Should I Have a Home Inspection?

home inspection thWhy Should I Have a Home Inspection?

A home inspection gives you, the buyer, more detailed information about the overall condition of the home prior to purchase.  In a home inspection, a qualified inspector takes an in-depth, unbiased look at your potential new home to:

•Evaluate the physical condition: structure, construction, and mechanical systems;
•Identify items that need to be repaired or replaced; and
•Estimate the remaining useful life of the major systems, equipment, structure, and finishes.

It’s Important to Assess The Value and Condition of your Potential New Home Before You Buy

Any problems found after closing are your responsibility. That is why it is so important for you to get an independent home inspection. 

Your right to inspect the property is not just limited to the physical condition of the property but also includes many other aspects, some of which are listed here:

•Actual lot size
•Location
•Square footage of improvements,
•Building, zoning and allowed use regulations,
•Well (flow rate, capacity, depth, recovery rate, suitability for Buyer’s needs, exempt status such as household, domestic, etc., water quality, potability, location on property, etc.),
•Septic (useful life of the system, capacity and suitability for size of house, pumping needs, location on property, etc.),
•Leach field (adequacy, location on property, percolation, etc.),
•Radon gas levels,
•Radiant heating systems (e.g. Entran II),
•Electromagnetic fields (proximity to power lines),
•Termites or other infestations,
•Exterior insulation and finish systems (e.g. artificial stucco),
•Polybutylene plumbing materials,
•Roofing materials (e.g. Woodruf shingles),
•Proximity to a flood plain or hazardous waste site,
•Quality of schools,
•Crime statistics (such as “Megan’s Law” which provides information concerning the location of known sex offenders will be available form local law enforcement) and other similar matters.

I'm Buying a New Home.  Why do I need to have it inspected?

Just because a home is brand new doesn't mean that it is perfect.  Many people touch your new home along the way.  The home builder will hire sub-contractors for the framing, concrete, electrical, HVAC, painting, roofing and every other piece of your home.  People make mistakes and the home builder's supervisor cannot be in every place at one time to ensure that your home is built perfectly.  Similarly, the regional building inspector does not inspect every detail of your home.  In our experience we have seen brand new homes where the furnace was rusted due to water leaking down from the roof to the basement.  We have seen roofing that wasn't properly installed, clogged pipes, wires reversed and so much more.  It is your right to have a home inspection and we highly recommend a home inspection for all new homes.

Be an Informed Buyer

It is your responsibility to be an informed buyer. Be sure that what you buy is satisfactory in every respect. You have the right to carefully examine your potential new home with a qualified home inspector.