When you plan to buy that dream home for you and your loved ones, one thing that is on your mind is for you to get a fair deal. It will be heart-breaking to buy a house you thought is in pristine condition only for you to find out that it needs serious work. You need to save yourself unnecessary expenses and loss by being sure that you are getting your money’s worth.
The best way you can avoid getting yourself into a bad deal when buying a house is to employ the services of home inspectors. It is the job of the inspectors to go through the house you intend to buy and check out its condition. This is a very important process in your journey to sealing the deal on a house. It can save you money, time, and stress.
Therefore, because of the importance of the work of these inspectors, you must employ the services of a company that will give a thorough assessment of the house in question. If the house you intend to purchase is in Denver, you can check brothers home inspection in Denver to access reliable inspectors. And if you are wondering how a home inspection works in Denver, we are going to break it down for you in this article.
How Does Home Inspection Work?
Here we are going to give you a rundown of what to expect from an inspector when they come to inspect a house. This information is important to both the buyer and the seller.
When Should the Inspection Take Place?
The timing of an inspection depends on who is requesting it. The time a buyer needs it is different from when a seller needs it. If you are the seller, you need to do what is known as a pre-listing check. This is when you bring a home inspector to help you go through the house in preparation for putting it up for sale. That way you will know what condition the house is in.
On the other hand, if you are the buyer, the inspection should take place after your bid for the house has been accepted but the deal is yet to be closed. The buyer calls for it to know if there are things that need repairs or changes. In that situation, they may decide to call for a renegotiation of price based on the results.
What Takes Place During the Inspection?
Normally, the activity lasts a few short hours, something between 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the house. They will check the whole building, exterior and interior. After that, they will compile the information gathered into a report which can take 3 to 4 days.
What they are looking out for is any broken, hazardous, or defective issues that the house may have. The paramount things they look out for are those that might pose safety issues.
Those that Should Be Around for the Inspection
During the activity, nobody is barred from being present. But it is important for the person that scheduled the inspection to be present. Some comments from the inspector might be valuable to you.
You may also have some questions to ask them on the spot. But if you cannot be there, then it is important to have your agent present. In this way, you or your agent will get first-hand answers to your queries.
What Are Inspectors Looking out for During a Home Inspection?
When an inspector goes out for inspection, there is a list of what they check, and the list is long and exhaustive. Their main area of concentration is on safety and health concerns, and any major defects on the building.
Here is a list of the seven major areas that inspectors concentrate on:
- Structural Issues
- Water Damage
- Any Issue with the HVAC System
- Insect and/or Pest Infestation
- Plumbing Problems
- Damaged or Faulty Electrical System
- Damaged/Old Roof
You can check this website to know more about what the inspection will cover.
Things that a Home Inspector Doesn’t look out for
When conducting the inspection, anything that is cosmetic does not concern an inspector. Having peeling paint or wallpaper does not attract their interest because it poses no health or safety issue. But if they should notice a wet wall or a big crack, that will go into their report.
How to Get Ready for Home Inspection
When an inspector comes for a home inspection, they are expected to go through every inch of the house. Therefore, it is important to get yourself prepared for their visit if you are the homeowner.
Here are the things that you need to put in place before that time:
- Have the receipts of routine services or maintenance done on the building arranged and ready for the inspector’s view.
- Clear out anything that might obstruct access to any part of the home to allow the inspector to have easy access.
- Make the water heater, furnace, and electrical panel easily accessible by the inspector.
- Have all your pets safely locked up while the inspection is going on.
- Get all your light bulbs functioning to avoid giving the impression of an electrical fault.
- Check your taps to make sure the water is running freely. Clear minor clogs that might indicate plumbing issues.
- Get the filters of the HVAC system replaced to ensure that the quality of the air circulating in the house is good.
- Slope away dirt from the exterior of the foundation to avoid issues from basement water.
- Get any cracked or broken windows and screens repaired.
- Make sure you exterminate any bugs or insects that may be in the home.
- To avoid the risk of toxic fumes being released into the house, you should cap any unused chimneys, gas lines, and flues.
- If there are trees close to your house, have them trimmed to prevent them from getting near the roof and cause damage to it. It will also help prevent rodents from gaining access to openings and chimney.
Conclusion
A home inspection is an important part of a successful closing of a home sale. On the part of a buyer, it could help you have an edge to renegotiate and get a reduction on the price of the house. On the part of the seller, it will help you fix any issue that may devalue your home. Therefore, for both parties, you must get a good inspector to help you get a fair deal in your home sale or purchase.