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What to Do During a Home Inspection? Here are the Questions You Should Ask


Although home inspectors Del Mar can conduct a home inspection perfectly well on their own, your role in the process is not in the least insignificant. Once you get the gist of what to expect from a home inspection, you’ll see it’s in your own best interest to be more than an idle onlooker. This means knowing what to ask and what to do during a home inspection. We’re on a mission to make your life easier so we’ve put together your to-do list for home inspection day.

Ask about credentials – beforehand

Besides knowing what to do during a home inspection, you have to make sure that a professional is being entrusted with the inspection of your prospective new home. Go for a company that can vouch for the expertise and professionalism of their inspectors.

Start from the top – the roof

No one is expecting you to climb onto the roof yourself, but ask the inspector for detailed information about its condition. A roof replacement is a huge investment but it shouldn’t deter you from the house purchase – you could ask for a price reduction instead.

Insulation satisfactory?

Poor insulation means money down the drain on daily basis, whether through heating or cooling costs. Also ask about the insulation and ventilation of the basement and the attic. If they’re substandard, you might be facing the prospect of mold and mildew.

Electrical

The home’s electrical can be an extremely hazardous area. Ensuring that everything is in perfect working order and up to code is a must. Ask the inspector about any issues, no matter how small.

Sound structure?

Your inspector will check the foundation and warn you of any serious cracks. Not all cracks are dangerous but you should take expert advice and steer clear from houses with serious foundation issues.

Plumbing and drainage functionality

Water damage caused by poor drainage and faulty plumbing spells trouble for the future homeowner, which is why you should ask the inspector detailed questions about it.

Faulty grading, sometimes signaled by standing puddles, can likewise cause damage so extensive that the repair will cost you an arm and a leg. Ask the inspector whether the house is at risk of such foundation issues.

HVAC

The inspector is bound to check the state and efficiency of the HVAC system. You want to make sure it’s up to scratch, as well as check whether it has undergone regular maintenance in the past. That should give you a pretty good picture of the system’s remaining lifespan.

Any critters to worry about?

Rodents and insects can not only damage your home, but also be detrimental to the occupants’ health. Ask the inspector if the house is at risk of infestation.

Is the Foundation Sound?

The foundation is extremely important for any home, as it provides support from the ground up. A foundation inspection will determine whether the home foundation was built according to the state’s building codes, or whether you’ll need to contact a reliable Houston, TX company or a local expert to handle repairs or modifications. The foundation inspection includes an interior and an exterior inspection to ensure its integrity.

What to do after receiving the home inspection report?

Read the report carefully, making sure you understand every detail. If you are still unclear about anything, call the inspector and ask away. Failing to understand the report defeats the purpose of the whole inspection. The inspector might suggest a follow-up inspection of a particularly problematic area and you’d be wise to agree to it.

Wondering what to do during a home inspection? The Inspectors Company answers even the questions you forget to ask!

The Inspectors Company is adamant about following a thorough and meticulous approach to conducting the home inspection process with pinpoint precision and maximum efficiency. Buying a home is a once-in-a-lifetime investment for most, which is why you want to make sure you’ve done all in your power to do it properly from the get-go. As for what to do during a home inspection, consult with us today and we’ll tell you all you need to know and more!

What Can I Expect from a Home Inspection?


Once you decide to buy your own place in Del Mar, you’ll realize the importance of home inspection Del Mar. Anyone can see the cracks on the kitchen wall, maybe even notice something that suspiciously resembles mold in a corner of the bathroom. However, a home inspection is the only way to detect those far worse problems that remain hidden, lurking, biding their time. As inspection day draws near, you’re bound to have one question preying on your mind: ‘What can I expect from a home inspection?’ It’s of utmost importance that you know the home inspection process through and trough as well as be realize what you’ll get out of it, as it’s the only proven safeguard against buying a money pit.

What can I expect from a home inspection?

What you can expect is a general but detailed overview of the home’s condition. After finding a professional home inspector with experience in the type of homes you are interested in purchasing, ask about the home inspection details. But, before deciding on the date of the inspection, make sure that the home inspection report you’ll get in the end will be as comprehensive as possible.

