Home inspection services provide practical information that can be used as basis for decisions on the business aspect of a home sale. The cost of identified problems like the need to change part or the whole roof, or the need to make repairs or replacement to a furnace can be factored in when putting a price tag to the home. This type of information will also give peace of mind to buyers. Knowing potential defects before the sales is obviously better than knowing about it after moving in. It can cost the buyer thousands of dollars in repairs or replacements if the information comes in too late.
General Home Inspection Checklist Items
- Structural Elements: Construction of walls, ceilings, floors, roof and foundation.
- Exterior Evaluation: Wall covering, landscaping, grading, elevation, drainage, driveways, fences, sidewalks, fascia, trim, doors, windows, lights and exterior receptacles.
- Roof and Attic: Framing, ventilation, type of roof construction, flashing and gutters. It does not include a guarantee of roof condition nor a roof certification.
- Plumbing: Identification of pipe materials used for potable, drain, waste and vent pipes. including condition. Toilets, showers, sinks, faucets and traps. It does not include a sewer inspection.
- Systems and Components: Water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning, duct work, chimney, fireplace and sprinklers.
- Electrical: Main panel, circuit breakers, types of wiring, grounding, exhaust fans, receptacles, ceiling fans and light fixtures.
- Appliances: Dishwasher, range and oven, built-in microwaves, garbage disposal and, yes, even smoke detectors.
- Garage: Slab, walls, ceiling, vents, entry, firewall, garage door, openers, lights, receptacles, exterior, windows and roof.
What home inspections do not cover
In many states, home inspectors are not licensed. However, a home inspector’s standard practice typically does not include the following, for which a specific license to inspect and identify is required:
* Asbestos
* Radon, Methane, Radiation and Formaldehyde
* Wood-Destroying Organisms
* Mold, Mildew and Fungi
* Rodents
* Lead
Home Inspection Checklist Items Sellers Should Fix
If you have a choice, it is smarter to hire your own contractors and supervise repairs. Before issuing a formal request to repair, consider the seller’s incentive to hire the cheapest contractor and to replace appliances with the least expensive brands.
Although home inspectors are reluctant to and, in many cases, refuse to disclose repair costs, call a contractor to determine the scope and expense to fix minor problems yourself. No home is perfect. Every home will have issues on a home inspection. Even new homes.
A repair issue that will be be a deal breaker for a first-time home buyer, causing the buyer to cancel the contract, will not faze a home buyer versed in home repair. Talk to your agent, family, friends and call a few contractors to discuss which types of defects are minor. Perhaps a simple solution is available such as replacing a $1.99 receptacle, which can resolve many outlet problems.
Pat yourself on the back, too, for getting a home inspection. Some buyers feel a home inspection is unnecessary, especially if they are buying new construction. If a light switch doesn’t work or the air conditioner blows out hot air, those are problems you can see and test. The problems that aren’t readily identifiable to you such as code violations, a furnace that leaks carbon monoxide or a failing chimney, are the types of defects a home inspector could identify in a new home. Builders’ contractors make mistakes, too.