The Most Thorough Home Inspection Process and Checklist
Why home inspections are important?
Home Inspection is the method of checking the overall condition of your home. This is conducted not only during the buying or selling process of a house.
This method can be done anytime the owner, seller, or buyer wants to know the general state of the property.
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Costly mistakes can be avoided when you conduct a home inspection. The property owner can immediately locate and detect any defect the house can have. There are instances wherein a home can look beautiful outside but it is on the inside where various problems are present.
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Another reason why house inspections are important is in identifying if the house you are planning to buy is “move-in” ready. Everyone’s wanting to have the chance to own their dream house. When we find that dream house, we must also be responsible and not immediately move-in. A thorough home inspection should be conducted first to assure you that your dream house is the right one for you.
A certified professional home inspector is the right person to conduct the thorough checking of your home. The home inspector will be the one to identify if a house is in good shape and is suitable to be bought or sold. They will be the person responsible for identifying issues with the home’s electrical, plumbing, insulation, roofing, as well as it’s structural integrity. A properly done home inspection will assist the buyer or the seller in knowing exactly what they are about to purchase.
After the home inspector checked those, the inspector would generally provide the buyer, seller, or homeowner with a report. This report states the different finding the home inspector discovered. Often, this report has suggestions related to the needed improvements or repairs to bring the condition of the house to current industry standards. As the owner, it is advised that you participate in the home inspection process to get first-hand knowledge of the condition of your property.
The cost of getting your home inspected varies depending on the details of the house such as its age, size, and region. The home inspection process usually lasts for an estimated 2 to 5 hours, again, depending on the size, region, and age of the house that is being checked.
You can have peace of mind and ease if you know that your property is in good shape. That is why having a home inspection is important. Getting a home inspection also has benefits for the seller and the buyer.
For the seller, having a home inspection done to the house up for sale makes him informed of issues regarding the condition of the house. With that knowledge, he or she can then correct the problems before the property is put on the market.
For the buyer, getting a home inspection will inform him of some problems seen throughout the whole house. This knowledge can now be a great negotiating tool. It can inform the buyer of the future potential maintenance costs that can be incurred when the house will be purchased.
HOME INSPECTION PROCESS
When conducting a Home Inspection, the professional home inspector follows a process. This is to assure a thorough review of the important components and systems of a home.
After the home inspection process, a complete report will be provided depicting clear descriptions of our findings which also includes pictures. In the report, there will also be a summary of the various deficiencies, unsafe portions, and expensive problems that exists in the home.
The report that the inspector will be issuing can be vital for your final negotiations, overall understanding of the condition of your home, and plans for future improvements and maintenance.
STEPS IN THE PROCESS:
1. Interior Inspection
- Floors & Ceilings
- Walls
- Stairs & Banisters
- Fireplaces
- Finishes
- Sinks
- Built-in Appliances
- Smoke Detectors & Safety related items
- Any other visible interior components
2. Exterior Inspection
- Siding, Brick, Stone, Stucco
- Windows
- Doors
- Sashes & Lintels
- Vents
- Entryways
- All other visible exterior components
3. Roof Inspection
- Shingles
- Flashings
- Chimneys
- Vents
- Trim & Gutters
- Drip Edges
- Skylights
- Downspouts
- All other visible roof related items
4. HVAC System Inspection
- Furnace
- Filters
- Ductwork
- Air Conditioner & Lines
- Performance testing of Heating & Cooling systems
- All other visible HVAC related components
5. Electrical Inspection
- Service entry & clearance
- Main service panels and sub-panels
- Branch circuits
- Switches & outlets
- Fixtures
- Visible wiring & Junction boxes
- Grounding system
- All other visible electrical components
6. Plumbing Inspection
- Water pressure
- Water distribution system
- Hose bibs
- Sinks & faucets
- Baths, showers & toilets
- Drainage system
- All other visible plumbing related items
7. Attic Inspection
- Insulation
- Ventilation
- Rafters
- Joists & Collar Ties
- Trusses
- Wiring Attachments
- All other visible related items
8. Additional Inspection Items
- Sprinkler systems
- Pools
- Detached shops/garages
- Outdoor kitchens
- Private water wells
- Private sewage systems (septic)
- WDI (wood destroying insect inspection)
HOME INSPECTION CHECKLIST
Getting your house inspected for the first time can worry you.
So here is a checklist to guide you on the parts and systems of your home where the certified professional home inspector might go or check in the course of the home inspection process.
Familiarize yourself with the following systems and components listed below. This will give you a good idea of what the certified home inspector is looking for.
1. STRUCTURE: it is the overall mold of your house. It comprises of the roof rafter, ceiling joist, bearing wall, exterior wall, floor joist, bearing beam, column, foundation wall and footing. Some problems that can be seen are defects in:
a. The walls
b. Roof framing
c. Exterior wall framing
d. Interior framing
e. Cracks in the foundation
These may indicate serious structural problems. The said defects may also be due to poor structural design and foundation settlement.
2. ROOFING: some vulnerable areas and characteristics of roofs are: roofs that change shape, roofs that change in material, asymmetric valley areas, butterfly rods, skylights, chimneys are valleys. A wear on the roof can be visible if the wear is very advanced and the roof is starting to age. Repairing the roof can be a huge undertaking and will be expensive.
3. EXTERIOR: this part of the house should be given extra attention because the repair of it can cost thousands of dollars. Old houses are also paid close attention by the certified home inspector this is because of the presence o Lead -Based paint. This kind of paint is hazardous to health and can be a problem when it will be needed to be replaced.
4. ELECTRICAL: There are many standards when it comes to the wiring of your house. Your certified home inspector will identify those and help you avoid faulty wiring and fires. Identifying the proper service that suits the size of your house is also important.
5. INSULATION & VENTILATION: the main purpose of this house system is to warm the owners during winter and cool them during summer. Proper ventilation is needed for every home, it is sometimes the most important factor buyers are looking for in a house. Proper ventilation in the attic is of prime importance because the lack of it will mean deterioration of the structural roof portion.
6. PLUMBING: the certified home inspector will determine the type of pipe and the connectivity of the system to the municipal main in the street. Older houses need to be checked because the plumbing under its foundation may begin to cause problems. The certified home inspector will also check the overall piping distribution in your house for material, pipe compatibility, and leaks.
7. INTERIOR: one important area inside your house is the basement area. It is here were signs of water intrusion can be seen and repairing the damage that can be caused by it will cost you thousands of dollars. Your certified home inspector might suggest to add waterproofing to your basement area.
Be guided throughout the whole home inspection process by using this simple home inspection checklist.
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