The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This often includes a written report, checklist, photographs, environmental reports, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller’s disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming. What should you do?
Relax. Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about. However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:
- Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure.
- Things that lead to major defects. A small roof flashing leak, for example.
- Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home.
- Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electric panel.
Anything in these categories should be addressed. Often a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4).
Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect. Keep things in perspective. Don’t kill your deal over things that don’t matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller’s disclosure, or nit-picky items.
As professional Home Inspectors, it’s our job to look for those hidden problems for you.
The Home Inspection is an unbiased, professional assessment of the condition of the house. It provides you an expert opinion and professional report on the condition of the physical structure and various systems within a house. Giving you peace of mind on what is likely the largest purchase you’ll ever make.
In order to prepare the report, an inspector must conduct a visual inspection of the house. The inspection process typically takes about 3 hours to complete.
This of course may vary, according to the size and condition of the home. We strongly encourage you to accompany the inspector during the inspection. This will give you a chance to ask questions and become familiar with the systems of the home.
When the inspection is complete, we’ll tell you of any problems that were discovered and discuss them with you.
We will also tell you about any routine maintenance that should be performed, as well as answer any questions you may have. You’ll also receive a full written report of the inspection.
Our goal is to discover and inform you of anything we find that might affect your purchase decision.
Well tell you about any problems we find, and make repair recommendations. Well also inform you of what maintenance tasks are required to keep the home and its systems in top condition.
Buying a new home is probably the biggest investment you’ll ever make and it’s a decision that will affect you for years to come.
The process can be extremely stressful and confusing and of course, there is always considerable risk involved when making such a large purchase decision. A professional inspection will significantly reduce your risk and help make the entire home buying process easier and less stressful. We really enjoy helping our clients in this process and customer service is our highest priority.
We are Certified Distressed Property Experts!