Home Inspection Process

When it comes to the home inspection, timing is very important. The contract will specify how long the buyer has to have the home inspection completed and respond back to the seller that the home is either acceptable as it sits or they want items to be corrected. The buyer should (if at all possible) attend the actual home inspection so that the inspector can explain items to them as they are found.

What the home inspection is… From the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI®) web site, a “home inspection is an objective visual examination of the physical structure and systems of a house, from the roof to the foundation. The standard home inspector’s report will cover the condition of the home’s heating system; central air conditioning system (temperature permitting); interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement and structural components.” The key word in the above statement is “visual”. The inspector can not report on what they can not see (snow covered roof, hidden defects, etc. The inspector is looking for items that: 1. Are in need of repair. 2. Negatively impact the safe use of the property. 3. Should be improved upon to prevent future issues with the component that will either lead to a repair or possible unsafe situation.

What the home inspection is NOT… 1. It is not intended to be used as a step to get out of the contract to purchase a home. If you are not absolutely sure about purchasing a home, you should not be making an offer… and an ethical Realtor will not push you to do so. 2. It is not (usually) a code compliance inspection. In the case of an older home, it is not the inspector’s job to pull building permits and tax records to determine what was added and when to ensure that it met code at that time. 3. It is not to be used to bring the home up to current code requirements. There are many things that are required in todays new construction that did not even exist at the time that the home was built. One good example is the GFCI. While GFCI’s are required in today’s homes (and a great component in every home) they are not required in older homes. Adding GFCI protection to a home lacking it is a great improvement, but not really a repair. However, if it has been upgraded and the GFCI is not functional or wired incorrectly - that would be a repair. 4. It is not a pass/fail inspection. The home inspector will almost always find at least a few items in need of improvement or repair. Two (or two hundred) repair items will not “fail” the home. There is almost never an issue found that can not be corrected. 5. It is not something to be taken lightly. Most reports list many items in need of repair or improvement. It really comes down to who is going to be taking care of the repairs. Typically, repair items could be asked of the seller but it will be the buyer who benefits from improvements.