There may come a
time when a homeowner finds
something wrong with the property and
feels the home inspection professional should
have been more thorough. That may not
be the case. Consider that:
• Some problems become
apparent only to
someone who is living in the house. A
home inspection takes just a few hours,
and not everything can be uncovered
in this short time. Some roofs leak
only under certain conditions, for example.
Some problems are unveiled only
when carpets are lifted.
• Even if a problem
exists at the time of inspection,
there may not be any
evidence of it. Inspections are
based on past performance
of the house. If there have
been no problems in the past, there is
no reason an inspector should predict there
will be in the future.
• The
inspector is only human. Minor problems
not discovered while looking for
major problems may be overlooked. It’s
the inspector’s job to uncover the
$2000
|
problems. If he discovers a $200
problem while doing this, he’ll write
it up. But he’s not looking for $200 problems.
So some may go unnoticed and
unreported.
• The contractor and
the inspector are two
different entities. Comments
made by contractors are
often at odds with the inspector’s
opinions.
• Many contractors hold
fast to the "last man
in" theory. That
means, for example, that
the last person to work on a
roof will be blamed if the roof leaks. It makes
a contractor reluctant to do a minor
repair that could involve high liability.
|
conditioning
equipment, water heater, plumbing fixtures, or
roofing materials.
• Any client interested
in buying a historical
building
should know that significant
structural issues may be
part of the deal.
Outdated construction techniques
and components may
present problems unique to
structures of this age.
The mortar i
n the house may be failing,
and fireplaces may no longer be
safe to operate. Other problems common to
homes of this
age include inadequate electrical
and heating components,
inadequate insulation, settling,
inoperable windows and
binding doors. The
prospective homeowner should realize
that extensive repairs and upgrades
may be necessary.
As always, a professional inspection will help
the prospective
buyer fully understand the property that interests him —
regardless of its age. The inspection should
consist of a
thorough visual examination
of structural, electrical and
mechanical components. The better informed
your client is,
the more comfortable he
can feel with his decision to buy.
|
