Things to Do Before a Home Inspection
A home inspection is a thorough examination of the mechanical, structural, electrical, plumbing, and other systems that are part of a property. The provincial government licenses home inspectors to inspect properties for which they are responsible. When the inspector comes to your house for the first time, you will be given a checklist to fill out important information about the place. You need to have at least one item on this list that you want the inspector to verify before writing his report. Below are some things to do before a home inspection.
The very first thing to do before a home inspection is to make sure that the inspector has gone through the house thoroughly. He should have gone to all the places inside the house, including the basement, crawlspace, garage, attic, and any other part of the house that may give him access points to suspect equipment or areas of concern. He needs to be able to get around in the different parts of the house quickly. He cannot stand in front of a stove or electrical panel if there are objects that he cannot easily access. The inspector must also get into any tight spaces without making a lot of noise or leaving a trail of crumpled documents behind him.
Appearances are important. Be sure to have your home clean and fresh inside and out to make a good first impression. An inspector who sees a mess might automatically assume that there is trouble elsewhere. Hire a carpet and house cleaning service to clean the inside and a professional pressure washer for the exterior.
If you have to, hire an assistant to accompany the inspector on the visit. You can take some of the load off of him by handing him some supplies like lead water and paint sealant. Have the assistant bring some business cards with you to make it easier for the inspector to list the problems in your house without paying too much attention to the ones he can fix. When you do a home inspection, you’re essentially announcing to the world what you’ve found inside the walls, so it’s important to take the time to find out what’s wrong.
When you have all of these prerequisites in place, you can go ahead with the actual home inspection. But, remember to take your time. You want to feel comfortable with your home inspection, and it’s a good idea to get a second opinion. Your real estate agent can help you with this. If you decide to sell your home after the inspection, it’s always a good idea to have the inspector look at your house again before showing it off to real buyers.
Hopefully, these tips for doing before a home inspection will help make your home-buying experience less stressful and more successful. Buyers often drive real estate sales, but the review is a big part of the selling process. If you do everything you can to make sure that you’re prepared, your home may end up getting sold much faster than you anticipate. With some work, you should be able to find the perfect home for you.
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