What to expect: Homebuyers sometimes buy their homes on impulse. Home inspectors can help home buyers avoid buyer’s remorse by reporting home defects and problems before they are found by the buyer after closing. Professional home inspectors help homebuying clients with the tools they need to make an informed decision regarding the quality and condition of their potential new home. Homebuyers should be careful to hire the most experienced home inspector they can afford and make sure the person they hire has their best interest in mind. Inspectors who rely on real estate agents for references sometimes have moral dilemmas.

Buyer Benefits: A professional home inspection is the best way for potential homebuyers to effectively assess the risks of buying a property. One of the main concerns for homebuyers is suddenly facing significant and expensive problems after taking possession of a property. A professional pre-purchase home inspection can reduce anxiety by spotting problems and detailing them in a comprehensive report. This report may include estimates of repair costs and recommendations for useful improvements to property systems. The overall result of a professional home inspection is that home buyers make significantly more informed purchases.

Troubleshooting: All houses have strong and weak points, they are not always what they seem. Get the perspective and solid information you need to make better decisions with a home inspection by an experienced professional home inspector. A good home inspector works through a lengthy checklist of potential concerns to identify major and minor deficiencies in the home. A good report will clearly describe the problems and illustrate them along with what to do and how to make repairs.

Provide benefits to homeowners: Homeowners who plan to make improvements to their homes to increase their market value are encouraged to inspect their homes first. Home inspectors can help prioritize home improvements and offer advice on the best ways to approach repairs. More importantly, an inspector can help the seller identify potential or undiscovered problems before those problems become material to contract contingencies. By taking a proactive approach, you can avoid the frustrations many homeowners experience when asked to renegotiate their leases due to unforeseen problem areas.

Credentials: Like any other professional, home inspectors (even those with licenses) have varying degrees of experience. All home inspectors must be carefully vetted. Inspectors learn from experience. It takes a few thousand inspections and more than a few complaints for home inspectors to LEARN what it takes to satisfy customers.

Recently passed legislation allows New Jersey home inspectors to be licensed with as little as three weeks of classroom training and just one week in actual homes. The license is a minimum qualification. Be sure to ask for a resume! Believe it or not, the standards in many states are LOWER!

Many people without specific home inspection credentials offer home inspection services. Also, credentials are not always what they seem. Engineering and architectural credentials alone do not prepare anyone to competently inspect homes and communicate findings. A helpful attitude, good communication skills and mature judgment should complement technical competence. Be sure to work with a company that has a contract that specifies both what is inspected and the limitations that apply.

Additional services such as those listed below are generally NOT included in the standard home inspection and are available for an additional fee.

Code Compliance: To determine what changes and improvements are necessary to bring the home into compliance with modern (or when built) building, fire, plumbing, zoning, mechanical, and electrical codes and to determine if permits and approval have been obtained. inspection required when changes were made. to home

Engineering analysis: structural, heating, cooling, soils, electrical, geology, site, investigate latent structural defects or problems, assess the condition of playground equipment, determine if private waste disposal systems are functional, determine if Cantilevers are safe, assess traffic and noise density, assess insulation efficiency, conduct a floodplain review and issue a flood risk certification, assess easements and encroachments, determine amount and cost of wood replacement needed for rot, ageing, water infiltration and insect damage.

Hazardous Materials: To determine the presence or absence of: asbestos, lead paint, lead in water, formaldehyde, radon gas, lead paint, fungus, mold, water and air quality, toxic or allergenic substances, flammable materials, underground oil or fuel tanks and other environmental hazards.

Pest Assessment – ​​to determine the presence of animal, rodent, termite, pest or insect infestations and to render an opinion on the cost of repairing damage caused by these infestations.

Pool and Spa: To assess necessary changes and improvements to swimming pools, pool equipment, gates and fences.

Plumbing: To determine the condition and necessary improvements and repairs to drain lines, main sewer lines, supply lines, vents, shower pans and tub walls, fire and lawn sprinklers, water wells (quality and quantity of water) underground condition and under slab piping.

