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Questions to ask during home inspections
Many of our
clients are unsure what questions to ask during
home inspections. We can assure you if you
feel your question is too silly to ask you
should ask it anyway. Chances are someone
before you either asked it already or asked a
sillier one.
I'll start my list with questions I am never
asked that I think are most important.
First question you should ask is one that I have
yet to be asked by any home buyer since 1993
despite having 7,000 or so clients. You
should ask to see the inspectors state issued license or ID
card issued by ASHI or a reputable home
inspector organization. Please ask, I have
been carrying those ID's in my wallet for years
just in case some one asks for them. If
your inspector can't find his or hers it is time
to stop the inspection and try again with
another company.
The very next question is to ask the home
inspector who he or she is working for. If
the answer is not you as the home buyer stop the
inspection and try again with another
company. You are hiring the home
inspector. You are paying for the home
inspection. You are entitled to have a home
inspector who is working for you and only
you. If the home inspector indicates the
Realtor is the home inspection client run away.
Another question you should be asking the home
inspector is what is your education, training
and experience. A good home inspector will
have years of inspection experience, a few hundred
hours of class room experience and be
able to tell you the last few continuing
education classes attended. New Jersey law
requires inspectors to have at least 40 hours of
continuing education in home inspection every
two years. I have taught many of those
classes and found many students learned quite a
bit.
Home inspectors expect questions to be asked
during home inspections. If you ask a home
inspector a question, hear the answer and nod
your head up and down the home inspector is likely
to feel your question was answered.
If you do not understand the answer a home
inspector gives you tell the inspector. I
have no problem at all explaining things more
than once and in different ways till buyers
understand.
Ask the home inspector about any of your
concerns. Do not bother asking the
inspector if you should buy the home, if the
home is right for you, if the price is
right, who has to fix what and the
like. Home inspectors can answer your
questions about most issues however the above questions
are outside of the field of expertise of
most home inspectors.
Feel free to ask the home inspector about the drainage
around the exterior of the home, how
to help keep your basement dryer, how to prolong
the useful life of the roofing and if there are
problems with the roofing and or siding.
Home inspectors answer those questions all the
time and can provide useful tips.
While outside ask the home inspector if there
are any signs of improperly abandoned oil tanks,
if there are the home inspector can advise you
and your attorney how to proceed.
Home inspectors can tell you how many amps the
service is, the service voltage, if there is
room to expand within the electric panel, if amateurs
have caused problems with the wiring
and if the wiring appears to be safe. If
the home is older make sure you ask the
inspector if aluminium wiring or knob and
tube wiring exists, both are potential fire
hazards and may make it difficult to get home
owner's insurance.
When the home inspector is inspecting the
plumbing system ask if the sewer clean out cap
is newer. If it is suspect problems with the
sewer pipe may exist and budget for replacement.
Ask the inspector how old the plumbing supply,
waste and vent pipes are. If the pipes are
old replacement may be necessary sooner than you
would like.
Heating systems must be inspected and you are
entitled to be told how the heating system
works. If you do not know the parts on the
boiler or furnace now is the time to find out.
Ask the home inspector questions about what part
does what and why they are there. Every
home inspector I know is anxious to teach you
everything he or she knows. If the
inspector does not know the names of the parts
on the equipment you should be concerned.
Many buyers have questions to ask home inspectors
about the structure of the home. Keep
in mind home inspectors can not see into or
through walls. Home inspectors can see what they
can see and make a few educated guesses. Home
inspectors are likely to miss hidden damages
from insects, rot, water and construction
defects unless obvious symptoms exist.
Home inspectors who provide an answer of "I
do not know" when asked the question is
there hidden damages are not being evasive they
are being honest.
Print out and take to the inspection a free copy
of our Home Inspection Checklist to the
inspection to assist you in determining if any
areas were missed.
Please allow
us the opportunity to assist you!
mike
Michael Del Greco, President, Accurate
Inspections, Inc.
New Jersey Home Inspector License. #GI0121
American Society of Home Inspectors Member
#102273
Independent Home Inspectors of North America
Member
Credentialed Wood Destroying Insect Inspector
#100
Home Inspection Instructor Morris County School
of Technology
Approved Home Inspector Continuing Education
Provider by the
State of New Jersey Home Inspection Advisory
Committee
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