8 Reasons for Performing a Home Inspection

Whenever someone buys or sells a home, a home inspection is necessary and there are a lot of reasons for this. The procedure is not only meant to uncover structural problems, but also to help the buyer negotiate the price if it is a pre purchase inspection, to detect any pests or safety issues and to make sure the settlement is correct. These are 8 good reasons to perform an inspection:

1.Saving Money in the Long Term

The cost of a typical inspection for one home with a single family is of a few hundred dollars. This sum is small considering the amount of money you can save in the long term if you don’t have to perform any future repairs. You surely don’t want to realize this later from your own experience so it would be wiser to inspect the building early and avoid any problems.

As a side note: In an effort to help our Long Island community save money, the Home Inspector Experts is giving all Long Island residents 25% off on their home inspections for the month of Febuary! Checkout our announcement on Twitter.

This month we will be providing a 25% discount for ALL of our Long Island home inspection services! https://t.co/wskZpmB8gD #homeinspection

— Home Inspectors LI (@homeinspector58) February 13, 2016

 

2.Discovering Safety Issues and Structural Problems

An evaluation of the home can help you to detect problems that could compromise the safety of your family. There could be some issues involving the hidden parts of the structure, such as bad wiring, mold presence, or the presence of radon. Foundations could have problems even from the beginning and this can be common for new homes. Just like you cannot judge a book by its cover, you cannot judge a building by its exterior parts. Even the smallest leak can grow in time and could lead to major issues that could cost you a large sum of money.

3.Obtaining a Lower Price

Another good reason for inspecting the home you are buying is the possibility to negotiate the price and obtain a lower one. This can happen when the home has some issues and is not worth the price that the seller is wanting. The buyer can include in the contract clauses referring to repairs that the sellers has to make if the requested price is going to be respected. In any other case, the price has to become lower.

4.Receiving Advice About Maintenance

Home inspectors can help homeowners and buyers with advice and tips, because there are well-trained and have many years of experience. You can ask any questions and the expert will be able to answer them. As a buyer, it is always good to be informed about your future home.

5.Detecting Pests or the Presence of Insects

Pest control is another important thing for any home and the seller must be aware of it. You surely don’t want the building that you are about to buy to be infested with rodents, ants, termites and other similar creatures. During home inspection, this type of problem can be uncovered and the sellers can do something about it.

6.Protecting Your Family

If you are concerned about safety, an inspection can be the best thing you can do. Listen, if you are in need of any Long Island home inspection services the Home Inspector Experts should be your first choice. We have been inspecting homes on Long Island for quite some time and we know exactly what to look for that is specific to the area you are living in whether that is Suffolk County or Nassau County, L.I. You can become aware of any hazards, dangers and safety issues that can be involved in the acquisition or sale of a home. You can have peace of mind and this is one of the most important aspects. When you are moving to a home that is safe and solid, you can make sure that you will not be stressed in any way in the future and your family is protected.

7.Uncovering Any Illegal Installations

Homes can sometimes be the subject of illegal installations or additions. If the current owner has done such things, these extensions will be uncovered during the evaluation. Sometimes the extensions that homeowners have made are beyond the legal permits or codes. This can have an effect on the building’s insurance, taxes and value.

8.Having a Real Perspective Over the Building’s Value

Quite often during the acquisition of a home, buyers can become blinded by the structure’s aesthetics. Maybe they like the home so much that they forget about important aspects like safety or the need for repairs. An inspection can help the buyer to get a real impression about the future acquisition. Experts can help you to determine if your dream home really is a dream home or your future nightmare.

Conclusion

The conclusion is there are numerous reasons to perform a home inspection, a procedure that is highly recommended by experts. A new home is like an investment for the future. If you want your investment to be secured, you can ask a professional to help you. This individual will be able to perform a more detailed inspection than a real estate agent.

8 Reasons for Performing a Home Inspection was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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Who Needs a Home Inspection?

