Before you buy a home, you need to have an inspection done. A home inspection will cover the entire home, targeting a variety of possible concerns. After the home inspection is completed, you’ll know if the home passed or failed inspection.
You’ll also be given your own copy of what the inspection found. It is then up to you to decide if you want to go through with the purchase, negotiate the deal, or walk away completely. This isn’t an easy decision to make.
A lot of thought will need to go into this, but to make things a bit easier on yourself, there are a few questions to ask home inspectors before they leave. Asking the home inspector the right questions could lead you down the path of making the right choice.
In order to know exactly what you’re walking into when it comes to purchasing a new home, continue reading below. Here are some questions you should ask the inspector after the inspection is completed!
Is This a Common Issue?
After an inspection is completed, be sure to go over the list of every issue that the inspection found. When reviewing the issues, ask the inspector if each issue is a common one. There might be some problems that arise that may seem like a big deal but are actually quite common and easy to fix.
Before you let something stress you out, make sure you ask the inspector how common it is to find that issue during home inspections. This could give you some insight into how easy or hard it’ll be to correct and how expensive it’ll be.
Is This a Problem?
Another question to ask about specific things found during the inspection is if those things are going to become a problem. Maybe you don’t have the funds to fix everything on the inspection list right away. You’ll want to know if a certain issue needs to be addressed immediately or if you can hold off on it for a while.
How big of an issue is this? Let the inspector give you some insight on the issue at hand.
Is There an Expert You Recommend?
Keep in mind that inspectors are not specialists in specific areas of the home. They come in to do general inspections. If there is a problem that comes back after the inspection, you can ask the inspector about the issue at hand, but the inspector cannot give you repair estimates.
Once you know you have an issue with something such as the roof, you can ask the inspector if they recommend an expert for you to call. Ask the inspector if he or she believes bringing in an expert is a good option and ask for the recommendation.
An expert can come in and look further into the issue and present you with estimates.
What’s the Most Important Issue to Tackle?
If your inspection comes back with multiple concerns, you should speak with the inspector about the most important issue to tackle first. Ask the inspector to give you his or her own opinion about how to list the concerns in order of priority.
This is a beneficial list to have because you can then begin to tackle issues one at a time and know which ones are the most concerning and which ones can be pushed back to repair at a later time.
Can This Issue Be the First of Many?
There may be a few minor issues that appear in the inspection report. These issues might not need to be addressed right away, but how long can these small issues go unfixed before they create more problems or one bigger problem?
This is something you need to speak with the inspector about as well. Can these small issues lead to bigger ones? How long can you go before they’ll need to be addressed?
Can You Explain This Issue to Me?
If something comes up on an inspection report and you don’t understand what it means, then don’t hesitate to ask. Your inspector might not be an expert on the heating system or on the foundation issues, but they know enough to know what’s concerning about it.
Ask them to explain the issue to you. What does this terminology mean? How does something like this happen?
They can give you a general explanation of the problem.
How Much Longer Will the Roof Last Me?
A home’s roof is an essential piece of it. Just like the foundation, plumbing, and electrical, a roof is one of the major things to be concerned about. If any problems come up during the inspection about the roof, then these are things you want to address and talk about.
Even if the roof isn’t listed on the inspection report, it’s still a good idea to speak with the inspector about the roof’s health. Ask the inspector how much longer he or she thinks the roof will last. Remember, replacing a roof is a huge job and can get costly as well.
You need to be aware of the answers to these questions before buying the house.
These Are the Questions to Ask Home Inspectors!
When a home inspector comes into a home, it’s the perfect opportunity to ask as many questions as you can think of. Buying a home is a big investment, and we want to make sure you make the right decision.
These are the best questions to ask home inspectors to ensure you have peace of mind when purchasing a new home.
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