Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or you’re looking to purchase your next home, there’s no denying that is a long list of considerations you should ignore. Besides the seemingly unending list of tasks and paperwork, there’s one thing that you shouldn’t skip: a home inspection.
Before you buy a home, it’s crucial to get a professional home inspector to examine and evaluate the place. This won’t only help you know if you’re getting a good deal, but it also provides you and your loved one’s peace of mind knowing the space is well-kept and ready for inhabitants.
While many already think that hiring inspectors can be quite expensive, on top of the already hefty property price, it’s worth considering treating this as an investment because it provides you with long-term benefits.
Home Inspection Contingency
Home inspections empower buyers to identify major issues of a property before closing. One of the biggest reasons for having a home inspection is that it can be integrated as a contingency in your contract with the seller. This home inspection contingency allows you to reveal defects, enabling you to back out of your purchase offer without needing to pay for a penalty, as long as it’s within a timeframe.
Doing this will allow you to spot crucial issues in a home. Not only that, if you’re building a new home, an inspector can also evaluate different stages of construction, such as foundation, wherein they’ll check the area before the concrete is poured. Another is the pre-drywall, where they check the structure and mechanics before contractors lay the drywall, and finally, a full inspection once it’s complete.
What Does a Home Inspection Cover?
All inspectors are different and will come with a variety of experiences, abilities, and thoroughness. However, a generally good inspector will examine a home’s components and produce a comprehensive report showing their findings.
Typically, a home inspection lasts for two to three hours. During the inspection, you should be present, so you get an explanation directly from your home inspector.
1. Exterior Home Inspection
The inspector will conduct a full inspection of the outside of the structure, including some crawl spaces under your home. Your home inspector will examine components of your exterior walls, foundation, garage, roof, and grading.
It isn’t a home inspector’s responsibility to check for termite damage, asbestos, water contamination, and mod. But if you are concerned about this issue, you can ask your inspector to give you a heads up if they encounter these issues.
2. Interior Home Inspection
Once the exterior has been inspected, the next thing your inspector will do is to conduct a full inspection of your property’s interiors. This means that they’ll inspect everything from the cabinets to your electrical wiring and more.
Some areas that they’ll cover are the plumbing, HVAC system, water heater, laundry room, fire safety, and your bathrooms. In your bathroom, the inspector will check for visible leaks and if your toilets are installed securely. Other than that, they need to ensure you have proper ventilation in the space so mold and mildew won’t grow.
The Bottom Line: Getting a Home Inspection is Worth an Investment
Think of it this way—investing in a home inspection before you close a deal can help you save loads of expenses in repairs and maintenance. Besides that, you’ll get to live in your new space with peace of mind knowing that your home is safe and built to a T.
How Can We Help You?
When it comes to buying a home, one of the most important tasks that you need to do is to get a thorough home inspection. Thankfully, Ally Property Inspections is here to help.
Ally Property Inspections have years of extensive training and experience in inspection services. If you’re looking for premium home inspections in Birmingham, AL, give us a call at (205) 607-0031!