Do you want to buy a home? One of the things you should do before buying a house is get it inspected by a certified home inspector. Yes, we understand what you are saying: “Purchasing a home is costly enough as it is! Why would I choose to spend money if I am not obligated to?” In this article, we will look at what a residential property inspection can find and if it’s worthwhile for a homebuyer to hire one.
Home inspections are an essential element of the buying and selling process. It can assist house sellers in preparing their homes for sale, and home purchasers avoid costly repairs down the road. Regular house inspections every few years also give homeowners helpful advice on maintaining and even increasing the value of their property. You can find everything you need to know about residential home inspections and what to anticipate from a home inspector.
Read this article to know more about what is included in a home inspection. Moreover, various building inspection services in India can make your home valuable through residential property inspectors.
What Is A Home Inspection?
A home inspection is a procedure carried out by a set of experts who visually examine every facet of your new, to-be home. Experts come in with specialized tools and the latest tech to inspect every inch of your house, from floor to ceiling. They use the latest software and hardware to make sure that their reports are accurate. They compare their findings against a checklist and mark off areas of concern (if any). They also collect photographic evidence when serious issues need to be addressed. Ultimately, they present their recommendations on issues that need to be addressed.
A good home inspector is trained to spot damage or degradation early on. For example, suppose a home inspector discovers moisture where it shouldn’t be. The buyer may be advised to have a plumbing contractor assess the area to determine any water damage. Now, let us discuss the elements of home inspections.
What Are The Elements Of Home Inspection?
A home inspector will inspect the following components of the residential property inspections whenever practicable and safe:
1. Structural Integrity:
It can be nice to walk into a brand new house that has great color and beautiful drapes. Often, it can be a little late when the new house owner notices the little cracks, tiny leaks, and moisture in the ceiling or a deep vibration when a door is closed a little hard. Experts go through the entire home, ensuring that everything is built well and safe. You don’t want to be filling in wall cracks with putty two months after investing your life savings.
2. Material Quality:
We believe that a beautiful all-white interior can be extremely deceptive. In fact, there are few things more frustrating than crumbly plaster that powders down and leaves you sweeping one spot for an hour. This is where home investigation experts come in. They not only ensure that the plaster has been mixed and applied properly but also check if the tile quality is worth the price you are paying for it.
3. Size and Proportions:
Of course, the total built-up area will appear on the report. The exact built-up area, down to an inch. This is especially important in today’s housing market; you don’t want to be paying more than you should.
4. Fitting and Finishing:
A newly tiled, squeaky clean house is a wonderful experience. That doesn’t last long if the tiles have been laid unevenly. The dirt and grit accumulate quickly, especially with a toddler running around, feet covered in baby food. Home inspections aren’t intended to merely check the quality of the building; the materials used, fixtures, fittings, doors, angles, and every other aspect that makes living in a house a great experience, are inspected very carefully.
5. Safety:
Most builders and construction experts work rather ethically. However, an odd oversight is bound to happen. You don’t want to risk your family’s safety at any cost. Safety inspections are vital to making sure your home is truly the place where you can find peace. While there are obvious things, such as railings and electrical outlets and so on, consider mould, bacteria, and pests too. Inspectors make sure that there are no ideal conditions for unhealthy mould or bacteria growth. If such conditions persist, they provide necessary solutions to prioritize your health and safety.
Home Inspection Checkpoints
A home inspector would look out for the following things for residential home inspections:
- Flooring
A floor inspection checklist includes more than 100 parameters covering quality, dimensions, brands, and material. An inspector performs industry-standard tests on the objects that are visibly accessible regularly during a floor inspection of the house.
A floor inspection checklist is unique as it is divided into categories based on the type of flooring. As the professional inspector goes through all safety features, he crosses them off on the checklist.
- Wall Finish
The internal wall finishes of a property can reveal symptoms of upkeep and structural problems. For example, water damage might be indicated by cracked shingles or peeling paint on a wall. Moreover, siding that has separated from the house’s side can show water penetration or structural difficulties. Water can also enter your home through loose or fractured mortar in brick or stone. A home inspector will examine your home’s interior finishes to ensure that they are not only appealing but also perform their function of keeping your home well-sealed against the elements.
- Ceiling
The inspector will look for loose, missing, or incorrectly secured shingles and cracked or damaged mastic around vents, where roof damage or poor installation could allow water to enter the home. They will also inspect the gutters for damage.
