A home inspection is an examination that evaluates the condition of a home. Home buyers and sellers should hire professional home inspectors to evaluate a house’s condition before signing the dotted line to purchase the home.
It is recommended that home buyers be present at the inspection to gain a better insight into the home’s condition. Schedule your appointment during daylight hours and inform the seller when it will be occurring. During the inspection ask questions and voice any concerns you may have.
Home buyers should have the home inspected as soon as possible after the contract has been accepted so that any faults can be made apparent immediately. If there are faults with the home, contact the seller and discuss fixing options or lower selling rates.
Most home inspections last two and a half hours but can be more or less depending on the size of the home. Each inspection should provide reports that include a checklist as well as a written report stating the condition of the home. If your report does not have both sections, ask for them. The checklist alone may not give detailed insight into the condition of your home.
Professional home inspections should include many elements of the house including but not limited to:
- Structural and foundation
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Heating and cooling
- Roof
- Kitchen and bathroom
- Interior walls and ceiling
- Air conditioning
- Basement
- Ventilation and drainage
- Garages and carports
- Patios and decks
- Lawn sprinklers