Plain and simple, the purpose of a home inspection is to give you more information to base your home-buying decision on. The seller and their real estate agent will present you with the many features of the house. And it’s natural that they emphasize all the good qualities of the house. Home inspectors are there to help you identify major defects that they can find through a visual inspection of the property. It’s not that we want to be negative, we want you to see both sides of the property and make a choice with fewer surprises down the road.
Most prospective home owners find their home inspections to be highly informative. You may be a first time buyers with maintenance questions, or need to understand the unique issues of country properties. We are happy to answer whatever questions we can while going through your property. Following along with us on our detailed inspection, you may be surprised by what you didn’t notice yet about your prospective new home.
Every house has defects. Usually a lot of small ones, but sometimes larger issues enter the picture. So what is a defect? Well, they can be a lot of things. Your inspector will be looking for things that aren’t as they should be. It might be a safety issue. It might be something isn’t functioning the way it should. There could be signs of past trouble or hints of future problems looming. While we can’t look at everything in such a short time, we do look at a great number of things. For a detailed list of the items I do and don’t look for see the Standard of Practice that I follow. If you get tired reading it all, think how much work it is to look at all that stuff. But don’t worry, the inspector does all that.
We just list the facts of what we find. The same defect may have great impact on one buyer and virtually none on the next. It depends on your needs and abilities. If you are already planning a kitchen renovation, that fact that the range hood doesn’t work might not matter very much. If your Dad owns a roofing company, old shingles are a lot less worrisome. You may not care that the electrical service is only 100 amp, but if you planning on getting a hot tub, it’s more important. So your needs and abilities can give you a much different perspective on the same house. Share your intentions for the property with your inspector so that he can take them into consideration.
At the end of the inspection, you will get a quick verbal summary of the findings, but wait for your Inspection Report before you commit to any firm decisions. It will have a write up of the defects found, many pictures and diagrams to explain them, and tell you when other resources are needed. It may call for further evaluation by a specialist or that contractor quotes might be needed. Read the report thoroughly, understand any risks with the property, and you will make a better decision. For more ideas on how you can get a better inspection read Tips for a Good Home Inspection
All the best on your search for the perfect new home for you and your family. What you learn now can help you have confidence in your residence.
Author: Rob Cornish is a Home Inspector in Ottawa, Canada. © 2013 HomeXam Inc.
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