- Doors
Doors are your home’s, family’s, and possessions’ first line of defense against intruders. Doors must perform flawlessly. As a result, your Home I inspector will test and inspect to see if the door moves smoothly and silently without binding, scraping, or grinding. Externally facing doors have an airtight seal created by weatherstripping and caulking.
More than 100 parameters are checked including but not limited to checking for crack/damages on the door frame, inspecting door fittings/hinges for smooth operation, checking on damages to the wall, checking for smooth door movements, etc.
All automatic controls (open/close/stop/lock/unlock buttons, key controls, etc.) are working properly.
- Windows
While windows provide light into your home, they also play a vital role in protecting your home from the elements. When Home Inspectors, inspect a window, the most crucial thing for us to look for is whether the window is correctly installed and if all of the window unit’s components are securely sealed. Water will not leak into a home through an adequately placed modern window with the seals intact, nor will heat (and money) fly out all winter.
- Plumbing
The house inspector will look for visible leaks in all faucets and showers, as well as test the water pressure. They’ll also determine what type of pipes are present in the home if any are visible. If the lines are old, the inspector may recommend a second inspection to decide whether or not they need to be replaced and how much it will cost to fix them.
Some of the parameters include checking if the jet spray tap is fixed properly and there is no leakage, Sanitary fittings are free from cracks, and an Adequate slope is provided to drain pipes
- Electrical
In areas such as the bathrooms, kitchen, garage, and outside, the inspector will examine the type of wiring in the house, test all of the outlets, and look for ground fault circuit interrupters (which can protect you from electrocution, electric shock, and electrical burns). They’ll also check your electrical panel for any potential safety issues, as well as any potential fire threats in your outlets.
- Sanitary Ware
Following are some of the parameters which are checked:-
- Cracks in the floor tiles and on the walls are checked.
- Moisture on the flooring and walls was examined.
- All bathroom faucets will be examined for leaks to ensure that they turn off correctly.
- After turning on the shower, the shower will be checked for drips, and the handles and buttons on the faucets will be examined.
- The shower tray will be checked for leaks, and the waste drain will be used to drain the water.
- Kitchen
The kitchen inspection consists of an exhaustive list of parameters covering checkpoints like damages / Scratches / Cracks found on the furniture, leakage below the platform observed, and kitchen steel sink gaps from above not filled with sealant.
- Bathrooms
The inspector will look for visible leaks, securely secured restrooms, appropriate ventilation, and other issues. Without a window or a ventilation fan, mould and mildew can form, and moisture can distort wood cabinets over time.
What are the Tools used in the Home Inspection Process?
The following tools are used in the home inspection process:-
1. Measuring Tape: A steel tape marked in meters and feet and divided into cm and inches. Usually used by a person to measure the length and width.
2. Right Angled Scales: It is used to check if the room corners are at the Right Angle.
3. Spirit level: This is the most important tool with the help of which the degree of movement of the bubble can be determined between any two surfaces. Typically this tool is used to check the levels.
4. Laser meter: Hold the device firmly against your chosen starting point. This may be a wall, floor, or inside of a door frame. Turn the laser distance measure on and point it where you would like to measure. Press the measure button. Keep the laser still until the measurement appears on the screen.
5. Thermal Camera: Thermal image capturing makes leak detection more efficient and simpler, especially when the searched spot is hidden. Thus, breaking open walls and floors “on suspicion” becomes unnecessary. Thermal imaging takes advantage of the fact that leaking water shows a different temperature than the environment.
6. Tripod stand: Tripods are used for both motion and still photography to prevent camera movement and provide stability.
7. TDS meter: A small hand-held device used to indicate the Total Dissolved Solids in a solution, usually water. Since dissolved ionized solids, such as salts and minerals, increase the conductivity of a solution, a TDS meter measures the conductivity of the solution and estimates the TDS from that reading.
8. Tester screwdriver: Touch the tip of the tester screwdriver to the wire you’re testing, being sure to hold the tester screwdriver’s insulated handle. Look at the handle of the screwdriver. If the small neon light in the handle lights up, there is power going to the circuit. Otherwise, the circuit is dead.
9. Mallet: A mallet is a block on a handle, which is used to check for hollowness In tiles or wall surfaces.
10. Digital multimeter: A digital multimeter is a test tool used to measure two or more electrical values—principally voltage (volts), current (amps), and resistance (ohms). It is a standard diagnostic tool for technicians in the electrical/electronic industries.
