Finally, you found a house you really like. Preliminarily, everything looks fine with the house. Do I really need to pay an extra fee to someone to evaluate my home?
A home inspector is an independent, qualified, licensed individual who evaluates or comments about defects or areas of concerns for the structural components and mechanical systems for the home you are about to purchase.
A home inspection is a useful informational tool that will permit you to make an informed decision about purchasing your home. . A home inspection is the last chance you have to negotiate your contract price or request repairs of the seller.
Some of my clients tell me that they do not want to spend the money on a home inspection or have a family member that is in the business and attempt to waive the home inspection in order to save money. For a few hundred dollars, you can save thousands of dollars based upon the information given by the inspector. Even more importantly, you may not want to purchase a home after you read an inspector’s report. In some cases, you may want to renegotiate the price of the home after the home inspection reveals defects.
Like any person you hire, you want to make sure that the home inspector is qualified and licensed. The home inspector should comment on the structural integrity of the building, operability of appliances, roof, and major mechanical systems, including the plumbing, electrical, and heating and air conditioning systems. Your inspector’s comments about the condition of a home are not usually something that is known by the prospective buyer, sometimes the homeowner, or the realtor.
Home inspectors also make observations of the useful life of the appliances, roof, and mechanical systems. All visible defects should be noted in the report. There should also be comments or recommendations for repairs, including, imminent repairs. Some inspectors also comment on aesthetic related repairs.
Some defects a home inspector checks, include, among others:
- Cracked foundations
- Hidden building sections with little support
- Termite damage
- Defective heating and air conditioning systems
- Leaky roofs and leaks through walls
- Environmental hazards, i.e., mold
- Hazardous electrical aluminum and lead wiring
- Inadequate water pressure
- Drainage problems
- Fire hazards
- Asbestos
- Radon
- Carbon monoxide and smoke detector placement
- Energy efficiency
- Code violations
Home inspectors will try to limit the scope of the inspection to those defects that are visual. Obviously, home inspectors, no matter how qualified cannot see behind the painted walls or above the ceilings, and thus, will limit their opinion to those items that can be seen.
You absolutely should be present during a home inspection. During a home inspection, you can ask the inspector any questions. The typical time for a home inspection is about two hours.