It is essential to get a Home inspection before you buy any property. This will ensure that there are no major repairs that could lead to significant financial loss. There could be many issues in the report. However, if you don’t know what to look out for, you might not be able decode what is important from what isn’t. We will discuss what’s included in the report and what we should be focusing on.
What’s in the Home Inspection Report?
The majority of home inspections can be broken down into four main parts:
1. The information section provides basic information about the house, such as the construction date and square footage.
2. Table of Contents
3. Summary of the report to highlight major issues
4. Information about major home systems like heating/AC, plumbing, and electric to determine their age, functionality, and how they were built.
These are just the main parts of the report. You will also find information about the following:
- Roof conditions and features, including flashing, skylights (if any) and shingles
- Exterior features like driveways and walkways, porches, patios and porches are all possible.
- The home’s structural components, such as its framing or foundation, are important.
What’s Not Included In the Home Inspection Report
There are certain items that a standard inspection won’t cover. These items include information about the interior of the home, wells, and septic systems. It is a good idea to hire a specialist inspection if you see any signs that these items may need further inspection. After all, surprises are not what you want after you close on a house.
An home inspector in palm desert won’t usually give estimates on the cost of repairs for any issues found. Although they can usually make a recommendation about who to contact for repairs, it is your responsibility to get in touch with them and get estimates.
Keys
To indicate what was done and any problems, most inspections use a 1- or 2-letter code key. These are just a few of the codes that you’ll see in your report.
S Safety Concern
R General Repair Required
D: A defect or something that isn’t working and most likely in dire need of repair or replacement
I Inspected item
. NI. – This item has not been inspected.
NP could also be a sign that the site is not available.
Summary Section from Report
A summary section is included in every inspection report. It may be at the beginning or at the end of the inspection report. However, you should always pay attention to this section because it will highlight major issues that the inspector identified and want you to address.
You will need to go through the summary page with your realtor in order to decide what items you would like them to fix and what you are okay with them leaving the same. Your first instinct should be to ask the sellers to repair everything in the report. Although this is possible, it may not be the best option. There is no reason to delay closing because of a small repair that you will have to pay.
You will also want to request that they fix any items that might hinder your closing. Every home buyer will have their own thresholds of what is major and minor.
Realtors can help
Your realtor should be able walk you through the report and point you in the right direction about how to proceed after the report has been received. If you don’t understand the details, this may help you to identify them.