Home Inspection Tips: 5 Questions to Ask a Home Inspector Before Committing

Buying or selling a home is normally the time when people are interested in what a home inspector has to say. If you are wondering about your own home’s value, there are several questions to ask during a home inspection that will help you in determining exactly what it may be worth. Many homeowners are hiring inspectors for their own personal reasons. The following home inspection tips and questions will help.

5 Questions to Ask a Home Inspector Before Committing

Can I Have a Sample Report?

Home inspectors will often provide you with a sample report so that you can familiarize yourself with it. Every report is different because each home has its own issues and imperfections. By looking at a sample report, you will get a good idea of how a report is drawn up. Hopefully, what you see will keep your own home’s report from being too much of a shocker.

 

How Much Will the Home Inspection Cost?

Several factors will go into determining the cost of your inspection. The size of the home and the real estate market are top indicators. Inspectors also charge different rates as well. With all of these taken into account, a home inspector may charge you anywhere from $300 to approximately $600. Before the inspector arrives, you should know the approximate cost as well as what forms of payment are acceptable. This will prevent any confusion and you can have the payment ready by the time the inspector arrives.

 

What Is Checked and What Is Not During a Home Inspection?

Home inspections are extremely thorough. An inspector will start at the roof and go over everything with a fine-toothed comb. They will even inspect the foundation, crawlspace, and basement. Even though inspectors try to be as thorough as possible, there are things they can’t see. If it is not visually accessible, they will not be able to get a good look at it. If they believe there is a problem but it is something they cannot access, you may be asked to bring out a plumber, HVAC technician or other trained professional to go over a feature or two in greater detail.

How Long Will A Home Inspection Take?

The length of time an inspection takes will vary from home to home. A good rule of thumb is to set aside two to four hours depending on how big your home is and how many questions you have for the inspector. The more experience an inspector has, the quicker and more efficient they will be. Many inspectors often schedule more time for an inspection than they really need so that they can look over every system as thoroughly as possible.

 

Can I Be Present During the Inspection?

Yes! The homeowner always has the option to be present when a home inspection is being performed. There are a few reasons for this. First, it makes it easy for the inspector to get answers to his questions while he is performing the inspection. It also gives you, the homeowner, an opportunity to get your answers as well. As a homeowner, it is up to you to ask as many questions as possible so that you have a good understanding of your home’s value and what can be done to add to it.

If you want to really get to know your home, hire an inspector and start asking questions and following a few tried and true home inspection tips. They will be able to provide you with many answers that you can use. Is there a way to make a system more efficient? What can be done to improve your home’s value? Does something need professional attention? Asking these questions, as well as many others, is a great way to learn as much as you can about your home.

Still unsure of what you actually need when it comes to home inspection? We encourage you to contact an expert. Zukin Realty’s team of experienced real estate agents can help you navigate these unfamiliar waters.

 

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