| What To Expect: Home buyers sometimes buy their | | | | piping.Electrical: to determine the condition and |
| home in on impulse. Home inspectors can help home | | | | necessary upgrades and repairs to the electrical |
| buyers avoid buyers remorse by reporting on home | | | | system, telephone system wiring, intercom system, |
| defects and problems before the home buyer finds | | | | security systems, heat detectors, carbon monoxide |
| them after closing. Professional home inspectors | | | | detectors, smoke detectors, provide circuit mapping, |
| assist home buying clients with the tools they need | | | | determine the electrical system capacity, adequacy |
| to make an educated choice regarding the quality and | | | | of ground bonding, perform voltage testing, to |
| condition of their potential new home. Home buyers | | | | evaluate electro magnetic fields, check voltage drops |
| must take care to hire the most experienced home | | | | and circuit impedance.Chimney sweep: check condition |
| inspector they can afford and make sure the person | | | | of flue, safety of wood burning stoves and perform |
| they hire has their best interest solely in mind. | | | | level II chimney flue inspections as recommended by |
| Inspectors who rely on realtors for referrals | | | | National Fire Protection Association.Appraisal: |
| sometimes have moral dilemmas.Buyers Benefits: A | | | | determine the value of building and suitability for |
| professional home inspection is the best way for | | | | intended use, check zoning ordinances and provide an |
| potential home buyers to effectively evaluate the | | | | opinion on the advisability of purchase.Mechanical |
| risks of a property purchase. A major concern of | | | | contractor: determine the adequacy of the heating |
| home buyers is being suddenly confronted with | | | | and cooling system size and provide efficiency |
| major and costly problems after they take | | | | measurement, provide an underground storage tank |
| possession of a property. A professional pre-purchase | | | | evaluation, perform heat exchanger leakage test, |
| home inspection can reduce anxiety by screening for | | | | check the condition of evaporator coils, determine air |
| problems and itemizing them in a comprehensive | | | | flow velocity and balance system.Appliance service |
| report. This report may include approximations of | | | | person: test and calibrate oven and range |
| repair costs and recommendations of useful upgrades | | | | temperature, test for microwave leakage, check to |
| to the property systems. The general result of a | | | | determine if appliances secured to floor as |
| professional home inspection is that property buyers | | | | required.Roofing contractor: more detailed evaluation |
| make significantly more informed purchases.Screening | | | | of the roofing, flashing, chimney, provide tall ladder |
| for Problems: All homes have strong and weak | | | | roof inspection and a detailed evaluation of the life |
| points, they are not always what they seem. Gain | | | | expectancy of the roofing, feasibility of repair vs. |
| the perspective and sound information you need to | | | | replacement.Home buyers are advised to make sure |
| make better decisions with a home inspection | | | | they check all of the following items carefully. If any |
| performed by an experienced professional home | | | | of these problems after the purchase of the home |
| inspector. A good home inspector works through a | | | | the problems come with the home and they are now |
| very long checklist of potential concerns to identify | | | | the YOURS (without costly litigation).GENERALWere |
| the major and minor deficiencies in the home. A good | | | | all your questions answered by the home |
| report will clearly describe the problems and illustrate | | | | inspector?Were all your questions for the home |
| them along with the what-to and how-to of | | | | owner answered in writing?Have the previously |
| repairs.Provide Owners Benefits: Home owners who | | | | agreed to repairs been professionally |
| are planning to make improvements to their homes in | | | | completed?Have warranties and guarantees been |
| order to increase its market value would be well | | | | provided for agreed upon repairs?Were the home |
| advised to have it inspected first. A home inspectors | | | | inspectors recommendations to have all |
| can help prioritize home improvements and offer | | | | recommended additional inspections and invasive |
| advice on the best ways to approach repairs. More | | | | inspections performed? If not open ended risks may |
| importantly, an inspectors can help the seller identify | | | | be more than most buyers budgets can |
| potential or undiscovered problems before those | | | | bare?EXTERIORCheck the operation of the windows |
| problems become material for contract contingencies. | | | | and screens?Has water been stopped from |
| By taking a pro-active approach one can avoid the | | | | accumulating near the building?Check doors, decks, |
| frustrations many owners encounter when they are | | | | siding, windows & fences for damage / |
| asked to renegotiate their contracts because of | | | | deterioration?Are there any signs of water infiltration |
| unanticipated problem areas.Credentials: Like any | | | | from the roof, siding or windows?Are there any signs |
| other professional, home inspectors (even those with | | | | of gutter or downspout problems? |
| licenses) have varied degrees of expertise. All home | | | | Are the downspouts discharging water away from |
| inspectors should be carefully screened. Inspectors | | | | the foundation?Has the soil around the home been |
| learn from experience. It takes a few thousand | | | | pitched away from the foundation?INTERIORHave all |
