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Navigating the Inspection Process: What to Expect

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Buying a home is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make, and ensuring it's the right decision involves thorough due diligence. The home inspection process is a key step in this journey, offering you a detailed assessment of the property's condition. This evaluation helps uncover any potential issues or hidden defects, providing you with valuable insights that can influence your decision. Here is what you can expect and things to think about for your home inspection.

What is a Home Inspection?

First to explain at its most basic, a home inspection is a limited, non-invasive, visual examination of the current condition of a residential building. It’s meant to give an overview of any observed deficiencies or flaws within specific components and systems of a home. A report is not meant to guarantee any future condition of the property, but rather explain its current state, to help prospective buyers make an informed decision. They help to reduce any risks, but don’t eliminate them completely.

Generally in a report you can expect to find explanations on the components of the home and their condition, recommendations on any identified deficiencies, and info on potential impact if these issues are not addressed. However it’s important to keep in mind that a home inspector is not an expert on every single facet of a home, and for some specific issues, specific experts may be needed.

Why Use a Home Inspector?

Professional home inspectors look for both visible and invisible issues throughout the house.  This includes properly examining exterior surfaces, electrical systems, structural, mechanical, and plumbing systems. Visible issues include problems such as discoloration, mold, rotted wood, or cracks. Invisible issues include indoor air quality and radon gas leakage into the basement, which can only be detected with specialized equipment.

An inspector will look at:

  1. Exterior Systems
  2. Roofing, Flashings, Penetrations and Chimneys
  3. Structural Systems
  4. Plumbing Systems
  5. Electrical Systems
  6. Interior components
  7. Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC) Systems
  8. Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances
  9. Insulation and Ventilation of Attics, Crawlspaces and
  10. Unfinished Basements

Find a Home Inspector

We are happy to recommend you home inspectors that we trust and have worked with in the past, however you are also free to hire one yourself. As with any other profession not all home inspectors are the same. Choose one based on reputation and qualifications, not just who is cheapest or as some formality.

Some things to research include

  • Check if the home inspector is formally licensed anywhere.
  • See if they have had any enforcement action taken against them.
  • Get a few different estimates from different inspectors before making your final decision.
  • Request referrals from their previous clients.

You can choose a home inspector before even starting the home searching journey. Don’t make any hurried decisions and hire the wrong person because of time pressure after you’ve viewed your perfect home. The home inspection is an important part of the buying process, and you need the right person to do it.

What to Expect

A typical home inspection usually takes 2-4 hours, and in British Columbia the average cost is around $500, with some variation depending on the property's total square footage.

It's rare for a home inspection report to reveal no issues at all, even for newly constructed homes. Home inspections are designed to uncover any existing or potential problems, and it's not unusual to find some level of deficiencies. These can range from minor cosmetic concerns to more significant issues that might require attention. In new builds, for instance, while the property might appear pristine, there can still be overlooked or incomplete work, such as improper installation of fixtures or minor defects in construction.

It’s important to view the inspection report as a tool for identifying areas that need attention rather than expecting a flawless assessment.

After the Inspection

Once the inspection is completed, the due date is dependent on the agreed upon contract. The report should include all the issues and concerns that were found, a list of areas where the home inspector encourages expert advice to fix the issues, any areas not covered during the inspection, and of course their contact and professional license information. If there is not all the required information listed, you are entitled to ask for corrections.

You can also request a walk-through of the property, getting a verbal summary of the findings before the report is prepared. Note that if deficiencies have been found, you should get quotes from independent contractors to fix the issues, as the home inspector cannot give you accurate cost estimates.

Make The Decision

Ultimately, a home inspection report is designed to help you in making an informed decision about purchasing a new property. If the inspection reveals significant structural issues that are beyond your budget to repair, it can be best to reconsider the purchase.

However a report can also be a powerful tool in negotiating repairs or adjustments. When the inspection uncovers issues, you have the opportunity to request that the seller address these problems before finalizing the sale.

It's important to approach these negotiations with a clear understanding of which issues are critical and which are more minor. For significant structural or safety concerns, you might insist on repairs to ensure that these problems are addressed before you move in. For less critical issues, you may choose to negotiate a price adjustment.

A home inspection is an essential step in the home-buying process as it helps you make an informed decision about your potential new property. Use the findings to negotiate repairs or adjustments with the seller and ensure that any identified issues fit within your overall budget. By approaching the inspection with a clear understanding of its purpose and potential outcomes, you can move forward confidently and make a well-informed decision about your home purchase. For help with finding your perfect home, get in touch.

 

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