Anyone who pays for home inspection services likely has some specific concerns. If you're going to talk with a home inspector, plan to discuss these four issues.
Scope
Typically, a home inspection's scope is fairly broad. The goal of the inspection is to identify potential areas of concern that you can then have specialized contractors or inspectors explore further.
For example, a home inspector will check the condition of the building's roof and foundation. However, they're not going to provide a detailed examination of what's necessary to fix the situation. You and a specialist will have to drill down into any discovered problems separately.
However, you can ask a home inspection services provider to look for specific problems. Suppose you're particularly worried about the foundation because of a high water table in the area. An inspector can give a little more attention to signs of water damage around the foundation and in the basement.
System Life Expectancies
Even if you're requesting an inspection for a new house, it's wise to have the inspector assess the system's life expectancies. Homeowners will want to have a good idea of when they'll need to replace the HVAC system, for example. An inspector can look at the kind of shingles on the roof and provide an estimate of when you'll need to do re-roofing or roof replacement work, too. You should also get a good sense of what to expect from the plumbing, lighting, and electrical systems. Many inspectors will even assess the life expectancies of any appliances in the house.
Local Codes
Foremost, you want a good idea of what's up to code in the house. If something isn't, then you can seek quotes from contractors about bringing those systems up to code.
A sneakier issue involves things that have exceptions in local codes. For example, municipalities often exempt older houses from certain compliance requirements to minimize the difficulty of selling or transferring them. However, the city could make you bring those parts of the house up to code the next time you renovate. A home inspector can give you a heads-up on those looming challenges.
Priorities
Especially if you expect to renovate a house, you should ask the home inspector what their priorities would be. If the foundation is older, then you might prioritize fixing it over a roof that has a few years left. Also, this information should inform your bid if you're planning to buy.
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