A home inspection is an assessment of the visible and accessible systems and components of a home (plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical, structure, roof, etc.) and is intended to give the client (buyer, seller, or homeowner) a good insight of the home's general condition. Most often it is a buyer who requests an inspection of the home he or she is serious about purchasing. A home inspection delivers data so that decisions about the buy can be confirmed or questioned, and can search serious and/or expensive to fix defects that the seller/owner may not be aware of. It is not an assessment of the property's value; nor does it address the cost of repairs. It does not certify that the home complies with local building codes or protect a client in the event an item inspected fails in the future. [Note: Warranties can be purchased to cover many items.] A home inspection should not be carefully a "technically exhaustive" evaluation, but rather an assessment of the property on the day it is inspected, taking into observation general wear and tear for the home's age and location. A home inspection can also include, for extra fees, Radon gas testing, water testing, vigor audits, pest inspections, pool inspections, and any other specific items that may be indigenous to the region of the country where the inspection takes place. Home inspections are also used (less often) by a wholesaler before listing the property to see if there are any underground problems that they are unaware of, and also by homeowners naturally wishing to care for their homes, prevent surprises, and keep the home investment value as high as possible.
The leading results to pay concentration to in a home inspection are:
1. Major defects, such as large differential cracks in the foundation; structure out of level or plumb; decks not installed or supported properly, etc. These are items that are expensive to fix, which we classify as items requiring more than 2% of the buy price to repair.
2. Things that could lead to major defects - a roof flashing leak that could get bigger, damaged downspouts that could cause backup and water intrusion, or a hold beam that was not tied in to the structure properly.
3. Safety hazards, such as an exposed electrical wiring, lack of Gfci (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) in kitchens and bathrooms, lack of Safety railing on decks more than 30 inches off the ground, etc.
Your inspector will recommend you about what to do about these problems. He/she may recommend assessment - and on serious issues most indeed will - by licensed or certified professionals who are specialists in the blemish areas. For example, your inspector will recommend you call a licensed building engineer if they find sections of the home that are out of alignment, as this could indicate a serious structural deficiency.
Home Inspections are only done by a buyer after they sign a contract, right?
This is not true! As you will see when you read on, a home inspection can be used for interim inspections in new construction, as a maintenance tool by a current homeowner, a proactive technique by sellers to make their home more sellable, and by buyers wanting to resolve the condition of the inherent home.
Sellers, in particular, can benefit from getting a home inspection before listing the home. Here are just a few of the advantages for the seller:
· The wholesaler knows the home! The home inspector will be able to get answers to his/her questions on the history of any problems they find.
· A home inspection will help the wholesaler be more objective when it comes to setting a fair price on the home.
· The wholesaler can take the report and make it into a marketing piece for the home.
· The wholesaler will be alerted to any Safety issues found in the home before they open it up for open house tours.
· The wholesaler can make repairs slow instead being in a rush after the contract is signed.
Why should I get a home inspection?
Your new home has dozens of systems and over 10,000 parts - from heating and cooling to ventilation and appliances. When these systems and appliances work together, you touch comfort, vigor savings, and durability. Weak links in the system, however, can produce discrete problems leading to a loss in value and shortened component life. Would you buy a used car without a marvelous mechanic seeing at it? Your home is far more complicated, and to have a suitable inspection that is documented in a report arms you with large facts on which to make decisions.
Why can't I do the inspection myself?
Most homebuyers lack the knowledge, skill, and objectivity needed to inspect a home themselves. By using the services of a pro home inspector, they gain a good insight of the condition of the property; especially whether any items do not "function as intended" or "adversely sway the habitability of the dwelling" or "warrant added investigation" by a specialist. Remember that the home inspector is a generalist and is broadly trained in every home system.
Why can't I ask a family member who is handy or who is a undertaker of a package deal to inspect my new home?
Although your nephew or aunt may be very skilled, he or she is not trained or experienced in pro home inspections and regularly lacks the specialized test equipment and knowledge required for an inspection. Home inspection training and expertise recite a distinct, licensed profession that employs true standards of practice. Most contractors and other trade professionals hire a pro home inspector to inspect their own homes when they themselves buy a home!