11. Ricoh 360 Camera: This camera is used for a 360-degree view of a property which is more effective than pictures.
When Should the Home Inspection Be Performed?
A home inspection can be performed by buyers of under-construction properties who are just about to take possession. This is a great opportunity for them to check for any defects or dimension mismatches as per the agreement with the builder.
Even tenants or landlords can make use of a home inspection to identify any issues in the property before letting it out. Similarly, tenants can get a home inspection done to make sure that they are not charged with unnecessary expenses by the landlord once they move in.
How Much Does Home Inspection Cost?
A thorough home inspection costs, depending on the size and type of property. A home inspector can provide you with a rough cost, but you should weigh your options before deciding. It’s more important to spend extra for a high-quality inspection service than to have a lower-priced, less-qualified inspector miss something that could cost you more money down the road. Focus on experience, credibility, and certifications while choosing a Home Inspector.
How Long Does A Home Inspection Take?
A residential home inspection might take anywhere from three to four hours, depending on the size of the home.
You are welcome to see and question the home inspector during the inspection. However, the home inspector may ask you to keep a social distance during COVID-19. The inspector may advise you of their findings while performing the inspection, but don’t worry if you don’t remember everything right away—it will be included in the inspector’s report.
Various types of equipment may be used by the inspector depending on the scope of the inspection and the conditions inside the home. Examples include electrical testers, carbon monoxide detectors, moisture meters, and ladders. A camera is also used by home inspectors to take images of the house and any faults discovered during the examination.
What To Do After The Inspection
Following the completion of the house inspection, the buyer and the builder will discuss the findings of the home inspection report. The report gives clarity to the buyer on the condition of the house before taking possession. It also explains precisely the issues in the property so that the builder can correct all the defects as mentioned in the report. If the builder refuses to rectify the defects, the buyer can claim for compensation from the builder.
Following receipt of your home inspection report, you must undertake the following:
- Read the results of your home inspection.
- Go through the results of your house inspection with the builder
Is It Worth Making The Investment In-Home Inspection?
A home inspection is crucial before you commit to your new home. Whether you are making an outright purchase or taking a fifteen-year loan, it is a decision you should be comfortable with. Before making the purchase, make sure you aren’t investing your hard-earned money into a property that is incorrectly valued, has faults, or is going to end up costing way too much to maintain in the future. A carefully put-together detailed inspection report helps owners prepare to face the issues they need to address, possibly get a better deal, and ultimately make an informed decision.
Here are a few pointers to help you understand how you can benefit from home inspections:
Confident Decisions: a quick home inspection to ensure you haven’t missed anything and are getting what you deserve.
Quicker Decisions: with a home inspection report in front of you, the whole family can come together to understand exactly what the home offers and why it is the right decision.
Savings on maintenance and a bargaining chip: Making sure your new home meets the home inspection team’s standards is an excellent way to make sure you aren’t looking at some sky-high bills in the near future.
Like the points mentioned above, there are many advantages to the home inspection
Conclusion
Hope we have clarified what home inspections are. Also, you would know what they include in a home inspection. If you want a residential property inspection, then you can contact Propcheck. Moreover, you can also contact us for your building inspection services.
Most Frequently Asked Questions
The most frequently asked questions about home inspection are as follows:
1. What are the most common problems found in home inspections?
The Top 5 Issues identified in a Home Inspection are as follows:
- Ceiling Issues.
- Problems with Electrical Wiring.
- Issues with Flooring
- Alignment issues with Doors/Windows
- Issues with the plumbing.
2. What are three things to inspect on the inside of a house?
The three things to inspect on the inside of a house are:
- 1. Plumbing of the house
- 2. Ceiling
- 3. Quality of the flooring
3. Should builders be nervous about a home inspection?
We’ve seen that sellers are often concerned, which is understandable given the nature of the house inspection procedure. You don’t want the deal to fall through, and you certainly don’t want to be stuck with the cost and stress of repairs if your buyer requires them. However, to overcome your nervousness, you can prepare for the inspection like:
- Allow unrestricted access to places that need to be examined.
- Clear the area around the boundary.
- Examine the ceiling.
- Keep the house in order.
- Replace any burned-out bulbs.
- Check to see that your toilets are in good functioning order.
4. When can I walk away from the home inspection?
When it comes to walking away from home following an inspection, there are no hard and fast rules. It all depends on how badly you want the house and how willing you are to fix it yourself if the seller doesn’t negotiate.
