Home inspection is an important step in the home buying process. You want to make sure the home you are buying is structurally sound and all mechanicals are working properly. Here are top mistakes home buyers make during the home inspection.
Don’t skimp on the Home Inspection
The home inspector will offer you extra tests that you can add-on to the basic home inspection. These can include additional testing for radon and water testing.
I highly recommend that you add the radon test to your home inspection. Even if there is a radon mitigation system in place, you should still conduct a radon test to ensure radon levels are acceptable. What if your home is on a slab (you have no basement) should you still test for radon? Or you heard from a neighbor that there is no radon in the area, should you skip the radon test? These are common misconceptions, many buyers think that if there is no basement, there is no radon. Radon gas is emitted from igneous rock and soil. So if your home is on a slab, you never know if the rock you are sitting on has radon or not. And just because you don’t see radon systems in your neighborhood does not mean your house is radon free.
If your house is on well water, I suggest adding on the water test to test for e-coli bacteria and other chemicals. If your house is running on septic sewer, do have a septic specialist check the septic system. Replacing or fixing septic systems can be very costly.
Be Present at the Home Inspection
This is probably one of the most important advice for home buyers. Even if you have a busy work schedule, do take time off from work to be at the home inspection. It is often difficult to understand the issues from just reading the detailed inspection report.
Walk around the house with the home inspector. You will learn a lot from the home inspector by going around with him. He will teach you a thing or two about how to best maintain your house.
Check the Weather Forecast before Scheduling your Home Inspection
Avoid scheduling the inspection when the forecast calls for heavy rain or snow. It will be difficult for the home inspector to make a thorough inspection of the exterior when it is raining or snowing. The roof may be too slippery for the inspector to climb onto. The deck might not be inspected properly.
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