What does a home inspection cost?
This is often the first inquire asked but the write back tells the least about the capability of the inspection. Fees are based agreeing to size, age and discrete other aspects of the home. Inspection fees from a certified pro home inspector generally start under 0. An midpoint price for a 2,000 square foot home nationally is about 0-5. What you should pay concentration to is not the fee, but the qualifications of your inspector. Are they nationally certified (passed the Nhie exam)? Are they state certified if required?
How long does the inspection take?
This depends upon the size and condition of the home. You can regularly outline 1.2 hours for every 1,000 square feet. For example, a 2,500 square foot house would take about 3 hours. If the enterprise also produces the report at your home, that will take an added 30-50 minutes.
Do all homes want a home inspection?
Yes and No. Although not required by law in most states, we feel that any buyer not getting a home inspection is doing themselves a great disservice. They may find themselves with precious and unpleasant surprises after keen into the home and suffer financial headaches that could indeed have been avoided.
Should I be at the inspection?
It's a great idea for you be gift during the inspection - whether you are buyer, seller, or homeowner. With you there, the inspector can show you any defects and justify their importance as well as point out maintenance features that will be helpful in the future. If you can't be there, it is not a qoute since the report you receive will be very detailed. If you are not present, then you should be sure to ask your inspector to justify anyone that is not clear in the report. Also read the inspection deal carefully so you understand what is covered and what is not covered in the inspection. If there is a qoute with the inspection or the report, you should raise the issues quickly by calling the inspector, regularly within 24 hours. If you want the inspector to return after the inspection to show you things, this can be arranged and is a good idea, however, you will be paying for the inspector's time on a walkthrough since this was not included in the traditional service.
Should the wholesaler attend the home inspection that has been ordered by the buyer?
The wholesaler will be welcome at the inspection (it is still their home) although they should understand that the inspector is working for the buyer. The conversation that the inspector has with the buyer may be upsetting to the wholesaler if the wholesaler was unaware of the items being pointed out, or the wholesaler may be overly emotional about any flaws. This is a suspect why the wholesaler might want to think getting their own inspection before listing the home.
Can a house fail a home inspection?
No. A home inspection is an exam of the current condition of your prospective home. It is not an appraisal, which determines market value, or a municipal inspection, which verifies local code compliance. A home inspector, therefore, cannot not pass or fail a house. The inspector will objectively relate the home's physical condition and indicate which items are in need of fix or replacement.
What is included in the inspection?
The following list is not exhaustive. Not all of these may be in the inspection you get, but the inspector will be following a standardized checklist for the home:
· Site drainage and grading
· Driveway
· Entry Steps, handrails
· Decks
· Masonry
· scenery (as it relates to the home)
· Retaining walls
· Roofing, flashings, chimneys, and attic
· Eaves, soffits, and fascias
· Walls, doors, windows, patios, walkways
· Foundation, basement, and crawlspaces
· Garage, carport walls, floor, and door operation
· Kitchen appliances (dishwasher, range/oven/cooktop/hoods, microwave, disposal, trash compactor)
· Laundry appliances (washer and dryer)
· Ceilings, walls, floors
· Kitchen counters, floors, and cabinets
· Windows and window gaskets
· Interior doors and hardware
· Plumbing systems and fixtures
· Electrical system, panels, entrance conductors
· Electrical grounding, Gfci, outlets
· Smoke (fire) detectors
· Ventilation systems and Insulation
· Heating equipment and controls
· Ducts and distribution systems
· Fireplaces
· Air Conditioning and controls
· Heat Pumps and controls
· Safety items such as means of egress, Tprv valves, railings, etc.
