Know More About The Dos And Don'ts Of Home Inspection

Your home is your dream retreat from the hustle and bustle of harsh realities. A proper home inspection will offer you the overall information on the condition of the house you are planning to buy, thus ensuring a flawless abode for you.


What Is A Home Inspection?

Home inspection is the overall survey conducted by a home inspector who with a neutral perspective provides a report on the structural safety and functionality of the house. A home inspection includes a detailed inspection on the physical structure and the chief interior systems of your home. The inspector calculates the life length of the key equipments, structure and systems. He also spots the components that need repairs or replacement.

Do not confuse home inspection with home appraisal, guarantee or certification. A home appraisal or a building code inspection protects the lenders interest. In a home appraisal the lender conducts a survey to evaluate whether the home you have decided to buy can live up to the agreed price or not. A home inspection will find out the structural and mechanical problems of the house serving to your interest.

The Components Covered In A Home Inspection

Generally the home inspector takes into consideration the chief components of your home, like:

The foremost component is the overall structure of the house taking the walls, ceilings, stairs and the foundation of your house into consideration.

The external components like the driveway, roofing, siding, flashing, grading, gutter, patios, decks and chimneys.

The home inspection covers interior pieces like the stairs, counters, railings, steps, and cabinets, the finishing, the ventilation system and the insulation that is noticeable.

The home inspector also tests the plumbing system of the house like the water heater, fixtures, drains and the visible, piping system.

The electrical system is also tested like the overload protection, fixtures and wiring.

A survey is also conducted on the heating and the air conditioning systems of the house regarding their present condition, capacity, safety and type.

A thorough inspection of the basement or the crawl space is also done on the construction condition, the settling, solidity factor and a test on the visible damage from rot, termite and water is also conducted.

Sometimes the home inspector may collect samples for laboratory tests to detect the level of radon gas or to test the quality of the water.

If you want to conduct a thorough inspection on the damages caused by termites, pests or other insects to your home, you may have to hire professionals separately. For inspecting special home features like swimming pool, septic system or well you also have to employ experts separately.

The Dos Of A Proper Home Inspection

A home inspector's job is to inspect the structure and mechanism of your home and point out the problem areas concerning the roof, basement, wiring or plumbing that needs repairs and replacement. A thorough home inspection provides you with the unbiased and professional report on the condition of your house so you can be aware of potential problems and can make immediate up gradation plans.

A home inspection by a good inspector will provide you with detailed knowledge about the systems, gadgets and components of your house regarding their present condition, their expected longevity and working mechanism of each system. He will also provide you great info about the mechanisms and maintenance of different components of your house thus making your residence and your life within it safer.

You cannot estimate the market value of your home through a home inspection, as it is neither an appraisal nor does it conforms to municipal inspection code verification. A private home inspection report is also not a guarantee for your home.

What A Home Inspector Does Not Do

A home inspection is an in-depth visual evaluation, but a home inspector cannot practically pass off your residence or make your house fail.

A home inspector does not decide whether you should buy the home nor does he decide the price you are going to pay for it. A home inspection is not a building code appraisal.

The motto of a home inspection is "safety not code".

A home inspection does not offer protection from future malfunctioning of your systems.

How To Get A Right Home Inspector?

You can ask your real estate agent to suggest some reputed home inspectors.

A friend, relative or colleague who has recently purchased a home in that area can suggest good names.

You can surf the Internet to get names of reputed home inspector groups or companies of the area.

The Pros Of Home Inspection

A proper home inspection will make your life and your home a safer place to live

The home inspector will evaluate the conditions of the components thus providing you with useful advices on the working systems of the key components of your home.

After a home inspection report you can plan repair or replacement plans beforehand.

Bend strongly on a home inspection after your seller accepts your proposal. If in the home inspection report some major failing is detected you will have a legal way out from the contract.

So get a home inspection done right away and make your home and your life safe and sound.