Should I have a Home Inspection Done?
This question is asked by just about every buyer? The answer is yes, for so many reasons. We’ll focus on what I believe to be the top three. Lets start with the obvious.
Safety and Fire Items — Our biggest concern is you and your families safety. Most people are unaware of these conditions in their potential new home and even their current one. This discrepancy was found in the attic. The vent for gas hot water heater was detached and the heat from the air was charring the wood framing member. It was just a matter of time before this would have caused a fire. The area was very difficult to get to, and without knowing what to check and where to look; it could have been easily missed and it is the first reason you should have a home inspection done. Other safety and fire items include: smoke detectors, firewalls, electrical, heating vents, etc…
Big Ticket Items –This discrepency was found during a home inspection on a home built in 2004.Even though a home is newer, it can still have issues. Two rafters were cracked and the roof was caving in. From the ground, it appeared that the roof was fine. Once I was on top of the adjecent gable, the discrepancy was very visable. The home was still under warranty and the builders repaired the roof. The buyers might have not noticed this until after the warranty had expired, and it would have cost thousands to repair. Other big ticket items include: foundations, plumbing, drainage, heating/cooling systems, windows, etc…
Your New Home’s Systems and Maintenance Items –Every home is different in it’s own way. It may have a different type roof, heating/cooling system, or even include a pool. Most home inspectors will take the time to explain these systems and give you good maintenance tips to keep them working properly and help extent their life expectancies. No matter how new the home, it will most likely have something that will need to be addressed or fixed. A thorough home inspection will also point out the small details as well,therefor; you can put together a checklist of the things that are the most important to you and have them fixed first. Moving to a new home can be joyous and stressful at times. Understanding your new home’s condition fully will help ease these other than better times.
So when you find yourself asking, should I have a home inspection done?, the answer in almost every case is, without a doubt, absolutely!
Written by Michael Durnell, PRP Inspections
