Home Inspections

What You Need to Know About Home Inspection

Home inspection is a must if you are planning to buy a residential property. Builders today normally allow buyers to have the property inspected a few days or a week before the purchase is finalized. This will give the buyer assurance that he will get what he is paying for.

This will also inform the buyer of the general condition of the house. This way, he will know what repairs or remodeling possibilities to expect in the future. Inspection is usually done with the presence of the following people: the builder (or a representative, usually the foreman or construction supervisor), the real estate agent and the buyer, along with the home inspector of his choice.

When conducting a home inspection, keep in mind the following tips:

o The inspection should be conducted as soon as the purchase offer from the buyer has been granted. Ideally, the contract should allow for a few days inspection.

o Check if all utilities are operational, especially if the property has been vacant. During the inspection, ask the seller to have the utilities opened or turned on. This will avoid the need for another set of inspections, which may require additional fees. Turning on all the systems will ensure that the property will be evaluated properly.

o Have your inspector go through the inspection results one by one and let him explain each item in detail. There may be some things that you would not understand on your own. You should be able to comprehend the conditions stated in the report and you should be aware of any defects in the property.

o Let your inspector suggest other services when it comes to inspecting the house. Through his contacts, he can arrange for termite inspection, septic system evaluation, radon screening and water analysis. This will eradicate unexpected problems that may come after you purchased the property.

To be able to carry out an effective inspection, you should choose a reputable home inspector. Unfortunately, there are some states in the U.S. that do not require inspectors to have a license, and chances are strong that you will get an incompetent inspector. When scoping out a prospective inspector, you should consider the following factors first. A competent inspector usually conducts 250 or more inspections annually.

He should have full knowledge of every system in a house. The more experienced ones are usually armed with architecture or engineering. A lot of them also received training in general contractor operations. If a contractor has a good fifteen years of education and on-the-job experience, then he is most likely competent.

To make sure that you will hire the right inspector, ask your friends for a referral. This is actually the best way to go about it. People will most likely recommend an inspector who did a great job on their properties. You can also tell if an inspector is competent by the number of hours he spends inspecting a property. It takes considerable number of hours to conduct a thorough inspection. If he completes the inspection in only a few hours, then you should consider getting another in inspector.

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