Frequently Asked Questions About Home Inspections
How can you make sure that the home you’re buying or selling is functioning properly? Through a home inspection! While trying to dig deeper and find out more about home inspections, you may have a ton of questions about the scope of work, cost, duration of inspection, etc. Unfortunately, the answers to these questions may be difficult to come by.
To ensure you have all your doubts cleared and are armed with the most accurate information, Jason Cooley at SETX Home Inspections has answered some of the most frequently asked questions about home inspections.
1. What are you going to be inspecting?
The answer is difficult as all homes are different. But at the core level, I’m looking at the foundation for signs of movement, the walls for signs of damage or moisture intrusion, the roof for signs of leaks or damage, the appliances to ensure they operate as expected, the electrical system to ensure it is safe, everything works, and grounds are proper, and the plumbing system to ensure it is free of leaks and operating properly. Many homes have these general features, but others have unique items that often need an inspection. It would be very difficult to put it all on a checklist, to be quite honest.
2. How much does a home inspection cost?
The cost varies; my typical inspection fee starts at $325, but it can go down depending on the services you are requesting. If you are military personnel, a teacher, or a first responder, I offer you a discount. The price can go up based on my travel time, the size of the home, and if there are additional items to inspect like outbuildings, wells, septic systems, etc. Of the last 300 homes, I’ve inspected, the average home inspection costs about $360.
3. How long does it take to perform an inspection?
Generally, a home under 2000 sq. ft. will take anywhere from 2.5 - 3.5 hours, depending on the age and condition of the home. Newer or remodeled homes generally take less time. I also generally inspect homes for my clients in the evenings after 4:30 pm, so my clients get to attend the post-inspection-walk-through at 7 pm without having to miss any work usually.
4. How long does it take to get the report after you are done?
Generally, I’ll have the report ready on the same day but not later than 24 hours unless special provisions are made.
5. What’s the number one problem you find in homes?
I would say the number one problem I find in homes is electrical. There’s usually at least a breaker labeling problem, or a receptacle missing a cover or inadequate GFCI protection that I find in older homes.
6. How soon are you available?
This one varies; typically, I can get to a house within 2-3 days, sometimes even the same day. Client scheduling comes in waves - feast and famine, and some weeks I’m super busy and will do 5-6 homes while other weeks I get 1 or 2 calls. Most clients call on Monday or Tuesday to get a home inspection scheduled for the week. Generally, the ones calling on Thursday or Friday are rare.
7. What do I do about the problems you find?
This question is really the only one that you, the client, can answer. I can suggest which ones I would be concerned with if I were buying the home, but I also remind everyone that each person’s risk profile and manageability are different from one another. Things that I’m willing to accept and overlook are different from what you can handle or are prepared to deal with. Also, if you’re going to pay top-dollar for a home, then your expectation of it being move-in ready comes in to play, or if you’re buying a home for a great price as it comes with some issues, you are okay with managing on your own. Each person is unique in their ability to accept certain deficiencies or not at the price point they are purchasing the home for, or based on their ability to manage any issues.
8. What makes your company unique?
I can’t say what that is; you are welcome to read my reviews to see what others think about me and then talk with me. I believe that all inspectors are going to do their best to provide the best service they can. Most of the time, it comes down to you being comfortable with me. I take the time to explain the process and what you can expect from the moment you hang up the phone with me. I want to leave you feeling confident that my interest in providing you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about the home or property you are buying.
If you have any more questions about home inspections, get in touch with Jason Cooley at SETX Home Inspections. As a certified professional home inspector in Beaumont, TX, I offer a wide range of inspection services to home buyers and sellers to help them determine the performance of their potential home by finding pre-existing problems.
To learn more about how I can help you, please click here or contact me by clicking here.