Home inspection is needed in three main cases: when you have a home and you want to know its true value and condition, when you have a home and you want to put it for sale and when you want to acquire a home. Professional home inspectors can evaluate a home regardless of how old the building is. The building’s structures and systems are checked and the expert will be able to provide a report about the state of the foundation, roof, plumbing systems, HVAC systems, electrical systems and various structural parts of the building. A home inspector always performs the inspection job for the person who pays for the evaluation.

Home Inspection for Homeowners

This is a typical evaluation of your home that should be performed every four or five years for detecting any possible dangers to the inhabitants. Any issue can be detected early, in order to avoid any further repercussions. Costly repairs can be avoided in this way. This evaluation has a direct impact on your life, because it can provide peace of mind and an assurance of safety for you and your family.

 

Home inspection for Home Sellers

This type of inspection can be useful for people who want to sell a house. The owners will get an objective evaluation of their building before they put it for sale. As a seller, you can receive advice regarding all the aspects that could help you get the most value from your home. The main advantages are these: selling faster and at a better price.

If you want to put a house on the market for the purpose of selling it, you can have the opportunity to reduce the time normally needed for negotiation. Performing an evaluation is one of the major steps that you can take for selling a home the proper way. The marketability of the house that you are about to sell improves. Any problems that may be discovered during the evaluation can be solved in a timely manner.

Home Inspection for Home Buyers

This is one of the most common types of verification and the costs can depend on the size of the building and its location. Buyers usually expect that the professional will help them to achieve their goals and this is what actually happens. However, there are definitely some basic questions to ask a home inspector before hiring them, after all they will be inspecting what is likely the most costly investment of your life! This obviously means that they want to buy a home that is in the proper condition so that they don’t have to pay more later for repairs.

A specific amount of time is offered to home buyers for completing an inspection of the building that they want to acquire. The need for home inspectors seems to be increasing right now, as real estate buyers are more aware of the benefits of an inspection and they tend to be more cautious regarding what they buy.

No matter which one of the three cases above applies to your situation, you must allow up to three hours for the inspection to complete. You can be present during this time in order to have an overview of the home’s condition. You will be able to express your concerns and ask any question that you may have. Prepare a list of questions before the inspector comes to your home.

Who Needs a Home Inspection? was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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The Need For Electrical Inspections

Should you have an electrical inspection conducted? If so, when should you have an electrical inspection conducted? According to real estate expert Monica Dillon in an article for SF Gate.com*, the Electrical Safety Foundation recommends you conduct an electrical inspection when: purchasing a home, when the home is older than 40-years, when adding a new appliance, or when you are doing a major renovation. It’s also important that all new electrical installations have an inspection conducted to be sure it meets all minimum safety requirements.
We at the Home Inspector Experts believe that Just like a general home inspection is important, an electrical inspection is an important component of the general inspection or as a stand-alone inspection. Outdated, incorrectly installed or damaged electrical components in your home could cause a fire.

Safety:
It is important that the dwelling meets national as well as local electrical codes. Older homes should be very carefully inspected and brought up to standard and codes. Electrical failures are a common cause of house fires. Electrical inspections can ensure the safety of your home. There are 28,600 electrical fires each year in this country causing 310 deaths and 1,100 injuries according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Faulty, outdated, or overburdened electrical wires or systems are among of the main causes of electrical fires.

Wiring and Electrical Service Panel:
The electrical panel acts in many ways as the brain or center of all your home’s electricity. It’s important that it’s updated and to code. It is also important that it’s capable of handling the electrical load of your home. If the house is more than 40 years old, it’s quite likely that the electrical panel as well as the wiring are outdated and will need to be brought up to code. It will need to be updated by a licensed professional.

If the electrical panel contains round (outdated) fuses then the home will likely contain outdated wiring. Without updated wiring, you could find it difficult to insure the home or pass an inspection. More importantly, failure to update wiring could pose a significant safety concern.

Lighting and Outlets – interior and exterior:
Outlets: Home with outdated electrical systems should have a professional contractor install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) in any potentially wet areas such as kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, garages, and exterior outlets. (All exterior outlets must be GFCIs.) Light switches much also be a certain distance from water or wet areas according to code. A reputable house inspector will red flag any areas of concern which will need to be addressed. Most electrical contractors or inspectors recommend that homeowners regularly have GFCIs tested to ensure they are functioning properly.