| inspections and a more than a few complaints for a | | | | the areas listed in the home inspection report as |
| home inspectors to LEARN what it takes to satisfy | | | | inaccessible or not traversed been accessed & |
| clients.Recently passed legislation allows New Jersey | | | | professionally inspected to determine if defects |
| home inspectors to be licensed with as little as three | | | | exist?Do the garage doors and their openers |
| weeks of class room training and just one week in | | | | function?Was the reversing devices for the garage |
| actual homes. Licensing is a minimum qualification. | | | | door openers tested?Did you find out why any stains |
| Make sure you ask for resume! Belive it or not the | | | | or cracks on any of the walls or ceilings that have |
| standards in many states are LOWER!Many people | | | | become larger or have appeared since the time of |
| without specific home inspection credentials offer | | | | the home inspection?Have all cracked windows or |
| home inspection services. Likewise, credentials are | | | | mirrors been repaired?Have all the clouded double |
| not always what they seem. Engineering and | | | | pane windows been replaced?Are all the permanently |
| architectural credentials alone do not prepare anyone | | | | installed fixtures or appliances been in place and in |
| to competently inspect homes and communicate the | | | | good condition?Are there any signs of birds, rodents |
| findings. A helping attitude, good communication skills, | | | | or animals? |
| and mature judgment must supplement technical | | | | Has any damage to damage to the walls, floor or |
| competence. Make sure you work with a company | | | | ceilings been repaired?PLUMBINGDo the plumbing |
| employing a contract which specifies both what is | | | | fixture faucets leak or drip?Are the plumbing fixtures |
| inspected and what limitations apply.Additional | | | | chipped or damaged?Was water for a time through |
| services like the ones listed below are usually NOT | | | | all plumbing fixtures and check for leakage?Was |
| included in the standard home inspection are available | | | | water for a time through all plumbing fixtures and |
| for an additional fee. Code compliance: to determine | | | | check for stoppage?ELECTRICALAre all the light |
| what changes and upgrades are necessary for the | | | | fixtures are all in place?Do the light fixtures, switches |
| home to comply with modern (or when built) building, | | | | and receptacles all function?Does the door bell |
| fire, plumbing, zoning, mechanical and electrical code | | | | work?HEATING AND COOLINGDo the thermostat, |
| and to determine if the required permits and | | | | heating and cooling systems function?Is there |
| inspection were obtained when changes were made | | | | adequate air flow through the heating and cooling |
| to the home.Engineering analysis: structural, heating, | | | | registers?Did all the radiators or convectors get |
| cooling, soils, electrical, geological, site, investigate for | | | | warm in a reasonable amount of time?KITCHENDo all |
| latent structural defects or problems, evaluate the | | | | the appliances function properly?Are the counter tops |
| condition of playground equipment, determine if | | | | or cabinets damaged?Do the cabinets and drawers |
| private waste disposal systems are functional, | | | | operate?Complete this check list during the walk |
| determine if cantilevers are safe, evaluate traffic | | | | through and go over it with your attorney prior to |
| density and noise, evaluate insulation efficiency, | | | | closing on the property Most inspection companies |
| perform flood plain review and issue flood hazard | | | | accept no liability for changes and problems that |
| certification, evaluate easements and encroachments, | | | | occur after the home inspection takes place. Please |
| determine the quantity and cost of wood | | | | take the time to carefully and completely perform |
| replacement made necessary by rot, age, water | | | | your pre-settlement walk though. Contact the home |
| infiltration and insect damage.Hazardous materials: to | | | | inspection company if there are any questions.Michael |
| determine the presence or absence of: asbestos, | | | | Del Greco is President of Accurate Inspections, Inc. A |
| lead paint, lead in water, formaldehyde, radon gas, | | | | New Jersey home inspection firm, has performed |
| lead paint, fungus, mold, mildew, water and air quality, | | | | thousands of home inspections in New Jersey since |
| toxic or allergenic substances, flammable materials, | | | | 1993, taught the New Jersey Home Inspector |
| underground oil or fuel tanks and other environmental | | | | Licensing classes and New Jersey Home Inspector |
| hazards.Pest evaluation: to determine the presence of | | | | CEU classes as well as participated in developing |
| animal, rodent, termite, pest or insect infestation and | | | | questions for the National Home Inspector Exam. The |
| to provide an opinion as to the cost of repairing | | | | home inspector's resume may be viewed at inspector |
| damage caused from these infestations.Pool and spa: | | | | Michael Del Greco is President of Accurate |
| to evaluate the necessary changes and upgrades to | | | | Inspections, Inc., a New Jersey Home Inspection Firm |
| pools, pool equipment, gates and fences.Plumbing: to | | | | He has performed thousands of home inspections in |
| determine the condition and necessary upgrades and | | | | New Jersey. He has taught the New Jersey Home |
| repairs to the waste piping, main sewer pipe, supply | | | | Inspector CEU & Licensing classes and help in |
| piping, venting, shower pans and tub walls, lawn and | | | | developing questions for the National Home Inspector |
| fire sprinklers, water wells (water quality and | | | | Exam. |
| quantity) condition of underground and under slab | | | | |