The Home Inspection
You will have the opportunity to hire an inspector to evaluate the condition of the home. The goal of a home inspection is to give the client a better understanding of the physical condition of the structure and the systems than would otherwise be known.
Typical homes take 2-3 hours to inspect. When the client arrives the inspector often presents a pre-inspection agreement to be signed followed by payment. A good inspector then gives the client an overview of the inspection process and invites the client to accompany him.
Though the order may vary, the inspector, at minimum, visually inspects each of the following:
- Interior (non-cosmetic)
- Attic
- Foundation
- Chimney
- Framing
- Kitchen Appliances
- Roof
- Windows
- Laundry
- Bathrooms
- Plumbing System
- Electrical System
- Heating System
- Air Conditioning System
Additional items such as pools, spas, barns, and other outer structures, docks and sea walls, well flow, wood destroying insects, lawn sprinkler systems, fences and gates, and EIFS (exterior insulation & finish systems) may be offered by the inspection company, sometimes at an additional fee.
The inspection company may also offer environmental services such as water testing, radon testing, lead testing, or asbestos testing.
Upon completion of the inspection, the inspector should give the client a summary of what was discovered and an opportunity to ask questions. The client then receives a signed written report of the findings. The report is the client’s property; no other party is entitled to see it.