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What to Expect from a Home Inspection
It takes patience to work through the home-buying process. You find the perfect home. The owner accepts your offer. The mortgage company says OK. But it's not over yet. You need a home inspection before the mortgage company signs off on the deal. The inspector must check out your new home to see if there are problems you might have missed.
Our real estate agents have helped many families settle into their new homes. We realize that the inspection seems like a formality, but it can make or break your deal. Here's what you should expect from the home inspection process.
Florida Inspectors Should Be Licensed
Home inspectors in Florida must obtain a state license. Each inspector undergoes 120 hours of study covering a range of home inspection categories before taking a state exam. Before you consider hiring an inspector, visit myfloridalicense.com to see if they have a valid license.
Choosing Your Home Inspector
As with any other tradesman or professional, not all inspectors are created equal. Home inspectors perform at differing levels of expertise depending on their training and abilities. Talk to several candidates before you decide. As you should plan to be with the inspector during entire 2 to 3-hour process, you should find someone with whom you feel comfortable.
Ask candidates about their experience and their inspection and reporting process. It's your job to find a hands-on professional who's willing to:
- Climb a ladder to the roof,
- Look over, under, and behind appliances
- Get their hands dirty in rarely used spaces
- Get down on hands and knees as necessary
- Answer questions during the walk-through
- Give you a thorough, understandable report
The Home Inspection Process
Your inspector will spend several hours walking with you through your future home. Of course, they'll find problems. That's what happens when you look at anything with a critical eye. The primary point of the inspection is to find those things that are or may become a costly problem. To figure this out, your inspector will look at these areas of concern and more.
Structural
- Damage or defects to foundation, walls, basement
Outside
- Windows and doors - Good condition, operating properly, glass cracked or broken, thermal seals intact, thermal pane condensation
- Roof - Shingle wear, chimney deterioration, flashings and gutters conditions
Inside
- Floor, ceilings, walls - Cracks or damage
- Attic - Structurally sound, well insulated
- Basement - Structurally sound
Home Systems
- Electrical - Operational, problems with switches, meters, wiring, etc.
- Plumbing - Functional, drips, pipe deterioration, main water valve location
- Heating and AC - Operating properly
- Kitchen Appliances - Functionality, condition, wear
Supplementary Inspections
Your inspector's report should provide enough details to confirm that you've negotiated a good deal. It should also raise your mortgage company's confidence level enough to move forward with financing. But there are a few items of concern that aren't usually included in a traditional inspection.
Florida home sellers must complete a disclosure form detailing known conditions and hazards. Still, for your peace of mind, you may wish to order these and other inspections and tests.
- Lead - Lead paint may be found in homes built before 1978.
- Radon - Radon is a major cancer risk. Your home inspector may be able to extract air samples for a lab test.
- Water - Both well water and water from public sources may contain one or more of a long list of harmful contaminants.
Without professional assistance, the real estate market can difficult to navigate. Contact Wagner Realty if you're buying or selling a home. Our professionals will help you through the process.
