Friday, October 17, 2014

Details On Conducting A Home Inspection

By Patty Goff


If you were shopping for a house and you have finally found one that you really like, make sure you have it inspected. You may either choose to perform the home inspection on your own or have a home inspector come in and give it a thorough check. Before spending money on a professional, you may want to check it yourself as a way of assessing whether you will like what you will find.

Assessments should always begin by looking at what is right in front of you. This is the obvious. Examine the flooring carefully and determine whether it is in need of replacement. This is an answer that can be arrived at by checking whether it has become worn out.

A smelly flooring will also indicate that there is something wrong with it. It could be that it has absorbed too much water over the years or that it has not been well maintained. Either way, note this down and proceed to pull back the carpet so as to check for holes on the surface.

The easiest area to check will be the ceiling and the roofing area. All you have to do is check up when you are moving across the hallways. Take a keen look on anything that appears to be a water stain appearing on the ceiling.

Apart from missing shingles, there is a need to determine whether this roof looks old and in need of repairs. Old and faded roofs will indicate that the entire roof must be replaced. This is something that could cost you between two thousand and five thousand dollars depending on how big the house is.

Apart from shingles, clients also need to observe the current color that the roofing material has. This color can tell a lot about the age of a roof. Colors that have faded and started to look really old will mean that it is only a matter of time before a complete roof overhaul is needed. This is a task that may cost between two thousand five hundred dollars and five thousand dollars.

A professional inspector will walk around the house as he looks for some crawling space. The crawling space is used to check under the floor boards for any mold signs. Not all properties will have the crawl space as some are constructed using the slab foundation model.

When it comes to wiring, you will find that you can never really know the cost associated with a repair until you call in the professional. Therefore, if you do notice wires that are out of place, do not hesitate to make that call. This could save you some major repair expenses down the line.

A person will also have to check the air ducts. This can easily be checked by placing a paper towel in to the air duct. If mold had been noticed in the earlier inspection of the crawl space, be sure to confirm whether it has found its way in to the ducts.

The final decision should be made after going through your notes. In case the problems are found to be too many and complicated, it may not be worth it to purchase the residence. However, if they are not too many, do not be afraid to invest in the residence.




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