Top 5 Home Inspection Tips for Buyers

From your friends at Master Building Inspectors!

Before you proceed to buy a house, having a comprehensive home inspection is very critical. Even for a home that seems to be a dream house, there can be unseen issues that are not visible to the naked eye but need to be quickly addressed. A good home inspection can greatly save you money and time in the long run. However, conducting a house inspection is not a walk in the park. Guarantee smooth sailing. Although you may get an inspector, as a buyer you also have a very active and important role to play. There are some tips that you need to apply to keep you from making missteps along the way. To help you, here are the top 5 home inspection tips for buyers:

Show up with a reliable inspector

While your realtor will probably have a few inspectors in mind, it is advisable to look for your own. Finding a neutral inspector that does not side with the realtor will give you the peace of mind. He or she will point out potential issues frankly without minding your realtor. When you are out looking for an inspector, ensure that you find someone you trust.

Look for cracks

The basement will give you several clues when it comes to determining the actual condition of the home including its foundation. When close to the walls, look up signs of structural problems such as cracks on the walls. Hairline cracks in a small area are common in mostly older homes due to expansion of materials used in building. However, in case you come across any wider cracks that are big enough for a grown up to stick in his or her fingers, there is a problem somewhere. You should also look out for cracks over the windows, doors, and down in the basement.

Look for water damage

Water damage can lead to issues such as the growth of moulds and mildews. This is why it’s important to also look out for any possibility of water damage. When you are outside the house, check out the direction of the grading slope. If you find that it is toward the foundation, you should ask the seller whether he or she has made allocations for drainage in the more vulnerable places to cater for flooding.

Don’t forget the roof

The roof of a house plays a very critical role when it comes to keeping the house interior looking good. In addition, it’s also the most labor-intensive areas to replace. This is why it’s very important to find out the lifetime of the shingles, whether there are any warranties, and when the roof was last replaced. Instead of just looking from down, it is very important that you go up unless it’s considered risky to do so. If you are able to go up, look carefully for missing or curling shingles and those areas where the chimney, vent, and skylight are.

Try the plumbing

Most homeowners usually get visits from a plumber every single year because of different types of plumbing problems. This is why it’s important to try the plumbing before settling down for negotiations. Some of the things to look for include losing water pressure and a slow drain. Also, make sure the shower pans and bathtubs are tested for any leakages. The inspector should neither forget the main water shutoff points.

Conclusion

Although a house can seem perfect structurally, doing an inspection and testing the home is the only thing that will tell you whether the place is worth you living in. Hopefully, with these home inspection tips you will easily navigate through the process and save money in the long run.

We schedule inspections Monday through Sunday. Give us a call at (614) 328-5105 or you can schedule your inspection online.