The cost of a home inspection typically runs $375 and up, depending on the size and type of home. So, are home inspection worth the money? The short answer is yes. There that was quick wasn’t it? LOL. The longer answer is that you really need a good home inspector – and you need to understand what is and isn’t covered.
Home inspectors can only look at what is visible. They can’t, and won’t, cut into walls or dig in the ground. They can move some things – open an access panel, push insulation to the side to look at a joist, things like that. They are not experts in pest inspection (unless they have been so certified) so although they may indicate that they see rodent droppings or dead termites, they can’t tell you if there are current infestations or not. Unless the home inspection company offers add-ons (which you pay additional for) such as testing for radon, mold, or asbestos, they cannot comment on the presence, or lack thereof, of these hazards. Home Inspections typically do not cover pools, hot tubs, alarm systems, sprinkler systems, whole house vacuum systems, chimneys, wells, or septic systems. A home inspection company may be certified to inspect chimneys, wells or septic systems but that would be an add-on for an additional fee.
That sounds like a whole lot of things are not covered, right? So, what is covered? Attics, basements, crawl spaces, decks, visible joists and insulation, roofs, HVAC systems, appliances (with some restrictions depending on the inspector), siding, grading, windows, doors, electrical systems, gutters, sidewalks, and railings.
So, is it worth it? My client who discovered during the home inspection that the top of the dryer would heat up to 185 degrees when it was running would say YES! We were able to have the seller fix that prior to closing. A client who actually backed out of his contract because of the numerous issues found would say YES! It saved him from a potential money pit. Each of these clients had a fantastic home inspector who was thorough, able to explain what is serious and what is not, and took pictures of everything.
A home is the biggest investment you will probably ever make. You need to verify that it really is a good investment.
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