Buying a new home can be one of the most exciting times in your life. Part of the home-buying process is obtaining a home inspection. A thorough inspection is so important because purchasing a home is quite a large investment. However, at first glance, reviewing your inspection report can be a bit confusing or overwhelming. Not to worry, we will break down the report to give you a better idea of what you’re looking at. If you’ve never seen a report, our office is happy to share a sample report.
The table of contents is a great place to start. You can refer to this page to quickly locate the page number where each new section begins. Following this, you will find the intro page. It is here you can identify the definition of various abbreviations you may see throughout your report. Next, you can see a section titled General Summary. This part of the report is a brief overview of all systems and discoveries that were made during the home inspection. It is not an all-inclusive list, so it is extremely important to thoroughly read the entire report.
The remainder of the report is a comprehensive dive into each system. The first system reported on is the structural system. This will include things like the foundation, roof, walls, and ceilings. This is a very important section to pay attention to. The foundational integrity of a home is paramount, as structural repairs can be expensive. Another item in this list to pay close attention to is the roof, as any major problems can also be quite costly to fix.
Then you will find the section pertaining to electrical systems. Included here are the outlets throughout the home, as well as the electrical panel. The inspection will reveal if there are any outlets throughout the home that may not be functioning. Further down, you can locate the plumbing section. The inspector will be checking the water heater, locating the water main, looking for dripping and/or nonfunctioning faucets inside and outside the home.
The HVAC system is our next segment, and it is usually a big concern for home buyers. A visual inspection of the HVAC equipment, as well as vents and ducts, is completed, and units will be tested to ensure the heating and air are properly functioning. However, it may not be a bad idea to have a licensed HVAC specialist complete a comprehensive checkup to point out any potential issues that could arise.
The final section of your report will encompass all appliances in the home. This will include the kitchen appliances, bathroom exhaust fans, garage door, as well as cabinetry throughout the home.
Don’t let a home inspection report make you nervous simply because there are several pages, leaving you thinking there are numerous issues. Sometimes the things found on inspection are easy fixes, such as a loose window latch. It is important to sit down with your agent and figure out what you can live with, what repairs you would like to negotiate with the seller, and what will ultimately be a deal breaker. Of course, if you have any questions or need some clarity about what is in your report, our inspectors are more than happy to speak with you!