Other items that are not a part of the suitable inspection can be added for an added fee:
· Radon Gas Test
· Water capability Test
· Termite Inspection (usually performed by a cut off company)
· Gas Line Leak Test (usually performed by the gas company)
· Sprinkler theory Test
· Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection
· Mold Screening (sometimes performed by a cut off company)
· Septic theory Inspection (usually performed by a cut off company)
· Alarm theory (usually performed by a cut off company)
We recommend getting a Radon Test if your prospective home falls into an area of the country with known Radon seepage, since Radon gas produces cancer second only to cigarette smoking and can be indeed mitigated by installing a vent system. We also recommend a water test to make sure you do not have bacteria in the water supply. Water can also be tested for Radon.
What is not included in the inspection?
Most citizen assume that all is inspected in depth on inspection day. This misunderstanding has caused many a homebuyer to be upset with their inspector. The inspections we do are not exhaustive and there is a good suspect for this. If you hired man with licenses for heating and cooling, electrical, plumbing, engineering, etc. To inspect your house, it would take about 14 hours and cost you about 00! It is much more practical to hire a pro inspector who has generalist knowledge of home systems, knows what to look for, and can recommend added inspection by a specialist if needed. Your inspector is also following very specific guidelines as he/she inspects your home. These are whether national guidelines (Ashi - American community of Home Inspectors, InterNachi - International connection of Certified Home Inspectors) or state guidelines. These guidelines are carefully written to protect both your home and the inspector. Here are some examples: We are directed to not turn systems on if they were off at the time of the inspection (safety reasons); we are not allowed to move furniture (might harm something); not allowed to turn on water if it is off (possible flooding), and not allowed to break through a sealed attic hatch (possible damage). The downside of this institution is that by not operating a control, by not seeing under the furniture, and not getting into the attic or crawlspace, we will might miss identifying a problem. However, put into perspective, the chances of missing something serious because of this is quite low, and the guideline as it relates to Safety and not harming anyone in the home is a good one. There are other items that 95% of inspectors think outside a general inspection, and these contain considering most things that are not bolted down (installed in the home) such as electronics, low voltage lighting, space heaters, movable air conditioners, or specialized systems such as water purifiers, alarm systems, etc.
What if there are things you can't inspect (like snow on the roof)?
It just so happens that some days the weather elements interfere with a full home inspection! There isn't much we can do about this either. If there is snow on the roof we will tell you we were unable to inspect it. Of course we will be seeing at the eves and the attic, and any other areas where we can get an idea of condition, but we will write in the report that we could not inspect the roof. It is impractical for us to return another day once the snow melts, because we have full schedules. However, you can regularly pay an inspector a small fee to return and inspect the one or two items they were unable to inspect when they were there the first time. This is just the way things go. If you ask the inspector for a re-inspection, they will regularly inspect the items then at no extra charge (beyond the re-inspection fee).
Will the inspector walk on the roof?
The inspector will walk on the roof if it is safe, accessible, and strong adequate so that there is no damage done to it by walking on it. Some roofs - such as slate and tile, should not be walked on. Sometimes because of poor weather conditions, very steep roofs, or very high roofs, the inspector will not be able to walk the roof. The inspector will try to get up to the edge though, and will also use binoculars where accessibility is a problem. They will also inspect the roof from the upper windows if that is possible. There is a lot the inspector can resolve from a optical exam from a ladder and from the ground, and they will be able to tell a lot more from inside the attic about the condition of the roof as well.
Should I have my house tested for Radon? What exactly is Radon?
In many areas of the country, the write back is a specific yes. You can ask your real estate agent about this or go on to the internet for a radon map of the country. Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that's formed during the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Radon exits the ground and can seep into your home through cracks and holes in the foundation. Radon gas can also contaminate well water.
Health officials have carefully that radon gas is a serious carcinogen that can cause lung cancer, second only to cigarette smoking. The only way to find out if your house contains radon gas is to accomplish a radon determination test, which your home inspector can do. Make sure the man conducting your test has been trained to The National Environmental condition connection (Neha) or The National Radon Safety Board (Nrsb) standards.
What about a newly constructed home? Does it need a home inspection?