Lighting:

All lighting (interior as well as exterior), interior outlets, switches, any appliance cords currently in use, and all GFCIs should be checked regularly to ensure proper functioning and that they are in good condition. A home owner should have a licensed electrician immediately inspect any outlets or lighting producing any type of sound such as a humming.
It’s highly advisable to conduct a home inspection prior to the purchase of any dwelling or during a renovation. An electrical inspection is an important part of any home inspection.

The Need For Electrical Inspections was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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The Importance of Environmental Inspections

Home inspections are extremely important to determine the condition of any dwelling. We highly suggest that any sale or listing involve a thorough home inspection by a reputable, certified inspector. Home Inspector Experts is one of the leading home inspection companies in the Long Island area across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Prospective clients often reach out to us after their realtors have recommended a home inspection. Our answer is always the same: Yes, you should have a home inspection. We offer various types of home inspections. One very important inspection that usually cause clients to pause is an Environmental Inspection. However, the problems these inspections can uncover are often invisible or silent with dire health consequences if left undiagnosed.

WHY PERFORM ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS?
An environmental inspection can uncover or detect a silent killer such as carbon monoxide or radon which can make residents sick with prolonged exposure. Environmental testing can require specialized equipment and/or testing, and only those inspectors with the correct certification and training should perform these types of tests.

We offer are various types of environmental tests as part of an environmental inspection. You can do one of the tests or all of them depending on the circumstances. If you’re unsure as to what you should do, we can help you decide. We don’t believe in doing unnecessary tests, but we do believe in safety and the high value of home inspections. However, prolonged exposure to some of the possible environmental issues can have serious consequences and we recommend that if there are any doubts, a test be performed. For example, exposure to carbon monoxide can be fatal in a fairly short period.
As a leader in the home inspection industry on Long Island we know how valuable these inspections can be, particularly among older homes. However, we are quick to add that even newly-built homes can have issues! Our licensed and certified inspectors and experts will carefully inspect your dwelling and notify you of any health of environment concerns we have. All our testing methods are E.P.A. approved.
These are the types of environmental inspection we do (each is important for its own reasons):

— Water quality screening can help identify any bacteria or pollutants in the dwelling’s water.
— Carbon Monoxide can be fatal and testing for its presence (including installation of carbon monoxide detectors) can mean the difference between life and death.
— Mold inspection and testing is important for health purposes, particularly in homes with children or asthmatics.
— Urea Formaldehyde testing will check for vapors in your home. Urea Formaldehyde was used in the 1950’s in foam insulation inside homes. Its vapor can cause certain health complications.
— Asbestos testing. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that under certain conditions can be a highly toxic carcinogen, and it’s important to have your home inspected for its presence. In some cases, if asbestos is found, it can be left undisturbed. If it needs to be removed, it should be done by certified professionals.
— Electro-Magnetic Fields are more controversial as the science on whether or not they can be carcinogenic is still inconclusive. Even so, it’s can be beneficial to check your dwelling for the strength of EMF’s bearing in mind that modern technology inevitably exposes all of us to EMFs.
— Radon testing: This is what the EPA states regarding Radon testing: “Health authorities like the CDC, Surgeon General, American Medical Association, American Lung Association and others agree that we know enough now to recommend radon testing and to encourage public action when levels are above 4 pCi/L.” Radon occurs naturally in the ground and can be found in both older as well as brand new homes.

If you are unsure as to whether you should have a professional home inspection, give us a call to discuss how we can help you.

The Importance of Environmental Inspections was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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Doing a Structural Inspection

While buyers and sellers will think of ordering a basic home inspection, not many think of a structural inspection, particularly important on older buildings. A structural inspection evaluates the structural integrity of a building or, in other words, its skeleton. It will look in great detail throughout the building from the roof to the basement or crawlspace to examine the foundation.

