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Tips to help get through your next home inspection.

3/30/2019

20 Comments

 
The next time you need a home inspection remember these simple tips on what to ask and what to look for.
When buying a new house, its all to easy to get enamored with all the pretty new features, the shiny granite, the glistening new appliances in the kitchen and the new mosaic tiles in the master bathroom. But don’t fall in love too fast because more often than not, there is more to the house than what you first see. Not checking the house out carefully, could end you up in a house that is a money pit, where you spend most of your spare time and money fixing the problems with your new house.
 
But how are you supposed to know if a house has foundation problems, faulty or old wiring, bad pipes or a plethora of other hidden problems that you would not know about or even consider? 
​
Two words: Home Inspection
It is extremely important that you get your house inspected as soon as you plan to buy a house, regardless if the house is new or a fixer. A professional home inspection needs to be done before you sign the contract and make the final purchase because with out it you may not know for months or even years of a potentially huge problem that will creep up after you have moved in, and are the legal owner.

How do you find a good inspector?
When you hire a home inspector, you also need to ensure that the inspector isn’t cutting corners,  and is thoroughly checking every aspect of the house.

Here in the Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Issaquah area, there are several details that should not be missed by a good home inspector.

These are some of the most important items a good home inspector should look at and report on.

  • Foundation - Foundations can be one of the most expensive problems and if left undiscovered, you could end up with a house that is sinking into the ground, with shifting and cracking walls and ceilings, sticking windows, floors that sag and so much more. The foundation is the rock on which your house stands, if it has problems so do you.
  • Plumbing - Your home inspector is mainly going to be looking for leaks or signs that water has been dripping from pipes. These signs include things such as corrosion and stains on the bottom of the cabinet, warped floors and stains on walls and ceilings.
  • Electrical systems - If you have an electrical issue, you could experience many signs of a problem. Signs of an issue include breakers and fuses burning out often, dimming and flickering of lights, buzzing or charring of electrical outlets, burning smells,  and shocking but some signs are often overlooked by homeowners which result in 100s of electrical house fires every year.
  • Heating and cooling - These systems have a limited life span, usually between 10 and 20 years, if they’ve been well maintained. Your home inspector should let you know whether there are any problems or whether the systems have exceeded their lifespan.​
  • Roof - A roof inspection is another vital area. With any roof problem can come leaks, and leaks can lead to many problems, including water damage and dangerous mold. 

    At the end of your home inspection, the inspector should not tell you whether to buy the house or not, but should just report the facts to you. In the end, you must decide whether the problems found by the home inspector are a deal breaker for you. One final thing to think about is this, it can be useful for the you to hang out while the inspector performs his inspection. Often the inspector will point out little items or maintenance tips that might not make it into the report.
​


20 Comments
Home Inspector Albuquerque link
11/8/2017 04:28:51 am

Couldn't agree more with this post! I highly recommend a professional home inspection when purchasing a new home. Great post!

Reply
Andre link
12/30/2017 05:28:00 am

Really dig how you encourage people to hang out during the home inspections, most inspectors don't.

Reply
markcalloway
7/27/2018 03:12:06 am

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Reply
Coteolivia link
9/27/2018 12:11:10 am

Thank you for such a great information. Thanks for sharing this informative information about home inspection.

Reply
shuan link
4/30/2019 03:05:49 am

thanks for the tips... really helpful.

Reply
Daphne Gilpin link
5/15/2019 09:05:45 am

Thanks for explaining that a home inspector will look for signs such as warped floors and stains to check for water leaking from pipes. My husband and I want to buy a home soon, and I know it's a good idea to have any building inspected before purchasing. I'm glad I read your article because you gave me a much better idea of what to expect from the process of a home inspection!

Reply
steele honda link
6/20/2019 02:54:13 pm

Thanks for the home inspection tips. I like that you said that when you hire an inspector you should make sure that they are not going to miss any details. I think that would help make sure that you were getting the best home inspection possible and could be prepared for anything they found or that you needed to fix after.

Reply
Camille Devaux link
6/21/2019 12:43:56 pm

I have a friend that is looking to get a home inspection service. It might be smart for her to know that looking for a heating service is helpful. This way you can make sure that you are continuing to get help.

Reply
Marcus link
6/24/2019 12:37:32 pm

Thanks for mentioning how having your roof inspected can help you avoid water damages down the road. It is important to take this into consideration when getting your home inspected. Personally, I would want to find someone that has a good reputation and can get us accurate reports from our inspection.

Reply
Thomas Peterson link
6/26/2019 08:43:09 am

I liked that you mentioned that electrical systems are an item that a good home inspector should look at and report on. I have been nearing a home inspection as I'm selling my house to relocate. I would love to reach out to an electrician beforehand to make sure my electrical systems are up to par.

Reply
Larry Weaver link
6/28/2019 09:38:41 am

Thanks for these tips on going through a home inspection. My wife and I would like to have a home inspection done for a home we are thinking of purchasing. We will have to find a home inspector who can help us out.

Reply
Brooklyn Johnson link
7/5/2019 10:52:33 am

Thank you for stating that it is extremely important that you get your house inspected as soon as you plan to buy a house. My husband and I are looking into buying our very first house, so we need to get a home inspection. I will definitely keep all of your great tips and information in mind when going through the process of a home inspection.

Reply
Stefan Bradley link
7/15/2019 08:03:40 am

Thanks for mentioning that a home inspector will generally be looking for any leaks and dripping pipes to ensure that the house will not be damaged by faulty plumbing or unnoticed openings. My wife and I just got married and want to find a house that doesn't require any repairs since I am not very good at handiwork. It might be a good idea to hire a home inspector before purchasing a house.

Reply
Angela Waterford link
7/31/2019 11:59:57 am

My house's foundation may be in good condition, but I'll leave that judgment to the opinion of a home inspection service. I think I'll hire a home inspector to view the condition of my new house. Thanks for saying that I'll be able to find hidden problems with their assistance, so I'll make sure to hire a good one.

Reply
Skyler Williams link
8/26/2019 01:53:17 pm

Thank you for elaborating on the issues that an electrical problem could present. I am thinking of selling my home so I will need to get it inspected before we put it on the market. We do have some electrical problems with our breaker. I will make sure to get that fixed before the inspector comes by.

Reply
Wade Joel link
10/28/2019 12:59:56 pm

Thanks for these great tips for getting through a home inspection. It's great that you also talked about finding a good home inspector. I may be investing in my first property soon, so I will definitely take these tips into consideration when I find a good inspector.

Reply
Charlotte Fleet link
3/18/2020 12:28:41 pm

I wasn't aware that a home inspector should look into your foundation along with your plumbing and electrical systems. My husband and I have been wanting to move into a new home, but we are worried about any possible problems that might arise. My husband thinks we should hire a professional with experience in home inspections to help us know whether we should buy it or not.

Reply
Fay link
3/27/2020 10:30:22 am

I think it is so important that you mentioned that a good home inspector will make sure that the foundation is not shifting, because it could be really expensive if there are any problems with it. MY husband and I have been thinking about selling our home and we need to make sure that we hire a home inspector that will help us determine the price of the property due to its condition. We will make sure we follow these tips so we can have this process finished up soon and we can make sure we will find buyers for our property in the next few months.

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Rebecca Gardner link
4/14/2020 11:10:11 am

It made sense when you said that an inspector will take a look at the roof of our home since it's a vital area and leaks can cause problems. My husband and I want to have our home inspected within the next couple of weeks so we can address any issues before we put it on the market to sell. Thanks for sharing this article and giving me a better idea of what to expect from working with a home inspection service!

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11/16/2022 06:07:01 pm

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