A home inspector is your advocate. An inspectors' responsibility is to look out for you. To provide the information so you can make an informed decision when purchasing a home. As a neutral party, an independent inspector should have no financial interest in the sale of the property. Home & building inspection services provide you an unbiased written report of the condition of the property at the time of the inspection.
Think about it, you are good at what you do, whether a teacher, police officer, manager, or whatever your employment is, few people have the knowledge, experience or training to inspect the hundreds of items in a property, such as foundations, roofing, plumbing, or electrical systems. From the top of the roof to the bottom of the foundation, and everything in between, an experienced inspector looks for any indicators of concern. Have a trusted, knowledgeable, experienced professional examine the home to make sure you are not investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a money-pit!
An inspector examines hundreds of elements in a normal or standard visual inspection. This is where experience comes in. Having inspected hundreds of properties, experienced in all aspects of home construction, and the building sciences, an experienced inspector is worth every penny they charge. Finding small, almost negligible indicators of abnormal system operation, a worn out components' sound, or the distinct smell of burning wire insulation of an overloaded circuit, can be the difference between a novice inspector passing by not even noticing. An inspectors experience helps to find the defects & informs you of the consequences.
Most inspections are visual in nature. More invasive technically exhaustive inspections are available. This type of inspection (technically exhaustive) requires the services of individual contractors such as an electrician, plumber, structural engineer, roofer, etc. to examine the individual components of a property. The cost for technically exhaustive inspections may become unrealistic (10x a visual inspection) because of the nature of the tests and time required to perform invasive inspections. Visual inspections are the norm.
Depending on the region, inspection charges range from $275-$500, for a typical three bedroom, two-bath home with a basement. (Note- Experienced inspectors are at the higher end of the scale) Some inspector services include digital pictures for added clarity, or a home maintenance manual to help guide you through normal home maintenance procedures.
All homes have issues of concern, i.e. deferred maintenance (caulking, painting, clogged gutters, etc.). The objective is discovering and reporting the items that can mean the difference between a huge repair bill and extra money for whatever you choose.
After consultation with your attorney, the choice is yours to make after all the information is in front of you. The inspection is one of the most important or essential step in the home buying process. It gives you the peace of mind knowing what to expect. Is it worth it? What do you think?
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