Test yourself against common misconceptions about home inspections.
Q. There's no need for me to attend my home inspection; the inspector will decide whether the house passes or fails the inspection. True False
A.False. The home inspection is an informational service as opposed to a pass/fail type of service. To obtain the best understanding of a home's condition, take advantage of the opportunity an inspection provides. Accompany your home inspector, give the inspection process your full attention, clarify concerns, and follow any/all recommendations to address any problems noted in the inspection report.
Q. A home inspection is different from an appraisal. True False
A.True. Home appraisal determines estimated property value, while home inspection assesses condition.
Q. Home inspectors are not code inspectors; codes vary from locale to locale and year to year. True False
A.True. Codes apply to homes at the time they are being constructed and are not within the realm of pre-purchase home inspections. Your inspector will, however, make note of existing safety hazards or substandard workmanship and make suggestions for corrections.
Q. Having a home inspection guarantees that the home is/will remain problem free. True False
A.False. A home inspection cannot eliminate the risks involved in buying a home, but it can greatly reduce them by uncovering major defects and by educating consumers about addressing potential problems and proper home maintenance.
Q. As pre-screeners, home inspectors can save clients from having to hire individual contractors to check every area of a home. True False
A.True. Hiring a home inspector can be compared to getting a medical exam by a family doctor, or general practitioner, rather than numerous visits to different specialists.
Q. It's better to hire an engineer or architect to do an inspection than a home inspector True False
A.False. Although engineers and architects are expert in their highly specialized fields, their skills do not extend to the other components of homes and they are not trained like home inspectors to evaluate various areas, such as the mechanical systems
Q. Since brand new homes are inspected by county inspectors, a home inspection is not necessary. True False
A.False. Home inspectors often discover problems that were undetected by busy county inspectors; the home inspection service also provides a punchlist of deficent items for the buyer to address with the builder at or before the final walk-thru, and places an emphasis on educating consumers as to proper home maintenance which code inspectors do not provide. Remember, home Inspectors usually take 2-3 hours to inspect a home. A county inspector may only be on site for a few minutes.
