Home inspection checklist: All that you must consider

Purchasing a new house in your preferred neighbourhood is a lifetime investment for you. The place will become your haven and a profitable asset that you can resell later on at a much higher price to get maximum returns. Although your real estate broker will help you go through the property and the associated legal matters to make a hassle-free purchase, there is one thing you have to pay attention to. And that is a home inspection! A detailed report about the property’s condition will let you decide if it’s worthy of the investment or not. After all, purchasing a house with a termite-infested attic or broken plumbing lines in the kitchen is out of the picture. 

However, before you hire a professional, you should have the home inspection checklist ready. This will help you judge the final submitted report and ensure it has proper documentation about all the areas involved in a real estate residential property, starting with exterior structures to the basement and attics. Since you are here, we can assume that you do not have any idea about how home inspection is conducted or what is its importance in making an accurate and profitable investment decision. With this being said, we have curated a detailed guide on home inspection, explaining its importance, the costs involved, and a proper checklist you should adhere to. 

What is home inspection?

First things first, we should discuss what home inspection is before jumping to any other topic. Once the seller accepts your offer for the property, you can request a thorough property inspection. It will be a non-invasive procedure involving visual inspection of different structures, from exterior walls to internal structures, bathrooms, kitchen area, attic, basement, and any other place associated with the property like the garage. The final report submitted will have details about the property’s conditions, explaining the type of damages prevailing in the house along with the extent of every damage type. 

Additionally, the document will also provide in-depth details about the structural integrity of different walls and supporting frames, electrical conduits, plumbing lines, and many more. Based on the provided report, you will have the leverage to initiate negotiations with the seller about lowering the property price in case any damage is discovered. You will also have the legal right to cancel your offer anytime if you think the property has several underlying issues and will require a significant investment to get everything restored to its original and functional conditions. 

Why is home inspection necessary?

Whenever you plan to purchase a property, it’s necessary to know the ins and outs of the home inspection checklist. This way you can analyze the submitted record and even find loopholes, if any. However, before you book an appointment with the inspector, let’s first have a look at the reasons why home inspection has become a necessity in today’s real estate market. 

  1. Issue identification: One of the prime reasons to conduct a detailed home inspection is to detect the underlying issues with the property, that otherwise could be overlooked due to your lack of knowledge. From chipped paints to poorly functional electrical system, every type of issue can be identified with the home inspection report.
  2. Safety check: With this, you can easily assess if the property is safe enough for dwelling or not. For instance, if the frames are not strong enough, the house could collapse anytime when subjected to increased temperature, fire, or corrosion due to weather. Inspection reports will help you assess the safety levels and the hazards the property has on time before you invest your hard-earned money. 
  3. Leverage with negotiation: You can also use the inspection report to negotiate prices with the seller. In other words, you can ask for a reduction in the proposed price based on the damage report provided to you after the inspection. 
  4. Better decision-making: Investing in a real estate property shouldn’t be done in haste. A detailed home inspection report will help you decide the feasibility and profitability of investing, ensuring you can make a well-informed decision without any further regret. 
  5. Saves costs: When you discover the issues with the property during the early stages of the discussion with the seller, you can ask the opposite party to conduct the repairs before handing over the contract. This way, you won’t have to spend a dime on repairing and replacing the broken and damaged parts of the house. 

How to find a home inspector?

If you are worried about how to find home inspector, worry no longer because below we have briefly explained the factors you need to consider. 

  • Always evaluate the market expertise and domain knowledge of the home inspector. You can gain valuable insights about the professional from reviews and client testimonials. Ensure the inspector has spent enough years in the market, conducting evaluation and inspection of versatile property types.
  • Check the home inspector has the appropriate license necessary to conduct the visual property inspection and provide a detailed report. The license should adhere to the local jurisdiction laws, which will further help you eliminate any liability or legal consequence. 
  • Ask the home inspector if they will follow the entire home inspection checklist compromising exterior and interior inspection along with other areas of the property. If the person does not adhere to the basic checklist, there’s no point in hiring the professional as you won’t have a complete report in your hand. 
  • Also, you should discuss the cost of a home inspection with the professional before making your call. Ask about the charges and also if there will be any overhead added to the final bill. The home inspection charges should be at par with the market rates and must not compromise the quality and authenticity of the reports. 

What do home inspectors check?

Are you wondering what do home inspectors check?

If yes, do not worry anymore since we have answered your question below. 

