The Home Inspection

If you are purchasing a resale property, and in some cases even a new home, a professional home inspector is recommended. A typical inspection will include the following:

• Roof
• Siding, trim, driveway, sidewalk
• Appliances
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Furnace, water heater, and air conditioning
• Basement floor, walls, crawl space
• Attic
• Foundation, drainage, sump pit and pump
• General Structure
• Optional Radon test or termite inspection

The inspection is not designed to criticize every minor problem or defect in the home. It is intended to report on major damage or serious problems that require repair. Should serious problems be indicated, the inspector will recommend that a structural engineer or some other professional inspect it as well. After the inspection, if there are major problems that you do not want to deal with, you may choose to terminate the contract and get your earnest money back.

Normally, the inspector will not “fail” a home. He will report on any and all areas of the home that are in need of repair or maintenance and make recommendations. We will then determine which items to include in the Inspection Notice that we will ask the seller to address. Sellers are generally agreeable to make most of the repairs indicated in the Inspection Notice, as they are anxious to sell the home.

The seller may be willing to make some or all repairs, they may offer a credit for completion of repairs, or they may not be willing to fix anything. This may lead to a second round of negotiations. If the seller is not willing to address the issues, you can decide if you are willing to make the repairs, or if you want to back out of the contract. In addition to the home inspection, you may wish to have separate tests conducted for termites or radon gas.