Issues to be aware of when getting a home inspection

Issues to be aware of when getting a home inspection

As home inspection companies as well as the homes they inspect differ, there are often some items that you might want to be aware of and look out for to make sure you are not surprised when you do your final walk through or the first day you move into your new home.

If the home is not vacant when you are walking through for the first time make sure you take a note of the general conditions of the interior. Often and without realizing it, home owners may place items like paintings in front of wall damage and may have long forgotten that they did that.

When the home inspector inspects the home, if there are furnishings in the way, they will oftenmake a note of that. Remember that in many areas Home Inspectors do not move or relocate items that are present in a home they are inspecting. Often when they do this, items end up getting damaged and they may have to end up replacing them. So pay attention to this if it is listed in the report. Remember to try and look behind furniture and paintings as sometimes you will find long forgotten holes or damage present. If that is the case, remember that simple drywall repairs are not costly, but the point is, you want to try to eliminate for yourself any surprises.

Other areas that are often missed are areas underneath sinks. Small dripping and slow leaksare often forgotten about my homeowners and can easily be found by looking. A good home inspector will help to shine a light on these, but keep in mind that you always want to be able to see the areas to get a feel for what kinds of things you want to make sure you account for when preparing for how much money you are going to spend for bringing the home back up to your standards.

Make sure you take a look at the conditions of the carpeting. Carpets can hide spills and leaks very well, so make sure you look into closet corners, especially when closet walls are against bathrooms.

Make sure you look at all areas where plumbing and pipes exit and enter walls. look at thewalls carefully to make sure that there are no cracks or evidence of water damage. Drywall that is installed in bathroom areas typically can handle a great deal of moisture. If there are tiles installed, take a look at the condition of the grouting, if there are any cracks in the grout water can sneak behind the tiles. Over a long period of time, this can potentially create some damage. If you are concerned, make sure you ask your home inspector to check these areas carefully as it is often very difficult to determine if there is any damage to the walls or tiles.

If the home is older and has an older tub. Rusting at the base of the tub is a sure sign that either water is entering the wall and rusting the tub from the inside, or water is being allowed to sit at the base after every shower. Either way, make sure you review the Inspection report carefully for any trouble signs.