During a home inspection, future homeowners usually get preoccupied with the excitement of purchasing their home and forget to ask their home inspector some basic questions. Home inspectors are great to help you determine the extent of the work that needs to be done to your house, but they can sometimes forget a few things. By following and asking your home inspector these 7 questions, you can avoid having to repair a lot of unforeseen damage.
Always insure that you will be able to be present at your home inspection. If, for some reason, your home inspector won’t allow you to be present, this should raise a red flag. It is your right as a future homeowner to participate in the entire inspection of the house.
1. How is the Home’s Structure?
Often times during a home inspection, structural damage is overlooked. Ask your home inspector to check for any indication of a sloping roof, cracked foundation, or any other structural damage that might be present. If there is structural damage, ask how extensive it is because structural damage can often times cost more than the house is worth to fix.
2. Are There Any Pest Problems?
A lot of home inspectors do what can be considered as a topical inspection. They make sure the basics of the home are properly functioning but can overlook things such as rodent, insect, or termite damage. Depending on the degree of the damage, if the problem isn’t detected early on, an extermination company might need to be called.
3. Are There Any Problems With the Roof?
Consider the roof to be the head of the house. It is what provides your home with shelter; keeping your loved ones and your possessions dry and protected. Ask your home inspector to check for any leaks, missing shingles, or slopes in your roof. If there is any damage, ask whether it is urgent or if it can wait a few more years. Often times, replacing a roof can wait a few years after the initial notice of wear and tear.
4. Are There Any Other Exterior Problems?
If the home you are having inspected has siding, be sure to have your home inspector check for any mold growing under the actual siding. If you live in a humid climate, mold is likely to grow at a more rapid pace than in a dry desert climate. If there is mold, be aware that you may have to rip off and reinstall the siding on the entire house.
5. Is the Homes’ Electrical Wiring Current?
If the home is an older home, ask your home inspector to check the wiring. If the homes’ wiring is aluminum, knob, or tube wiring, then all of it will have to be replaced. This type of wiring is a fire hazard and is required to be replaced by federal law.
6. Ask for an Explanation of the Report
It is easy, during your home inspection, to get preoccupied by decorating or remodeling ideas. When your home inspector hands you the final report, ask them to take 10 to 15 minutes to explain the report to you. This way, when you move into the home, you will be able to prioritize what needs to be repaired and what does not.
7. What Would You Fix?
Finally, ask your home inspector, “If this was your house, what would you fix?” If the inspector thinks that the plumbing could use some work, you might want to get an estimate for a plumber in Calgary (or wherever you are purchasing the home) to see if it is still worth purchasing this future home. There will be things that need to be fixed immediately, and then there are some things that can wait. This will help you understand time frame you are working under.
Nina Hiatt has worked helping clients find balance and beauty in their personal space through landscape and interior design. In her free time, Nina enjoys anything to do with gardening, from pest control to original recipes directly from your own garden.