Why do a structural inspection?
1) The building’s structure is what holds it together. It’s absolutely important for you to be certain when purchasing a new home that it is structurally sound. If even one piece of it is compromised, the structural integrity of the building is also compromised and the consequences could be significant.
2) Structural inspections go where the naked, untrained eye might not. Most of the building’s structural components are within the walls, ceiling, etc. A home inspector is trained to detect issues by looking for evidence or clues of a possible problem.
What to expect from a structural inspection:
A reputable and well-trained inspector will inspect the building from top to bottom, and they should do so very carefully. They will closely examine walls (interior and exterior), roof (inside and out), framing, foundation, basement, floors and ceilings, and any visible support beams or columns.
During the inspection, they are looking for any evidence that there is or might be a structural problem. Given that most structural elements are contained within the envelope of the building (many structural beams are behind walls, for example), it’s important that your inspector be experienced and skilled in this type of inspection. For example, an experienced inspector will know whether cracks in the foundation are normal or a sign of more serious issues with the structure.
A checklist for the inspector of would most likely include:
— Examining the exterior or facade of the house to check that they are straight with no sagging or cracking.
— Checking windows and door frames to ensure they are square and level; that windows aren’t bowed.
— Check the fascia board lines to ensure they are level and straight.
— Check the foundation to ensure it’s good, straight, with no serious cracks.
— Check interior walls, ceilings and floors to make certain that they’re plumb and level, not sagging.
— Check any visible structural wood such as in the attic to ensure there’s no damage, cracking, sagging.
Whether or not to do a structural inspection above and beyond a basic home inspection can be a difficult decision but you could discuss this idea with your inspector and whether or not a separate structural inspection is necessary.

You should attend the inspection and any reputable inspector will welcome your presence. You should feel free to ask any questions during the inspection, particularly if the inspector finds any issues.

Once your report is complete, you will have detailed information about the house you are purchasing (or selling). Any areas of concern will also be detailed in the report along with the recommended course of action. Most importantly, the report should detail whether or not the structure is safe and sound.

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Home Maintenance Tips From Your Inspector

As licensed home inspectors here in Long Island, New York we have the pleasure of entering and seeing many brilliant and beautiful homes on a daily basis. I consider it one of the awesome perks of the job to be able to see some of these houses, it is truly amazing!

One of the things that I am also taken aback by so many times on the job is how some of these homes are so poorly taken care of. Most of the time in life, our homes will be the biggest investment that we ever make and if you take care of it, it will take care of you in return.

In the same fashion that brushing our teeth, eating healthily and working out can dramatically improve our health and the quality of our life, doing some simple maintenance and upkeep on our homes can do wonders for not only it’s look and feel but also in keeping everything running like a well oiled machine.

The following article by makingdiyfun.com outlines 12 home maintenance tips to keep things running smoothly:

12 Home Maintenance Tips To Keep Things Running Smoothly.

Just like your precious car, your house and your property needs some fine tuning. It’s a little time consuming, but your house will look nicer, and run more efficiently, saving you time and money in the long run.

To help you start with your home maintenance tasks, here is a simple checklist.

Hopefully you gained some value from the above article and were able to take away some actionable tips on how you can better maintain your home. If you are a new home owner you might be a little overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of responsibility that owning your own home can be.

Don’t worry though, because with every great responsibility comes tremendous reward. Just think of how nice it will feel on Sunday afternoon after a long week’s work and you have finished all your responsibilities. The house is clean and taken care of, the lawn is mowed, the oil guy just left after delivering your oil and all is well with the world. Now you can sit back and truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This article is not only meant for the new homeowners that need a crash course on maintaining their homes. It is our hope that we can provide some value and actionable information as well as gentle reminders for the long time homeowners as well. The following Youtube video has some really great tips on maintaining your home:

Maintaining Your New Home

We are so very lucky in this modern age to be able to have just about all the information we could ever want and need literally at our fingertips. The internet contains a plethora of information that can answer just about any question that a homeowner might have. There are some absolutely wonderful forums and communities out there such as thisoldhouse.com and diychatroom.com where you can ask questions and get them answered by experts who have been through exactly what you are looking to do or accomplist. How great is that!?