  1. Home inspectors check the structural integrity of the house, like the foundation, strength and material of the roof, conditions of the walls and the ceilings, and many more. 
  2. They will also evaluate the exterior part, including the doors and windows, roof conditions for shingles, gutter pipes, and downspouts, and the walkways. 
  3. For the interior, they will check the railings and the conditions of the stairwell, ventilation system, height between the floor and ceiling, windows and doors, and the walls. 
  4. Inspecting the electrical circuits including the HVAC systems, earthing, power consumption, and others is also the responsibility of a home inspector.

Cost of a home inspection

The cost of a home inspection will depend on multiple variables, including but not limited to:

  • Property location
  • Property size and sections to be inspected
  • Experience and expertise of the professional
  • Type of home inspection to be conducted

Home inspection checklist

Exterior home inspection checklist

Roof and gutters

  • Gutter pipes are optimally cleaned with no block
  • Roof shingles are in place without any visible hole or missing shingle
  • Gutter pipes drain rainwater properly
  • No visible molding in between the roof shingles
  • No blockage in the downspout

Foundation and structural integrity

  • No significant crack in the foundation
  • Pillars and walls have proper vertical structure
  • Chimneys appear straight
  • Exterior walls have no prominent sagging
  • Fire escape and emergency exit in optimal accessible condition

Windows, doors, and sliding

  • Doors open swiftly and the latch closes properly
  • Sliding doors and windows operate properly
  • Windows insulate the rooms once closed
  • Doors offer optimal privacy

Interior home inspection checklist

Walls, ceilings, and floors

  • No visible cracking, stain, or damage in the walls and ceilings
  • Stairway has proper rises 
  • Proper ventilation within every room
  • No visible damage to the flooring
  • Optimal condition of the wall paint with no chipping
  • No sign of mold infestation in the ceiling and floor
  • Proper friction created with foot traffic against the floor

Plumbing and water systems

  • No leak or damage to the visible pipelines
  • No rusting in the water heating coil
  • Water pressure is within the accepted range
  • Hot water doesn’t have a temperature exceeding 125 degrees Fahrenheit

Electrical systems and wiring

  • Condition and quality of the electrical wiring system
  • Cables security and protective insulation covers
  • Standard capacity of the service panels and attachment of the necessary cables
  • No exposed electrical outlet or cable

HVAC systems

  • No foul smell or odor of the gas
  • Operation of the heating and air conditioning systems
  • Cleanliness of the built-in air filters
  • No visible rusting or corrosion in the cooling unit

Kitchen and bathroom inspection checklist

Appliances and fixtures

  • Power consumption within rated wattage
  • Appropriate earthing of all appliances
  • No visible crack or damage to the fixtures

Cabinets and countertops

  • No prominent stain or mark in the countertop
  • No crack in the countertop
  • Proper door closing and opening of cabinets
  • No foul odor inside the cabinets

Water pressure and drainage

  • All taps have optimal water pressure
  • Drains are not blocked
  • Water in the sink doesn’t stand 

Attic and basement inspection checklist

Insulation and ventilation

The ventilation in the attic and basement needs to be in optimal condition. Also, the walls should have insulating properties to keep the structure safe from weather damage. 

Signs of water damage or pests

There shouldn’t be any prominent signs of water damage or pest infestation. 

Additional areas to inspect

Garage and driveway

  • Automated garage door should open without manual intervention
  • Driveway should have appropriate asphalt sealant
  • No visible crack or leaking spot in the driveway

Yard and landscaping

  • No presence of weed in the yard
  • Landscaping should be properly organized with no clutter

Pool and spa

  • Pool water quality shouldn’t be compromised
  • Water heater must work optimally

Conclusion 

In this article, we have shed light on the entire home inspection checklist that you need to maintain while evaluating the reports submitted by the professional inspector. Ensure to make the decision about your investment based on the inspection report. If there are any underlying damage, you can negotiate to reduce the property valuation. 

FAQ

Home inspection VS home appraisal: What’s the difference?

Home inspection is non-invasive, visual evaluation of the property to find any damage. On the contrary, home appraisal is proposing an accurate value of the property based on the market conditions. 

Do new homes need a home inspection?

Yes, every home, whether it’s old or new, will require an inspection. 

What should I do if the home inspection reveals major problems?

If the home inspection reveals major problem, you can either ask for a reduction in the valuation or back out from the deal.

How long does a home inspection take?

The home inspection can take a few hours to several days, depending on the property size and the areas that need to be double-checked. 

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