A proper home inspection is your best defense against buying a property that will be a home improvement nightmare. Use these tips to get the most out of your home inspection.
1. Show Up
It’s important to attend your home inspection, and be prepared to ask questions. Point out specific problems you’d like to inspect further.
2. Use a True Professional
Be sure to use a professional home inspector you trust. While friends or family may have some expertise in construction, it’s important to use a impartial third-party professional inspector to give you a through top to bottom analysis.
3. Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions
You hired a home inspector because this person has the necessary knowledge to evaluate whether or not this potential property has any issues that would make purchasing the home a bad decision. And you should respect your home inspector’s knowledge and time. However, if something doesn’t look right or you don’t understand what a home inspector is referring to, speak up. It’s better to ask a question now than have an issue arise after you’ve purchased the property.
4. Get Pictures
All reputable home inspector will take pictures. The inspector will also be heading into places that you won’t want to go if you don’t have to (the roof, crawl space, under decks, the attic, etc.). Ask your inspector to photograph any potential issues that arise to see the issue for yourself and make sure you fully understand the problem.
Infrared and thermal cameras can give you and your inspector a look behind walls and floors that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to get without ripping out drywall or flooring. Because this technology is so accessible, your home inspector should use these pieces of equipment throughout the inspection (though some home inspectors may charge an additional fee for this service).
5. Do Your Own Pre-Inspection
Take a good look around the property to note any possible issues. Look at walls and ceilings for any evidence of water damage (discoloration, stains, etc.). Try all the light switches and outlets you can to make sure the electrical layout makes sense. Peek at the electrical panel to see if there are any potential wiring issues (look for new wire, old wiring that isn’t hooked up, etc.). On the outside of the house, look for drainage issues, areas with peeling paint, around decks and porches, inspect the siding, etc.
6. Pay Attention to the Roof
A home’s roof plays a huge role in keeping the interior in good shape. It’s also one of the most expensive and labor-intensive parts of a house to replace. Try to find out when the roof was last replaced, the shingles’ age, and whether or not any warranty exists. Ensure your home inspector actually goes up on the roof during the inspection (unless it’s physically unsafe to do so)? There’s only so much you can see while standing on the ground. Keep eyes peeled for curling or missing shingles and pay special attention to anywhere there’s a chimney, vent, or skylight to look for signs of water intrusion.
7. Look for Cosmetic Fixes
Freshly-painted walls and new floors can be a cosmetic cover-up of underlying problems. Pay attention to any suspicious fixes — only part of a floor patched or repaired or only part of a wall is freshly painted and ask your inspector to take a closer look.
8. Test GFCIs
GFCI outlets are part of the building code in rooms where moisture is present (kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, etc.). Your inspector will know how to test these outlets properly, and malfunctioning or non-working GFCI outlets could hint at bigger electrical problems.
9. Don’t Forget the Attic
Inspecting the attic is crutical. One very common inspection red flag is improper venting of bathroom fans into the attic (and not extending the vent all the way through the roof). If your bathroom fan is venting directly into the attic, all it’s doing is sending moisture and humid air into the attic where it cause mold, rot or worse. It’s also not up to code. If possible, have your inspector check for attic air leaks. While you can fix these attic air leaks, an attic with air leaks could have potential issues with insulation, moisture, mold or worse.
10. Give the Plumbing a Try
Losing water pressure or dealing with a slow drain can be indicators of larger plumbing issues. Make sure bathtubs and shower pans are leak-tested. And have the home inspector inspect the water main and shutoff points (very useful knowledge if/when you take ownership of the property).