Home Inspections
Having any safety or health related problems associated with your new home properly evaluated and documented is the main reason why home inspections are needed. Home inspectors are trained to evaluate the physical condition of a home, including its construction quality, stability and the general state of any mechanical or electric systems.
During a standard home inspection, the report will cover anything from identifying parts and items used in furnaces or air conditioning devices that may need to be repaired or replaced, to drainage issues and the sturdiness of the home’s foundation.
The Evaluation Process
Usually, a home inspector is assigned to evaluating a house or any piece of property after the contract agreement was signed. In this time, a complete evaluation is in order, and both the sellers and buyers have their own specific “roles” to facilitate these proceedings.
These include:
- All buyers should be present during the inspection;
- Buyers are encouraged to observe and make note of the condition of the home and how to maintain the various systems;
- The seller will be required to facilitate access to all parts of the home in order to make the evaluation go as smoothly as possible;
- It is also strongly advised that the seller not be at home when the home inspection takes place in order to allow for an impartial evaluation to be performed by the home inspector.
This is also a good opportunity for the buyer to ask questions and present any concerns or observations they may have with regards to the physical state of the home.
The final report written by the home inspector will neither determine the value or price of the home, nor is it geared to encourage buyers to purchase it. If any major problems are found, however, they will give you a good overall idea on how much it would cost to repair them and have your new home in perfect shape as soon as possible.
Depending on your specific case, other, more detailed evaluations, including well, pool or septic inspections may also be required. Your agent will act as a guide in this regard, providing you with information on all additional inspections that may be needed and what you should expect from them.
Choosing a Home Inspector
Although the cost of most home inspections are determined both by the size and location of the house itself, as well as any additional services – which may include septic or radon inspections – it’s very important not to let the price be a determining factor, since not all cheap home inspectors can provide you with the quality and assertiveness you may require.
As a buyer, it is best to look for home inspectors who are highly trained and qualified, with experience being an important factor to keep into account. Professional affiliations may also be considered. The best thing to look for is whether or not the inspector in question is certified by ASHI.
ASHI is an organization independent home inspectors join, being required to engage into an extremely strict period of training, while following the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics established by ASHI in order to present an honest, complete and impartial assessment for each and every one of their evaluations.
Before becoming ASHI certified, inspectors also have to pass a technical exam and successfully perform at least 250 fee-paid inspections. Also, continuing progress and study is required by ASHI for all their certified inspectors even after all the requirements were met.
