Home inspection is an inspection of home structures and facilities conducted by qualified professionals, to determine the suitability, safety, and quality of a home for the intended use. Home inspectors are trained and certified to assess the quality of homes for sale. A home inspection is a non-invasive, limited, visual examination of the general condition of a property, often in association with the purchase of that property. Inspectors are trained and certified to assess the quality of homes for sale.
Purpose of Home Inspections
To protect oneself as a home seller, home inspections become an essential part of your transaction. Home inspectors do not buy your house to make sure your home is clean and presentable; they do it to point out problems so you can correct them before you put the house on the market. Home inspectors are skilled in determining the level of repair needed to make the property acceptable for the intended use. They do not buy your house to find minor cosmetic issues with the house or minor electrical or plumbing problems.
Home inspections do identify many significant defects in a house so you can correct them before you put the house on the market. The most common defects found in home inspections are roof leakages, ceiling damage, floor problems, plumbing leaks, major appliances problems, and attics or crawlspaces that must be repaired. When a minor issue turns into a major defect, you do not have much time to correct the problem, and when time becomes of the essence, your best bet is to have the issue repaired before putting the house on the market.
Requirements
State laws generally require home inspections to be performed within a certain time after the licensed home inspector registers his complaint. This rule is intended to protect homeowners from unreported repairs that would subject the house to immediate licensing suspension and subsequent legal action. The idea behind this provision is to protect the public’s interest in real estate by ensuring inspectors do not do any unprofessional work in their inspection process. For instance, if a home inspector discovers two areas of a potential defective condition in an apartment unit, he is required by law to notify the owner within a reasonable amount of time of his discovery. If the owner does not comply, then the inspector is mandated to notify the zoning administrator within a certain time, usually thirty days, of the unprofessional nature of the defective condition.
Because most states have a two-year rule for licensing, many inspectors do not get out of business quite quickly because of the demand for their services. Unfortunately, many inspectors do not take the time to thoroughly inspect buildings before issuing a report declaring that the condition of the building is unsafe for habitation.
Possible Problems
Unfortunately, this lack of caution by inspectors also creates problems for home buyers. Buyers should exercise caution when selecting an inspector because inspectors often come from the same companies that provide security systems, like surveillance cameras and alarm systems. As long as the inspectors have a background in security systems, this shouldn’t be a problem, but you should still do your research into the background and credentials of the inspectors. Some inspectors may have had no training in home inspections or may have been licensed, but never required to renew their license due to poor performance. Others may have given up their security industry jobs to pursue building inspections full-time. Regardless of why you choose an inspector, remember that they are there to make judgments about your building, not to make recommendations about how you should fix your home.
Home inspectors will offer you a variety of services, ranging from inspecting basic plumbing and electrical systems to inspecting the roof, flooring, fire safety, insulation, cabinets, equipment, windows, doors, and other aspects of your home’s construction. It is up to you to use the services offered by the professional home inspector and make sure that the inspection includes everything you need to know to make a good decision about the purchase of your new home. Remember to use these home inspectors to help you make the best decision for you and your family. You must receive an honest opinion about the condition of your home is in so that you can be confident that you are making a sound investment. By getting home inspections in California you can be assured that the professional inspector will give you a fair assessment of the condition of your home.