The report is what it all comes down to. If it turns out that the home has far too many issues than you’d expected, you can back out of the deal without a second thought. If you’re comfortable with the number of issues that have been detected and ready to tackle them, you’ll know nothing will catch you off guard!

Being steered in the right direction

As mentioned before, a home inspection does provide an invaluable insight into the state of your home, and an utterly thorough assessment of its current condition. However, it focuses on the house’s physical structure and its critical internal systems.

If the inspector’s suspecting a more serious, hidden problem, you’ll need to pursue a more specialized inspection. Problems with mold, pests or asbestos, for instance, are not likely to be detected during an ordinary home inspection and require a different approach.

Although various inspection methods can be extremely useful and efficient in detecting problems, some issues simply require additional, more specific inspections. There are inaccessible places in and around the house, including the septic tank, which require a separate inspection with state-of-the-art-tools not used in a typical home inspection.

Pitching in – optional

Although your home inspectors are perfectly capable of performing the inspection without any contribution on your part, you’d be wise to stick around during the process. The reason is simple – you can follow them around and make the most of the inspection by jotting down their remarks and recommendations. You don’t have to do much, just pay attention to what they’re doing – especially if you are about to become a homeowner for the first time.

What can I expect from a home inspection from the Inspectors Company?’ A piece of mind, for one!

You are not alone in asking the question ‘What can I expect from a home inspection?’ It makes perfect sense that you want to know what you are paying for and why. The Inspectors Company  will give you a detailed home inspection overview and make sure you get what you’re after – a guarantee that you’d be making a sound financial decision by purchasing your new home. Give us a call and let us give you a piece of mind!

What’s Included in a Pre-Listing Home Inspection?


What’s Included in a Pre-Listing Home Inspection?

The time has come to sell your home and find something a little smaller. Before you place the property on the market, it’s smart to contact a professional and have the home inspected from top to bottom. Along with providing information that your real estate agent can use to pitch the home to prospective buyers, you also get a chance to use the inspection results to set a reasonable asking price.  Here are some of the more important elements that will be part of that inspection.

The Foundation

Buyers want assurance that the home is on a level and strong foundation. If there are any issues, they will eventually lead to walls that don’t quite meet, windows and doors that won’t shut properly, and additional stress on the roof. If the inspection uncovers any problems with the foundation you would do well to repair them before placing the house on the market.

The Windows and Doors

A thorough check of the doors and windows is a must. Are they in good shape? Do the windows contain double pane glass? Are the front and back doors sturdy and capable of providing excellent security?

If the inspection indicates the windows or doors are not in the best shape, you would do well to contact a windows contractors and look into making some updates. Energy-efficient windows and doors will make the home more appealing to buyers and allow you to command a higher asking price.

The Plumbing

Inspecting the plumbing involves making sure everything is up to code and that the pipes are protected from extreme weather conditions. Along with the pipes, checking the fixtures and making sure they are working properly is important. You can bet any prospective buyer is likely to turn on at least one tap to get an idea of how strong the water pressure happens to be.

The Wiring

Wiring must be up to current codes and free of any signs of damage. It doesn’t hurt if your home has a reasonable amount outlets in each room. All of them should be functional. If not, it’s time to call an electrician.

The Roofing

Assurances that the roof will last for at least several more years is a great selling point. When the roof is less than a decade old, free of damage, and the materials normally last for three or more decades, you have a winner. Should the inspection uncover any issues with a few shingles or the roof flashing, have the repairs done before you place the property on the market.

Safety Concerns

The inspector will be on the lookout for any possible safety issues. That includes loose carpeting on the stairs, uneven flooring, windows that are hard to open or slam shut for no apparent reason, and even locks that are hard to operate.

Take that list of concerns seriously. You can bet they would dampen the enthusiasm of any prospective buyer. Secure the loose carpeting, replace those old windows with new vinyl windows that work perfectly, and change the locks. Your investment will pay off in terms of a higher price and greater interest in the property.

Even if it’s several months before you plan on putting the home on the market, now is the time to arrange for a complete inspection. At best, you will find that there is nothing more than some cosmetic updates to get the house ready for showing. If there is some major structural work to do, there is time to make the repairs before that first open house. When the offers start coming in, you’ll see why all your efforts mattered so much.