Buying a home is the single most expensive purchase most people will ever make. For a few hundred dollars you can use the services of a home inspector to get a much better idea of the homes physical condition than you would otherwise have known.
Colorado requires that the purchase and sales agreement have a clause allowing you the right to have the home inspected to your satisfaction or get a full refund of your deposit. Exercising this right is definitely in your best interest.
Large and costly problems may be brought to your attention before you buy the home, leaving you in a position to renegotiate the terms of the sale or just walk away from the deal. You may prefer to have the seller make repairs, or you may negotiate a price cut. The choice is yours. You will be in a far more difficult position if problems are discovered after the deal is closed.
Preliminaries
Typical homes take 2-3 hours to inspect. When the client arrives the inspector often presents a pre-inspection agreement to be signed followed by payment. A good inspector then gives the client an overview of the inspection process and invites the client to accompany him.
Items covered
Though the order may vary the inspector should at least visually inspect the following:
interior (non-cosmetic) bathrooms roof / attic
foundation / basement plumbing system framing / structure
electrical system heating system chimney
air conditioning system garage kitchen / appliances / laundry
Additional services
Additional items such as pools, spas, barns & other outer structures, docks & sea walls, well flow, wood destroying insects, lawn sprinkler systems, fences & gates and EIFS (exterior insulation & finish systems) may be offered by the inspection company but may add to the fee. The inspection company may also offer environmental services such as:
water testing formaldehyde testing lead testing asbestos testing
radon testing carbon monoxide testing septic inspection
Completion
Upon completion of the inspection the inspector should give the client a summary of what was discovered and an opportunity to ask questions. The client then receives a signed written report of the findings, which no other party is entitled to see (i.e. seller). Most buyers share this report with me as their buyers’ agent, as it is helpful in inspection negotiations.
Ethics
The inspector’s job is to inform the client of the condition of the home. He can describe any problems discovered, explain how and why they occurred, and even make repair recommendations. The inspector should not recommend contractors, estimate repair costs (unless the inspector is an active contractor in the particular field), recommend whether or not the client should purchase the home, comment on its market value, or benefit in any way from the repair or sale of the home.
Disclaimer
The inspection is limited to the condition of the house at the time of inspection and what is visually accessible. It is important to understand that an inspection is not a warranty and that it is limited. Due to industry pressures, an inspection is expected to take no more than 2-3 hours. It is impossible for an inspector to inspect every one of the thousands of components that make up a home in this 2-3 hours. He must rely on his experience to optimize the time available and focus on the most important items. No two inspectors will make exactly the same report.