Yes! In fact, we find far more problems, some quite serious, in newly constructed homes than in homes that have been lived in for years. This is not due to your builder's negligence - he/she has done the best job they could with subcontractors and planning - it's just that there are so many systems in a home, that it is close to impossible to inspect everything, and exact it before the Certificate of Occupancy is issued. Then, for some reason, the subcontractors no longer want to work on the home, and final jobs and details are missed. We recommend getting any pro home inspections near the completion stages of the home to inspect all that should be corrected. If the house is still new but sitting for a while before sale, it's even more leading to get a home inspection. We have seen water lines not hooked up, plumbing lines not hooked up, sewer lines not hooked up, vents not hooked up, and a variety of other serious but indeed correctable problems!
I am having a home built. The constructor assures me he will inspect everything. Should I have an independent inspector make periodic inspections?
Absolutely yes! No matter how good your constructor is, he/she Will miss things. They are so concerned with the house, they get so close to their work, as do the subcontractors, that leading items can, and will be, overlooked. Have a pro inspector make at least 4-6 interim inspections. They will be worth their weight in gold.
What is the Pre-Inspection Agreement?
Most assistance professionals have a assistance agreement, and home inspection is no different. In fact, there is adequate obscuring about what a home inspection should deliver that the deal is even more important. Some homeowners who get a home inspection expect all in the home to be exquisite after the repairs. This is not the case! fantasize getting a call from a homeowner a year later who says the toilet is not flushing - remember that the inspection is a occasion in time snapshot. In the inspection deal the inspector is clear about what the inspection delivers and the things that are not covered, as well as what you should do if you are not pleased with the services. We indeed think that by reviewing this before-hand you will understand much more about the inspection and be happier with the results. A home inspection does not guard against time to come problems, nor does it certify that all problems will be found.
What kind of report will I get following the inspection?
There are as many versions of a "report" as there are inspection companies. Guidelines dictate that the inspector deliver a written report to the client. This can range from a handwritten checklist that has many press copies without pictures and 4 pages long to a computer generated expertly produced report with digital pictures that is 35 pages long and can be converted to Adobe Pdf for storage and emailing. Be sure to check with your inspector about the report he or she uses. We recommend the computer generated report, since the checklist is more detailed and easier for the homeowner/buyer/seller to detail out the issues with photographs. In this contemporary age, we feel the reports must be web accessible and e-mailable to match the technologies most of us are using.
There are some great things you can use the report for in addition to the wealth of facts it naturally gives you on your new home:
· Use the report as a checklist and guide for the undertaker of a package deal to make repairs and improvements or get estimates and quotes from more than one contractor.
· Use the report as a budgeting tool using the inspector's recommendations and the remaining thinkable, life of components to keep the property in top shape.
· If you are a seller, use the report to make repairs and improvements, raising the value of the home and impressing the buyers. Then have a re-inspection and use this second report as a marketing tool for prospective buyers.
· Use the report as a "punch list" on a re-inspection and as a baseline for ongoing maintenance.
Will the report be emailable or available as an Adobe Pdf file?
Yes. As discussed in the last question, you will probably want your inspector to be using the latest reporting technology.
What if I think the inspector missed something?
Inspectors are human, and yes, they do miss items. However, they routinely use industrialized tools and techniques to cut the possibility that they will miss something. This includes very detailed checklists, reference manuals, computer based lists, and a methodical always-done-the-same-way of physically keen around your home. That is one of the reasons that an inspector can miss an item when they get interrupted. The inspector will have a set way of resuming the inspection if this happens. If, in the end, something Is missed, call the inspector and discuss it. It may certify the inspector returning to view something that you found. Remember, the inspector is doing the very best job they know how to do, and probably did not miss the item because they were lax in their technique or did not care.
What if the inspector tells me I should have a pro engineer or a licensed plumber or other pro undertaker of a package deal in to look at something they found? Isn't this "passing the buck"?
You may be disappointed that added investigation is required, but, believe us, your inspector is doing exactly what they should be doing. The purpose of the inspection is to inspect defects that sway your Safety and the functioning of the home; the inspector is a generalist, not a specialist. Our code of ethics as well as national and state guidelines dictate that only contractors that are licensed in their specialty field should work on these systems and areas. When they tell you that a specialist is needed, there may be a bigger, more valuable issue that you need to know about. If you move into the home without getting these areas checked by a marvelous specialist, you could be in for some nasty and expensive surprises. The inspector does not want to cause you any more expense or worry either, so when they do recommend added assessment they are being serious about protecting you and your investment.