Another great tool for maintaining your home and tips on caring for it properly is an age old secret. It involves dealing face to face with the experts. In this case I’m not talking about home inspectors and home improvement people at all. I’m talking about your older relatives, your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and/or really anyone who has owned their own home for a significant amount of time. With this time comes experience, experience that you can learn from, make it a point to pick their brain or discuss some home maintenance things with them, you might be surprised by their answers!

Also, depending upon where you live you will need different tips, tricks and techniques involved with proper maintenance on your home that is specific to the area that you live in. For example, taking care of and maintaining a home in Hawaii would naturally be night and day different to maintaining a home in the pacific northwest.

There also major differences that come with each season and things will need to be done differently accordingly. With winter here we thought it would be appropriate to expand on some winters home maintenance tips. The following is a great article on winter home maintenance tips:

Winter Home Maintenance Tips

Preparing your home for winter is an important annual ritual for homeowners. For instance, did you know that adding insulation in your attic before winter arrives can help prevent ice dams this winter? And do not forget that tuning up your heating system now can help prevent more costly emergency repairs at the height of a storm, when it can be difficult to find supplies and licensed contractors. The following winter maintenance tips can help you prepare your home to withstand another cold season.

We hope that you will find this post helpful to you no matter where you are in your life or how long you have been a homeowner.

For more great actionable articles like this please visit our blog at: http://www.homeinspectorexperts.com/blog/

 

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What to Ask a Home Inspector Prior to Hiring Them

It can be tempting to just buy that exquisite home without ordering a home inspection – after all, it looks perfect. That, however, could be a mistake.

Whether a home is new or old, ordering an inspection prior to signing off on the purchase is always prudent. Some mortgage lenders might even require an inspection prior to approving a loan. Even the best contractor/builder, or the most meticulous of homeowners, can’t ensure everything is in perfect working order. And, as a potential homeowner, it can be easy to miss issues if you’re on a walk-through.

It’s extremely important to select a highly reputable home inspector. Here are a few tips to consider, as reported in 2014 by U.S. News & World Report’s Money blog.

1) It’s perfectly appropriate to interview any home inspector prior to hiring them. Ask if they belong to one of the industry organizations: National Association of Home Inspectors, American Society of Home Inspectors or the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. There are some minimum requirements to belong to one of these, and you should eliminate any inspector not a member of at least one. Also, ask if they belong to any local or state organizations.

2) Ask about their background and how they got started as a home inspector. The best inspectors have serious training and/or background in the building industry. Some were once builders themselves.

3) Once you know how they got a start in the inspection industry, ask how many years of experience they have. It might be worth asking where they’ve gotten most of their experience. A red flag could be an inspector who has worked in several states in a short period of time. Ask for references of other homes they’ve inspected both recently and several years earlier. (If they missed something during a home inspection, it might not be obvious to a home owner for a while ).

4) Be sure you know what their fee covers before you hire them. What exactly will they be inspecting? Their job is to find things that aren’t obvious – those things that can’t easily be seen within reason, of course. Roof, attic, and basements should be inspected and a good inspector should be able to access them. Appliances, especially water heaters, furnaces, and electrical box should be inspected. Some inspectors will be able to tell you whether certain items are up to code but at minimum, should be able to tell you if systems are functioning properly and safe.

5) Two final items: Ask if you can be at the inspection. If they say no, that’s a serious red flag. (A good realtor will often attend the inspection with you as well.) You should not only be able to attend the inspection, but you should feel free to ask questions. It’s also not unusual for the inspector have some questions of their own and provide feedback as he goes through the inspection. You should be certain not to get in their way, but having homeowner/potential homeowner in attendance is usually welcomed by a reputable inspector.

And, it’s important to know when their report will be ready and what should you expect. If the inspection is required by the lender, you need to be certain that his report meet their requirements and any required format.

Checkout this video for our Huntington NY home inspection services:

 

Related: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/04/27/7-questions-to-ask-when-choosing-a-home-inspector

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