Home Inspection Articles | House Inspection News

If you have been doing major do-it-yourself projects and if you are confident about your skills in house inspection, you can conduct your own home inspection before buying a house. Just make sure you are prepared for the house inspection and remember to hire a licensed house inspector if you find something that needs professional house inspection before signing any contract.

It helps a lot if you inspect the property together with the seller so you can ask questions. But show that you are serious about defects by taking notes and using house inspection tools.

Your inspection tool kit includes an electrical tester, flashlight, screwdriver, binoculars, camera, tape measure, square and your clipboard for taking notes. Also, download a house inspection checklist from a reputable home improvement web site and study it. You can use this checklist as your guide in your house inspection.

You can start your house inspection outside the house. Examine the walkway, driveway, stairway and porch. Check grading, landscaping, windows, exterior walls and doors. Observe also the adjacent house if it is not causing a problem. Check the roof using your binoculars. Check the gutters, downspouts and drainage.

You can start your interior house inspection in the basement. Check joists for decayed wood and look for evidences of leaks, such as white residues on concrete. Check the foundation if the mortar is deteriorating.

Next inspect the heating and ventilation systems. Check maintenance records for the boiler or furnace and the water heater. See to it that plumbing pipes are made of copper or plastic because these materials resist corrosion. Galvanized pipes easily crack or corrode.

As you examine the other parts of the house, check the alarm system and the number of smoke detectors. Examine rooms and closet spaces. Rooms used to access other rooms should not be counted as bedrooms. Open and close windows and doors. Check lighting systems and electrical outlets.

Also, remember to check water pressure upstairs by flushing toilets, turning on faucets and checking sinks upstairs.

Check also estimates for recent repairs or upgrades. You can ask the seller for receipts and other related documents.

After completing your house inspection, start negotiating with the seller about the repair of specific defects or the reduction of the asking price.

Home Inspection Tips

Whether you are looking for a home to buy or you are checking how your contractor is building your house, you need the expertise of an experienced licensed house inspector to carry out a full home inspection for you.

You should not rely on the home inspection undertaken by your local building house inspectors. This type of house inspection is just to ensure that basic building laws are not violated, so the basis of their passing grade is just a list of minimum building standards. They do not check the quality or defects of some of major parts of the house.

If you do not know anyone who can be trusted to refer you to a qualified house inspector, choose among professionals in your area who are members of a nationally recognized home inspection association. The American Society of Home Inspectors is well-recommended because it is the oldest and largest association of house inspectors. Before applicants become members, they must first undertake 250 or more paid home inspection procedures and must pass two comprehensive exams. They must keep up with current house inspection knowledge by taking continuing education lessons.

Your home inspection should take at least three hours to complete so your house inspector can check all major systems and essential details. Among the parts inspected thoroughly are the overall structure, building materials, roof, walls and the electrical, heating, cooling and plumbing systems.

Although an errors and omissions insurance or a home inspection warranty is advisable, do not rely too much on either of them and hastily sign the house inspection report or the closing documents. The sorrows and stress you suffer in court and in your house when you later find so many defects cannot be compensated by any settlement that you get.

Never rely on promises made by a seller or builder concerning the repair of any defect that you find before closing. Many sellers and builders have a thousand things to do and they will keep delaying the needed repairs. Tie them to their obligation by not fully paying the house. Talk with your mortgage lender so they can put an amount in escrow to ensure the remediation of any of your problem before the house is fully paid.

If you are building your own house through the services of a contractor, arrange for a regular home inspection as the construction of the house progresses.

Home Inspection Tips

If you are selling your own home, conduct your own home inspection first before listing so that you can identify and correct defects in your house before prospective buyers see them or before buyers’ home inspection experts see them.

There are several parts or systems of a house that prospective buyers are more concerned with over the other parts because they are the most common causes of costly repair expenses. Focus on these parts first.

First, do a home inspection on all parts that usually cause water damage problems. In the kitchen, check under the sinks and make sure there are no leaks. In the bathroom, replace caulking if it is stained. Repaint your bathroom window.

If marks of previous repairs are visible on some walls, check if it is more cost-effective to repaint the walls or just replace the walls.

Secondly, inspect your electrical system. There should be no dangling wires in the house. Electrical outlets should have been properly installed. All electrical appliances and equipment should be working. If you feel you are not qualified to check electrical systems, hire an electrical home inspection specialist.

Next, check your attic. Most buyers require home inspection professionals to particularly evaluate the attic for insulation and ventilation problems.

Another equipment to check is the furnace. Replace the dirty filter. Remove rust on the exterior and interior parts. Replace the humidifier if it is not working. Hire a home inspector professional specializing on furnaces if you have been seeing orange and yellow flames during operation.

After checking major parts of the house, inspect details and do needed repairs.

Check fluorescent lights and switches. See to it that visible wires and cables in your basement are not touching hot air ducts. Open and close windows and doors to make sure they are smoothly operating. Check the locks, door knobs and door stoppers.

Inspect exterior parts and systems. See to it that gutters are not sagging and downspouts are connected to drainage systems. Make sure exterior electrical fixtures are working. Secure hand rails and guards. Replace rotted parts of wooden porches and decks.

If there have been major repairs or upgrades in your house, it is advisable to show prospective buyers repair permits and receipts to assure them of the quality of the work.

Oftentimes the best sources of home inspection information are listing agents. They are the ones talking with prospective buyers and listening to their concerns about homes.

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