Whether your home is brand new or has been standing for years, a thorough home inspection can save you thousands of dollars in repairs, as well as keep you from buying a money pit. Here is what you can expect during a professional home inspection.
What to Expect
A home inspection is a top-to-bottom review of the physical structure as well as its mechanical and electrical systems. This inspection will include the roof, ceilings, walls, floors, windows, and doors. Inspectors will check all major appliances as well as scrutinize the heating and cooling systems.
They will also test the plumbing and electrical systems, as well as go into the attic or basement, or even crawlspaces. Throughout this entire process, which takes about two to three hours, they will be taking notes and pictures, and commenting on what they see if you are present. More importantly, your inspector will provide you with their objective opinion about the home’s condition.
Why Inspect New Construction?
If you assumed that by buying a newly constructed home, you might not need an inspection, you and most homebuyers would be both correct and incorrect. Look at it this way, a home inspection can provide you with valuable insight into your property’s construction and can help prevent any costly repairs later.
According to The Balance, although new homes should be relatively error-free, they often have underlying issues that an inspection could find. Some of the most common problems found during inspections of new construction include structural defects, drainage, and grading problems, and window leaks.
Home inspectors have also reported finding incomplete projects. These issues could include insufficient insulation, half-installed handrails or fixtures, or even missing pieces of hardware. With a new construction home, the recommendation is that you have two or three inspections completed on the property.
What Will a New Home Inspector Look for?
Home inspectors will look for a wide variety of features throughout their inspections. Their inspections will also consider local building codes. At a pre-pour review, the inspector will look at drain, waste, and vent lines, water lines, and plumbing and piping. They will also look at trenches, soil, elevation, drainage, and grading of the property.
For a framing inspection, a home inspector will assess the beams, bearings, and other framing items, along with the nails, screws, studs, and plates. They will also look for leaks, water intrusion and mold risks, plumbing and wiring, and HVAC and ducting.
Like any resale inspection, your final examination will cover roof, chimney, and gutters, doors and windows, exterior items, foundation, basements, and crawlspaces. Your inspector will also look at HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical conductors, circuit breakers, meters, panel boards, along with other elements of the home.
Hire a Home Inspector Today
King Home Inspections guarantees thorough home inspections every time. Our home inspectors, who have extensive construction experience, complete a total of two appointments per day, ensuring they remain focused on you and your property. Detailed computer-generated reports are always given the same day as the service. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
