How to Prepare for Your Home Inspection

Having a home inspection is often the only opportunity a home buyer will have to fully understand the condition of the property before completing the purchase. During a complete home inspection, a licensed inspector will conduct a visual walk-through with a roof-to-foundation review of the entire home, including the structure itself, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation, and appliances. When you’re getting a home inspection, here are a few things you can do to make your time with the home inspector as productive as possible:

Planning for the Inspection

Rather than waiting for the Home Inspection Report to arrive, we highly recommend buyers take a more proactive role in the process and plan to meet with the home inspector at the property.

Your licensed home inspector has a wealth of knowledge and will help you to learn more about the property you are purchasing. Write down any questions or concerns you have about the property you meet with the home inspector. As a home buyer, you may have questions about the condition of the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, appliances, and other property features.

Inspection Day

As you walk through the house with the inspector, take notes of pertinent details that the inspector points out during the inspection. Due to safety concerns, you may not be able to climb on the roof or duck inside the crawl space, but the inspector will let you know what he finds while examining these critical areas.

Feel free to ask the inspector to clarify anything that you are unsure about the property.

Some common questions to ask during your home inspection:

• How serious of an issue is the problem?
• Is it something that needs to be fixed right away, or can it wait?
• How does this appliance work?
• Where is the attic and crawl space access located?
• What are the most significant issues with the home?
• How much would you estimate for repairs?
• Is the electrical and plumbing up to code?
• When do you think the roof will need replacement?

After the inspection

The Home Inspection Report is a detailed analysis of the property condition. When you review the report, we suggest starting with the Summary section.

The Summary outlines the deficiencies that were found and whether repair or replacement is recommended. It is cross-referenced to the page in the report, where you can find more details about the inspection results for each issue. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have concerning your home inspection.