12 Frequently Asked Questions to Ask Home Inspector Edmonton
So you want to buy a house Great.
What you now need is a home inspector.
Do you know what home inspectors check in order to fully know exactly what you’re buying and know exactly what’s behind that drywall and paint you need to use a home inspector.
However to do so, you need to ask some questions the questions that you ask them are very important you need to get the most value of your home inspection as possible, many times these questions are asked, long before you step foot through that front door of the property that you want to purchase.
So we’re going to go over a few questions to ask your inspector, before during and after the home inspection process.
First questions you should ask before you hire an inspector.
What do you check?
A home inspector can check, to upwards of 1500 individual features in your home.
So asking what they check, is a great way to see what they focus on in their inspection and it’s also the perfect time for you to voice your biggest concerns about an inspection, the inspector now on the same page will focus on your concerned features and most likely will provide an in-depth detail giving you all the information you need to make the best decision possible.
What don’t you check?
So now there are obviously some limits to an inspection, unfortunately inspectors are restricted to visual inspection, you can’t rip down any walls and start cutting holes in floors to see what’s behind it, but a train die can tell you what’s happening beneath these barriers and give you loads of insight.
What do you charge for a home inspection?
The home inspection costs somewhere between 300 and 600 dollars, though it generally depends on the current market, the inspector and the size of the property, typically you pay the inspector on the day of the inspections.
So you will want to know that amount specifically for that date, generally speaking you want to steer clear of any inspector that charges an extremely low fee.
I will invoke the old adage you pay what you get for, especially in this department.
How long have you been doing this? I guess more specifically the question would be. How many inspections have you done?
As with a new inspector doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality. But experience does go a long way, if the property you need to Inspect, has inordinary features or is rather unusual in structure it may be wise at this point to go with someone more Experienced.
Can i come along during the inspection?
The answer to this question should almost always be absolutely yes, Any inspector would surely want the potential new owner to be present during the inspection.
If the inspector says not to attend the appointment i would automatically suggest looking for another inspector immediately.
Next few questions are to ask, during home inspection
What does that mean and or is this a big deal, or a minor issue?
As you walk through the property with the inspector they will point out potential signs of problems or issues, however if there’s anything that you don’t understand it is absolutely okay to ask, if the home inspector is knowledgeable and experienced, they would love the opportunity to inform and even educate the future owner of the property.
So feel free to ask questions and ask the severity of any issues that they may point out.
How do i maintain a boiler, basement or HVAC system?
Your home inspector should be able to take you through, and answer virtually any questions especially how major systems work in a home and property and how best to maintain them over time, they are a resource for you during the Inspection, ask the questions and educate yourself if need be.
What are your biggest concerns about this property?
At the end of the inspection, your inspector will give you a summary of what they found in a very detailed report later on, they will highlight any issues or concerns that they may have from the inspection, at that point if anything seems to be on the important side you should call in a more specialized expert on the issue at hand, be it a plumber, electrician, roofer or hvac professional, to take a look at anything that is of urgent.
Nature questions to ask a home inspector i don’t understand this or that can you please clarify?
Generally after the inspection, a day or two later you will get your detailed inspection report, it will be a list of every flaw in the home, along with pictures and description of the problem areas, if you attend the home inspection, and it was a thorough inspection, you shouldn’t have too many questions, but if you do do not be afraid to ask after all there is a lot on the line, don’t be afraid to have it explain to you in a way, you will fully understand, is there any problems in this house that concern you and how much would it cost to fix.
Now after you get the report, most of the issues in that report will probably be pretty minor, but it’s important to ask, If there are any serious problems and a rough estimate as to what they think it may cost to fix , now it’s up to you the buyer and your real estate agent to have the sellers fix or compensate for certain issues, but having an idea of what the larger issues are, and potentially how much they would cost, will allow you to make the best deal possible.
Should i call in another expert for follow-up inspection?
Well what i would say, is if the inspector points out a major system issues such as electrical, then yes, they would probably flag that issue and you should call in an expert or an order to remedy or get a more detailed idea as to more details of the issue and what that cost may be to fix, if it’s a specialized issue.
Is there anything i need to do once i move in?
Now in that one billion pages of the home inspection report that will most likely be suggestions, as to what needs to get done immediately, what can be put on hold perhaps up to a year, and what may be a long-term fix down the road, it is important not to neglect the report that you paid for and take heed to the timelines that were spoken or outlined in that report, save yourself future headaches.
Now everything you didn’t ask the seller to fix, that’s your to-do list isn’t home ownership fun.
Hey guys if there’s anything in the world you want to talk about or have a question reach out anytime no obligation really 780-893-4811 could be about the weather cars, real estate, racing, whatever 🙂
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