Before purchasing a house, it is essential to have a home inspection conducted by a professional inspector, according to the proper home inspection procedure and standards of practice. Costly repairs can usually be avoided or at least anticipated by a preliminary inspection. If the house is thoroughly inspected before a purchase offer is made, you will know in advance if heating equipment, rewiring or any other costly repairs or replacements will be necessary. Still, even if the inspection reveals defects, you don’t necessarily have to reject the house. A purchase offer can include a contingency clause that identifies and recognizes what needs to fixed before the sale is finalized. Another option is to lower your purchase price offer based on the cost of correcting the problems.
Once an offer to purchase contract is signed, a professional home inspection should be done before a loan is applied for or a title inspection ordered. In addition, some lenders require a mechanical and structural inspection by a qualified home inspector. Reserve the right to cancel or renegotiate a purchase agreement if significant defects are found during the inspection. When you hire a professional home inspector, try to be there when the inspection is done to make sure it follows the proper home inspection procedure. Follow him around and ask questions to know what is being checked, why and what is the condition of each area.
Basic Home Inspection Procedure – Items Needed
- pencil and paper to record information
- measuring tape (25 or 50 ft) to measure the dimensions of the house and individual rooms – the measurements will help you determine whether pieces of furniture will fit into specific rooms
- stepladder for access to the attic
- flashlight with a strong beam for inspecting the attic, basement, crawl spaces and storage areas with poor lighting
Before the inspection is commenced, a pre-inspection agreement must be signed to protect the company’s liability and to educate its clients about what exactly can be expected from the home inspector. To perform a thorough inspection properly, turn on the utilities provided to the structure. The inspector will access the roof, attic and crawlspace (if accessible) to check the condition of the many components and systems that are critical to the structural integrity of the building. If roof coverings can be easily damaged or pose a risk to the safety of the home inspector they will not be walked on, but instead a perimeter check at ground level or by ladder will be performed. Cases in which roof coverings cannot be walked on include slate, clay tiles, wood shingles, metal or roofs that are dangerously steep, wet or heavily damaged.
A professional home inspection will also include the examination of the foundation, along with the electrical service, visible plumbing components, heating and cooling equipment, accessible chimney and fireplace components, as well as exterior and interior structural and mechanical components listed in the agreement and Standards of Practice. After the inspection, the home inspector will discuss any concerns with the client and answer any questions the client might have.
A written home inspection report will be prepared and delivered to the client within a reasonable amount of time (usually 24 hours), and whenever possible the report will be prepared on-site. Due to the many variables involved in the process, a home inspection usually takes three to five hours. However, there are also cases in which the home inspection procedure may take longer than five hours, depending on the size of the home, the age of the home, the overall condition or other situations that may occur.