When you are buying a home, you know that there are a lot of expenses and that you are going to be paying a lot of money. You hear about home inspections and you think that it’s just another expense that you really don’t want or think you need. You’re already spending so much money. Is it really necessary?
It’s true that home inspection’s purposes are for inspecting the safety, quality and conditions of the things that can be seen. But they can also help you with the things you can’t see or things you may not know about. Here are a few examples of things that a home inspector may be able to tell you that you wouldn’t know otherwise.
- If a toilet will soon need to be replaced
- If the wiring on the garbage disposal is faulty
- If the dryer is properly venting
- If the fireplace can be safely used in its current condition
- If you’re moving into an area where there are a lot of earthquakes and how to ensure the water heater is strapped properly
- Whether the vent above your kitchen range hood is going to cause a fire
So that you can avoid feeling like you have been ripped off and assist you with understanding any fine print that the contract you’ll be signing contains, remember that the home inspection doesn’t usually cover things like:
· Pests and termites – It’s mandated by law that a pest inspection has to be completed by someone who is licensed in pest control
· Engineering issues – Hot lines, geologic stability, zoning designations, code compliance and environmental hazards aren’t part of home inspections.
· Concealed conditions – Even though some of the problems can only be seen by putting a hole in a wall and then patching it up, it can’t be done by a home inspector since making an alteration to another person’s property isn’t allowed.
· Appliances not in the sale – Anything that isn’t included in the sale of the house won’t be included. If you are purchasing the appliances, mention it before you sign your contract with the inspector.
· Health hazards – Environmental problems like asbestos, lead paint, or radon gas
· Hot tubs and swimming pools
· Value appraisal – The value appraisal is separate and requires different skills. To get a mortgage, it’s another job you will have to hire.
· Cost estimates for repair – These are going to take additional time for calculation and they are going to vary based on your contractor and the kind of replacement items that they use.
· Gas appliances – Your gas company’s trained specially for handling these kinds of inspections and they’ll perform the job free of charge.
· Cosmetic defects – They don’t pose any danger, and if they are significant, you’ll already have noticed them.
· Latent defects – Home inspectors are good, but they aren’t able to foresee the future. Every home is going to have problems as time goes by. But they aren’t going to tell you that this is going to break down, or that ten years down the road, you’ll need a new roof.
Unless you are someone who has a lot of experience with building, it’s always a good idea to have a home inspection done. Even if you have experience with building, it’s a good idea since the person you are hiring is going to have an unbiased opinion and can see things with a fresh eye.
About Crown Home Inspection
Our mission at Crown Home Inspection is to provide our clients with confidence and the knowledge knowing they are making a solid investment. We will provide excellent, quick, and competitively priced service while keeping the highest levels of professionalism and customer courtesy. Crown Home Inspection, will allow inspections to be scheduled at a time that is convenient for our customers, and ensure 24 Hr delivery of our inspection reports.
