The home inspection is an essential part of the home-selling process. It provides an objective view of the condition of the house for the buyer. Often, issues that the seller didn’t know about will be revealed by the home inspection.
Home inspections are a valuable tool that protects home buyers while they make one the most important financial transactions in their lives. They also limit liability for sellers.
It’s a smart idea to get ahead of potential issues when you’re selling your home. This can help you make more money and reduce the hassle of closing.
Knowing the most common issues for homebuyers can help you to approach homebuying with more confidence. It will help you understand the risks involved in deciding to waive the inspection. Note: Most lenders require that you inspect your home if you are financing it.
Who pays for the inspection?
The buyer usually pays for the inspection, though this is sometimes possible to negotiate. A pre-inspection can be paid by the seller before buyers look at the house. A home inspection costs $300-$500 on average. The cost can vary depending on the size of the home, your location, and the company you choose to work with.
Even if the sale of the home fails, an inspection will be done by a third party. The buyer will still need to pay. However, if the inspection reveals major problems, the money will have been well spent.
June Piper-Brandon, a Baltimore-based agent, explains how buyers are becoming more critical of properties that require extensive repairs as home prices rise.
“Inspection has become more technical and more intrusive with the advancements in technology. The inspector examines everything. She explains that they can identify areas where there are deficiencies and that buyers are demanding more repairs. “Especially when prices are so high, they are becoming less willing to repair a house in need of repairs.
Common Home Inspection Problems
What should you be looking out for? These are the most common issues that often come up in home inspections. ).
Grading/Slope
Low spots and raised areas may develop over time as lawns settle. This can cause water to pool at the foundation of the house. Sometimes, even after homes are constructed, improper grading or slop is done. Drainage problems can destabilize your home over time.
These issues include:
- Negative Grading
- Not staking enough to the grade
- Inadequate downspout extensions
Roofing
Your roof can be very dangerous. This is why it’s a common problem in home inspection in calgary. Proper installation and wear can cause damage that leads to moisture and leaks in your home. These are some of the issues:
- You are missing shingles
- Flashings that are not properly installed
- Gutter blockage
- Sagging structure
- Plumbing vent flaws
- Exposure fasteners
- Moss on the roof
- Properly vented attic
Windows
Although you may not think much about your windows, it can be costly to repair them. A 3-bedroom home with all its windows needs to be replaced on average between $3,000 and $10,000. Poor insulation can cause heating and cooling problems. These are some of the issues:
- Cracked panes
- Failure of window seal (condensation occurs between panes).
- Seals that failed
- Window stuck
Plumbing
Plumbing can become deteriorated or shift over time. This could lead to water buildup and other problems in your home. These issues include:
- Low water pressure
- Toilet problems
- Tree roots
- Rusty pipes
- Galvanized pipes, which were used before the 1960s, can leach zinc into your drinking water.
- Sewer line clogs
- Leaks
Fencing
You can’t trust inspectors to overlook fencing, even if they don’t mention it in their reports.
Walter Kunstmann, Strategic Real Estate Advisor at Real Estate Bees, explains that all property contents should be reported-on during an effective inspection. These issues include:
- Warping
- Broken gate
- Leaning
- Broken hinges
- Wood can be rotted or infested by insects
Electric Wiring
It is not uncommon for electrical problems to occur in homes. This is due to the fact that electrical requirements have advanced, while a home’s electric components reflect its historical needs. Every outlet in your house will be checked by a home inspector. These issues include:
- Reverse polarity
- Ungrounded receptacles (two prong receptacles need to be grounded, which will make them safe and switch to a three-prong one)
- Switches that are not properly wired
- Double-tapped circuit breakers
- Inadequacy of surge protection
- Old knob-and-tube wiring
- You can store bulbs in your closets, but they will need to be protected by a globe or another structure.
“Reverse Polarity is something that’s very common. Piper-Brandon says that while your outlet may work fine, it can end up being a fire hazard. You’ve lived in your home for 20 years without any problems – now it is time to call a licensed electrician. This is a simple fix that most homeowners can do themselves. However, once the issue has been raised on the home inspection it must be addressed by licensed professionals.
Water Heater
Your home may have hot water but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe. It could be an indication that there is something wrong if you run out of hot water or the heater becomes warm but not hot. These are common problems:
- Water heaters that are too small
- Faulty heating element
- No burn shield
- T&P valve/extension not working properly
- Loose wires
- Rusting
The temperature and pressure release valve (T&P), located on top of the hot water heater, is another common problem. Piper-Brandon explains that hot water can overheat – there is a valve to let it go – but it should also have an extension to bring it down to the floor. If your hot water heater heats up and hot water comes out, then hot water will spray everywhere in the room. This could cause serious injury.
Driveways, Sidewalks, Patios
- Settlement cracks
- Tree roots
- Trip hazards
- Handrails not provided (handrails are required once you have climbed beyond two steps).
- Bricks missing
HVAC/Air Conditioning
- Leakage of gas lines
- Exhaust flue problems
- Condenser frains clogged
- Dirty condenser coils
- Filters that are no longer in use
- Inadequate (or insufficient) cleaning/maintenance
Kunstmann says, “A common inspection finding: The lack of serviced heating and AC systems or clean heating units. Also, the absence of a certified replacement tag for water heaters if they are replaced.”
Kitchen Appliances
- You can check all appliances (fridges, ovens, etc.) by following the normal operating controls
- Ventilation
- The correct number of outlets (upto code)
- Anti-tip bracket for stove
What fixes are required after a home inspection?
Inspection reports are not to be used as a checklist. You don’t have to fix every item on the inspection report, even if they are an issue.
A discount on the final price can solve many problems. For example, if you receive an estimate that roof repairs will cost $1,000 you may agree to reduce the final price by 50% or even the entire amount.
Lenders may require certain repairs to be made before the home can be occupied. Safety issues or violations of building codes will usually need to be addressed.
Before you sign the inspection report, be sure to read it carefully. Home sellers may stipulate that only structural defects and safety issues must be addressed.
Piper-Brendon says, “We have addendums to everything,” noting that inspection reports can sometimes be 40-50 pages in length. Sellers can get so caught up in the inspection report that they don’t even glance at the inspection notice. The buyer specifies what items should be addressed in the inspection notice. It’s not always all of the items on the report.
In other words, simply because something is mentioned on the inspection report (that inspector gives you), doesn’t mean the buyer will or should ask you to pay them. The inspection notice is an addendum to your report that the buyer gives you. It removes the home inspection contingency when they are satisfied with the inspection results.
Sellers can also contact their agent to request a retraction if buyers seem unreasonable in their requests for repair/compensation.
It’s a smart idea to get an estimate if you are a buyer of a home and want to negotiate repairs. Your Realtor will likely give you an estimate for small repairs. You should contact a contractor for larger problems. This is not the case with the home inspector who will have little experience in estimating the cost of repairs. A seller might offer a $1,000 discount on foundation repairs, but you will end up paying $5,000 more.
