13 Home Inspection Pitfalls

When you have finally found the property you want to purchase, and before you have finalized the entire deal, comes one of the most important parts of the entire house buying process – Home Inspection, which is an essential step carried out by the buyer to ensure that the future home has no obvious issues. Although a home inspection can never guarantee anything and might have a lot of pitfalls. We have come up with a guide to prepare you about the entire home inspection process and how to avoid certain pitfalls in the process.

1. Not inspecting the new construction

This is one of the most common mistakes that often even the experienced homeowners do. Since the property is newly constructed, it is assumed that it must have been built by following every guideline and local ordinance, to ensure every safeguard and keeping high-standards. Always perform an extensive home inspection before buying a house, even if the property is newly-constructed. Don’t just follow your contractor just because the property passed the local code.

2. Choosing the right inspector

A home inspector should be chosen wisely. Don’t just blindly go with the cheapest inspector, or the one suggested by the realtor or the contracting company. The least expensive person might not always be competent enough for the work. Ask for referrals from your friends and family and interview a couple of them before choosing the right inspector.

3. Not visiting the place with the inspector

Always accompany your home inspector when they visit the property for a thorough inspection. Buyers who accompany their inspectors find out more information. Always stay with the inspector and ask him any questions you have.

4. Overlooking the inspector’s recommendations

Not properly reading the inspection report or overlooking the inspector’s suggestions could be a drastic mistake. Often homeowners do not follow up on the points listed by the inspector and don’t keep in mind the cost of fixing the place before moving in.

5. Overestimating your home inspector

You should keep in mind that no matter how skilled or experienced your home inspector is, they can’t exactly predict the future. Often buyers think that an appliance or a system still has a long way to go, since it has not been pinpointed out by the inspector. A home inspector might tell you that a particular system looks like it will work for a good few more years, but can never truly predict when it might stop working.

Now when you know the essential things you should follow during the inspection process, also know about certain systems that should be checked in the inspection.

6. Drainage

A poor drainage system can cause a lot of significant problems in your house in the coming years, like creating cracks in the foundation or leaks in the basement, leading to mold and rot damage, and so on.

7. Electrical system

Old houses can have some serious problems in their electrical system and might need an essential upgrade to hold the new systems in place. Problems like rusting in the electric panel and burned wires can also be seen.

8. Roofs

This is a very critical area, as roof repairing can be very expensive. Inspectors should look for any damage in the roof, from signs of rot to broken flashing, water leakage, etc.

9. Plumbing

This could be one of the worst problems in a house. A clogged toilet could be a homeowner’s most horrible nightmare. Make sure that you will have clean water to drink and that the waste is getting disposed properly. The inspector should check all the taps, pipes and meter for any issues.

10. Heating System

Flaws in the heating system are very common. Heating system flaws can be highly risky and can lead to fire or carbon monoxide poisoning in the future. Some problems could be rectified by simply changing a couple of pipes, but if the system is really old, you should think of installing a new system to avoid any risk.

11. Ventilation

A house should have proper ventilation. This problem, unlike other problems, can be resolved with some minor alterations in the house.

12. Foundation

A strong foundation leads to a stronger building. Foundation related problem often can never be fixed after buying a house, or might cost a lot to repair. A few cracks on the wall, or cracks near a door or the window are some visible signs for a poor foundation. Take your inspector very seriously if they mention any foundation related problem.

13. Pests

Make sure not to have any sorts of pests in your to-be house. Any form of pests – termites, ants or other insects can cause serious damage to your property.

It is always nice to know about the things that might go wrong while buying a house, so that you can prepare yourself in a better way, or walk away from an unwise decision. Follow the above guidelines carefully and don’t make any mistake during the home inspection process.