What Really Matters
Buying a home? The process can be stressful. A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind, but often has the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information in a short time. This includes a written report, checklist, photographs, and what the inspector himself says during the inspection. All this combined with the seller's disclosure and what you notice yourself makes the experience even more overwhelming.
What should you do?--
Relax.
Most of your inspection will be maintenance recommendations, life expectancies and minor imperfections. These are nice to know about.
However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:
[1]. Major defects. An example of this would be a structural failure.
[2]. Things that lead to major defects; a small roof-flashing leak, for example.
[3]. Things that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home.
[4]. Safety hazards, such as an exposed, live wire, or open junction box.
Any of these issues should be addressed. Often a serious issue can be corrected inexpensively to protect life and property (especially 2 and 4).
Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. We must realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in the report. No home is perfect.
Keep things in perspective. Don't kill your deal over things that don't matter. It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, or conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure, or nit-picky items.
A professional home inspector works with, and for, the client to ensure that the house is safe and that it will retain its value for many years to come.
I am a "generalist expert" (as it was once described) who "knows something about everything and everything about nothing". To get a better inspection, you would have to hire the following separate experts in all the different fields of construction and maintenance that a Home Inspector encompasses:
a Journeyman Electrician,
a Licensed Plumber,
a Master Carpenter,
a Licensed HVAC contractor,
a Licensed, Professional Structural Engineer,
a Mechanical Engineer,
a Licensed Industrial Hygienist
...and many more.
Such a technically exhaustive inspection could cost about $4,500 (or more!) and take weeks!
When you hire HOME SWEET HOME Inspections you will receive
the peace of mind that you need and service you deserve.
Anyone else is just “looking around”
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