Buying your first house can be very
Intimidating. There are many decisions to
make in a very short period of time.
There’s a lot of information coming at
you and it’s all new.
That’s why we’ve found that it is
important to prepare our clients for a
home inspection. Especially if it’s your
first house.
A home inspection typically
takes two and a half to three hours
on-site depending on the size and
condition of the house. The purpose of
the inspection is to evaluate the major
systems in the home to see if they are
working correctly, how well they have been
maintained and how long they might be
expected to last.
These include the structure, the roof, exterior, plumbing and
electrical systems, and the heating and
cooling. We also evaluate the windows and
doors and kitchen appliances. We don’t
evaluate the things that may have
attracted you to the house such as curb
appeal the layout, the cosmetic condition
of the interior or how clean it is.
As the buyer, plan to walk around with
your inspector. It’s the perfect
opportunity to learn how the house works
and how to take care of it. We have a
systematic process that we follow to
make sure we cover everything and it’s
good to be there so that you can see the
issues and ask questions as we’re going through it.
We cover a lot of ground
during inspections so the more you track
with us the better you’ll understand your house.
The most important systems
are normally in the basement or utility room.
Once those are covered, it can be a
lot of windows doors and outlets and
that’s a good time to take measurements
and think about furnishings and decorating.
It’s important to remember that no house
is perfect. The most valuable aspect of
the inspection is the information you
will gain in order to understand its
current condition and how to maintain
the house once you’ve owned it.
Having the right expectations about your
home inspection can help make the buying
process much smoother and it will allow
you to get the most out of the
inspection.
Finally, remember that the
home inspector works for you. Not the
realtor. Not the sellers. Just you.
Ask questions, follow us through the house and
use the report to the fullest.