Will the inspector contribute a warranty on the inspected items?
Most inspectors do not give the homeowner a warranty on inspected items. Remember, a home inspection is a optical exam on a distinct day, and the inspector cannot predict what issues could arise over time after the inspection. However, some inspectors are now along with a warranty from the largest home warranty enterprise in America - American Home Warranty Corporation, as well as others, on the inspected items for 60 or 90 days. This is a very good deal, and the deal can be extended after the introductory duration for a relatively small estimate of money.
Do most inspection companies offer money back guarantees?
Most inspection companies do not offer a pleasure certify nor do they mention it in their advertising. It's always a good thing if you can get extra services for no added cost from your inspection company, and of course a pleasure certify is an indication of classic customer service. You regularly have to call your inspection enterprise right after the inspection and viewing of the report to tell them you are not satisfied. If you are not happy with the services, you should talk to your inspector first and let him/her exact the issue(s) you are unhappy with first, as the inspector is trying to make an honest living just like the rest of us, and is not failing you on purpose.
What if my report comes back with nothing indeed defective in the home? Should I ask for my money back?
No, don't ask for your money back - you just received great news! Now you can faultless your home buy with peace of mind about the condition of the property and all its equipment and systems. You will have valuable facts about your new home from the inspector's report, and will want to keep that facts for time to come reference. Most importantly, you can feel assured that you are production a well-informed buy decision.
What if the inspection reveals serious defects?
If the inspection reveals serious defects in the home (we define a serious blemish as something that will cost more than 2% of the buy price to fix) then pat yourself on the back for getting an inspection. You just saved yourself a ton of money. Of course it is disappointing, even heart wrenching, to find out that your well researched house is now a qoute house, but you now know the facts and can whether negotiate with the seller, or move on. You may want the home so much that it will be worth it to negotiate the price and then accomplish the repairs. Imagine, though, if you had not gotten the inspection - you would have had some very unpleasant surprises.
Can I ask my home inspector to accomplish the repairs?
You can, but if your inspector is ethical, he/she will refuse, and correctly so; it is a friction of interest for the man who inspected your home to also fix it! Inspectors are specifically barred from this institution by licensing authorities, and it's a good institution - an inspector must remain completely impartial when he or she inspects your home. This is one suspect you should have a pro home inspector inspect your home and not a undertaker of a package deal - the undertaker of a package deal will want the fix work and you are likely to not have an objective inspection from this man even though they mean well and are technically competent.
Does the wholesaler have to make the repairs?
The inspection report results do not place an promulgation on the wholesaler to fix all mentioned in the report. Once the home condition is known, the buyer and the wholesaler should sit down and discuss what is in the report. The report will be clear about what is a fix and what is a discretionary improvement. This area should be clearly negotiated between the parties. It's leading to know that the inspector must stay out of this seminar because it is outside of their scope of work.
After the home inspection and consulting with the wholesaler on the repairs, can I re-employ the inspector to come re-inspect the home to make sure all got fixed?
You indeed can, and it's a indeed good idea. For a small fee the inspector will return to resolve if the repairs were completed, and if they were completed correctly.
What if I find problems after I move into my new home?
A home inspection is not a certify that problems won't originate after you move in. However, if you believe that a qoute was visible at the time of the inspection and should have been mentioned in the report, your first step should be to call the inspector. He or she will be fine with this, and does want you to call if you think there is a problem. If the issue is not resolved with a phone call, they will come to your home to look at it. They will want you to be satisfied and will do all they can to do this. One way to protect yourself between the inspection and the move-in is to guide a final walkthrough on conclusion day and use both the inspection report And a Walkthrough Checklist to make sure all is as it should be.
Copyright 2010 by Lisa P. Turner
Home Inspections - A question and answer Guide
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