Your Home Inspection - What Can You Expect to Be Inspected, Part 1 By David Haigh At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Getting a home inspected before you buy could possibly save you thousands of dollars in repair bills that you were not expecting. The cost is only about $300 to $400; maybe a little more for a much larger or older house.

This is a small investment compared to the cost of the purchase of your new residence. You can plan for your mortgage cost, utility bills and other expenses when figuring up your monthly costs. But surprise repair bills can put you in a bind. We all want to save money and spend less. Not getting your home inspected before you buy it could be a disaster for your finances.

So, what does this service consist of? What do they look at?

One thing that will be looked at is the roofing. They will look at the roof covering, roof drainage systems, flashings, chimneys, and roof penetrations. The intention is to see if there are signs of age, improper installation, obvious damage and signs of leaks or abnormal condensation on building components.

The report you receive should describe the type of roof covering materials and also report the methods used to observe the roofing. Your service may or may not include an actual on-roof observation, particularly if the weather creates a hazard. Attached accessories including but not limited to solar systems, antennae, and lightning arrestors are not normally included.

The exterior of the residence will be observed including wall cladding, flashings, and trim. Entryway doors and a representative number of windows will be checked. Garage door operators, decks, balconies, stoops, steps, areaways, porches and applicable railings will be assessed. In addition, the eaves, soffits, and fascias of the building will be looked at. Also, the vegetation, grading, drainage, driveways, patios, walkways, and retaining walls will be reviewed with respect to their effect on the condition of the building.

The information in your report will describe wall cladding materials, indicate any issues identified, report whether or not any garage door operator will automatically reverse or stop when meeting reasonable resistance during closing and indicate any suspected or known deterioration.

Recreational facilities (including spas, saunas, steam baths, swimming pools, tennis courts, playground equipment, and other exercise, entertainment, or athletic facilities) are not included in the base price and neither are detached buildings or structures.

Normally the exterior is viewed first and then the interior. Inside the home, the inspector will observe walls, ceilings, floors, steps, stairways, balconies, and railings. Countertops and a representative number of installed cabinets will be evaluated. Also a representative number of doors and windows will be checked.

You should receive information on signs of any abnormal or harmful water penetration into the building or signs of abnormal or harmful condensation on building components. If there is something that is a safety issue, the report should tell you that.

This only covers part of what is looked at during an inspection. Be sure to take a look at other information in this series to see other areas of the house that are inspected. When making an investment as large as a new home, having an independent professional take a look should be a standard part of the process. This protects you, your family and your finances. It is a small price to pay for the information you will receive from a professional, certified home inspector.

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