.
Appliances such
as dishwasher, range and oven, built-in microwaves, garbage disposal and yes
even smoke detectors.
Garage including
slab, wals, ceiling, vents, entry, firwall, garage door, openers, lights, and
roof.
Once the inspection is done you will receive a report. If you hired an inspector worth his salt the
report should note every item that’s defective or needing service. At this
point you have some decisions to make? How
many and how sever are the repairs that need to be made. Are you going to ask the seller to make the
repairs or walk away from this home? Are the repairs minor enough that you will
buy the home anyway and make the repairs yourself? If there are major repairs that need to be
made it is not a bad idea to hire a contractor and get an estimate.
Remember no house is perfect no matter how well maintained
or new it is. Every home will have
issues flagged even new homes. Good Luck
and Good Fiday.
