As a homebuyer, you may want to hire professional home inspectors to identify problems with a new house before closing. Assessing the condition of your home as a seller and making necessary repairs before putting your property up for sale can boost its value & prevent delays in the closing process. Such repairs are often required to make your home appealing to potential buyers.
There are many reasons why you might seek a home inspection. As a home buyer, you would want to assess the condition of the property you’re going to buy so you know exactly what you’re getting into. If a property is in good shape, you can buy without hesitation. If there are any major problems, you can negotiate for fixes or a reduced price, or look for another home for purchase.
As a seller, you might want to conduct a home inspection as a preparatory measure. This way, you’ll have the chance to make necessary fixes, or at least prepare for disclosures before you finally list your home for sale. You may have to allow for a home inspection any time you plan to refinance your mortgage because a current valuation might be necessary.
Now, what exactly happens during a home inspection, and what do our qualified home inspectors do? Our trained, highly experienced, and professional inspectors at Home Pro Inspections perform a comprehensive assessment to determine whether a house is in shape or if there are problems that need to be addressed.
What is the Purpose of your Home Inspection?
The purpose of your home inspection is to identify the problems within the house that you’re not willing to accept. When you make an offer to buy a house, the proposal should be contingent upon a successful home inspection. Or simply put, if the inspector finds something you’re not comfortable with, you should be able to back out of the deal. This is what it means when we say the offer is “contingent” upon the home inspection.
Generally, the inspection takes place after you’ve made an offer, and the seller has accepted your offer. After this step, you should schedule it as soon as possible.
Here’s what you can expect to happen when you hire Home Pro Inspections –
#1 INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR
A home inspection by us will cover your house from top to bottom, inside and out. We always ensure that your home is safe, stable, and in pristine condition. We start by examining visible components, including floors, ceiling, and walls, then we move on to windows, doors, and other entryways.
In search of cracks or misalignment that could signal dangers like instability, our extremely thorough and meticulous inspectors will check the brick, siding, or stucco on your exterior along with the finishes on the interior portions of the home. Fireplaces and sinks will also be checked, as well as smoke detectors and other safety items in the house. We’ll examine your structure from the roof to the foundations in search of problems that could impede escrow or may pose a danger to inhabitants.
#2 BASEMENTS AND CRAWL SPACES
Mildew stains and odors typically scare buyers, especially if there is a presence of black mold. You will most likely not get an acceptable offer if mold & mildew are present. Even if the mold in your house is not dangerous, address the source of the problem and treat it.
Mildew odors signal towards moisture in the basement. Home inspectors and buyers look closely at the floors and walls for patches of mildew and signs of dampness. Inspectors generally use a meter to figure out how much moisture is present in these spaces as moisture will deteriorate your building material and also attracts insects.
We sometimes advise people to reduce moisture levels by covering the exposed earth in basements & crawl spaces with plastic. Most foundation leaks because of poor drainage that funnels water toward the foundation.
To address this issue:
- Check water flow through buried drainage lines and flood them with water from a hose. If water comes back, it means the line is plugged and should be cleared.
- Ensure that the gutters are clean, so rainwater flows towards the downspouts instead of spilling over gutter sides along the foundation.
- Point drainage downspouts away from your home.
If problems in the foundation still exist and you cannot repair them, you might need to lower the price of the house upfront with the understanding that the price reflects the problem. Another option is to provide the buyers with an allowance to make repairs after closing.
#3 ROOF AND ATTIC
Most homeowners expect a roof to last at least 20 years or more, but annual inspections and maintenance are often neglected in this area. As a result, we pay special attention to the roof, checking shingles, chimneys, gutters, flashing, vents, skylights, downspouts, etc. for deterioration or damage that could lead to leaks or other issues inside the home. Also, we duly examine the attic in search of potential structural or functional problems, checking ventilation, insulation, rafters, joists, and more.
4. PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL
Once we have thoroughly inspected the visible components of the home, we move on to the elements that make up the guts of your home, including plumbing & electrical systems. Our qualified home inspectors will examine and test the plumbing fixtures (toilets, sinks & showers) and drainage to make sure everything is okay. Plus, along with water pressure, electrical switches and outlets will be tested, and circuits, service panels, visible wiring & junctions, grounding systems, and more will be examined to ensure that there are no dangers.
5. HVAC
After checking the plumbing and electrical systems, we move on to the HVAC system, examining both heating & cooling components. It usually includes inspection of an air conditioning unit, a furnace or boiler, ductwork, and more, as well as a performance test to make sure that the system is working as it should and that no hazards exist.
Other Important Areas to Check
After conducting your home inspection, we’ll provide an inspection report with details about what our home inspector discovered, which may include both notes & photos. If everything is well & good, your home purchase and sale can move forward. If problems exist, the current homeowner may have to fix them. Or he/she will at least have to disclose them to the buyer before a deal can go through.
Moreover, our Home Inspectors will be thorough and cover all parts of the house. While basements, roofs, plumbing & wiring are primary areas for concern, they are not the only ones that need attending.
Inspectors will check heating & cooling systems to ensure that they work and comment on their efficiency. They may also take a closer look at the structure & foundation. Appliances that remain within the house like smoke detectors & carbon monoxide detectors also are expected to be inspected to ensure they’re in peak working condition.
Home Pro Inspections is pleased to offer a host of additional inspection services and tests, for example, if your home features a swimming pool, it will need to be examined. Still, not every home has one, that’s why it’s not included in the standard home inspection checklist.
We also pay attention to existing sprinkler systems, private wells or sewage systems, detached garages or other outbuildings, and more. Every client won’t require such testing, but when you need it, we’re happy to go above & beyond to ensure that every inch of your property is inspected thoroughly.
Negotiating the Repairs
Next, you need to decide what you’re not willing to accept, and what you’re comfortable accepting. If you’re not comfortable taking a specific item on the list, you’ll have to ask the seller to fix it. It is an important step in the process because it will require some negotiating on your part. You can seek advice from your real estate agents, as they are experienced in these matters.
The market dictates how much you ask the seller to fix the problems.
- If you’re in the market to sell, you might not be able to ask for much. The homeowner probably expects another buyer to come along soon. And the next buyer just won’t make any repair requests at all.
- If you’re there to buy, the seller might be willing to fix everything on the list (as sellers go further to accommodate buyers). They might be in the market for a while already, who knows when the next offer will come along?
So take the market into consideration, and find how much you want the house. Remember to be flexible if it’s something you can live with. You don’t want to lose the house over a specific item.
This is what a home inspector looks during a complete home inspection. And this is what professional home inspecting involves. It is generally done after the offer is accepted, and it offers you a way out of the contract if you find something that you’re not willing to accept.
Every buyer should have an inspection done; it is not that costly in the grand scheme of things. And it gives you detailed information about “what lies beneath.”
The most important thing for you to do during a home inspection around central Texas is to trust your certified home inspector. A home inspection helps you make a more informed decision about the home you’re thinking of buying. And rest assured, we at Home Pro Inspections will be there to support any decision you make.