Electrical: To determine the condition and necessary upgrades and repairs to the electrical system, telephone system wiring, intercom system, security systems, heat detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, provide a circuit mapping, determine the capacity of the electrical system, the adequacy of the ground connection, perform voltage tests, to evaluate electromagnetic fields, check voltage drops and circuit impedance.

Chimney Sweep – Check the condition of the chimney, the safety of wood-burning stoves, and perform Level II chimney inspections as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.

Appraisal: determine the value of the building and its suitability for the intended use, consult the urban ordinances and issue an opinion on the suitability of its purchase.

Mechanical Contractor: Determine heating and cooling system sizing adequacy and provide efficiency measurements, provide underground storage tank assessment, perform heat exchanger leak test, check condition of evaporator coils, determine airflow velocity and balance the system.

Appliance Service Person: Test and calibrate oven and range temperatures, test for microwave leaks, check to determine if appliances are secured to the floor as required.

Roofing Contractor: Further evaluation of roofing, flashing, chimney, high ladder roof inspection, and detailed evaluation of roofing life expectancy, feasibility of repair vs. replacing

Homebuyers are advised to ensure that they carefully check all of the following items. If any of these issues after the home purchase, the issues come with the home and are now YOURS (no expensive litigation).

GENERAL

Were all your questions answered by the home inspector?

Have all your questions for the homeowner been answered in writing?

Have previously agreed repairs been carried out professionally?

Have warranties and guarantees been given for the agreed repairs?

Were the recommendations of the home inspectors to perform all recommended additional inspections and invasive inspections? If not, the risks may be more than most buyers’ budgets can bear.

ABROAD

Check the operation of windows and screens?

Has the accumulation of water near the building stopped?

Check doors, decks, siding, windows, and fences for damage or deterioration?

Are there signs of water infiltration from the roof, siding, or windows?

Are there any signs of problems with the gutters or downspouts?

Do downspouts discharge water away from the foundation?

Has the soil around the house been removed from the foundation?

INSIDE

Have all areas listed on the home inspection report as inaccessible or not traversed been professionally accessed and inspected for defects?

Do the garage doors and their openers work?

Have reversing devices for garage door openers been tested?

Did you find out why there are spots or cracks on any of the walls or ceilings that have gotten larger or have appeared since the time of the home inspection?

Have all broken windows or mirrors been repaired?

Have all fogged up double pane windows been replaced?

Are all fixtures or appliances permanently installed in place and in good condition?

Are there signs of birds, rodents or animals?

Has any damage to the walls, floor or ceiling been repaired?

PLUMBING

Are your plumbing fixture faucets dripping or dripping?

Are the plumbing fixtures chipped or damaged?

Did you run water for a while through all the plumbing fixtures and check for leaks?

Did you run water for a while through all the plumbing fixtures and check for clogs?

ELECTRIC

Are all light fixtures in place?

Are all light fixtures, switches, and receptacles working?

Does the doorbell work?

HEATING AND COOLING

Are the thermostat and heating and cooling systems working?

Is there adequate airflow through the heating and cooling registers?

Did all radiators or convectors heat up in a reasonable amount of time?

KITCHEN

Are all appliances working properly?

Are the countertops or cabinets damaged?

Do the cabinets and drawers work?

Please complete this checklist during the tour and review it with your attorney prior to closing on the property. Most inspection companies do not accept responsibility for changes and problems that occur after the home inspection is completed. However, do take the time to carefully and thoroughly do your pre-settlement walk. Contact the home inspection company if you have any questions.

Michael Del Greco is President of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection company, he has performed thousands of home inspections in New Jersey since 1993, taught New Jersey home inspector licensing classes and CEU classes for New Jersey home inspectors, as well as participated in developing questions for the National Home Inspector Exam. Home inspector resume can be viewed at http://www.accurateinspections.com/michael2.htm