A professional building inspection offers valuable insight into the state of a home or commercial building. The information provided by a thorough evaluation of the structure can help ensure that it is kept in, or restored to a safe and proper condition. Very often, it can prevent a minor problem from escalating into a costly or even hazardous major issue.
Still, the very words ‘building inspection’ conjure up inaccurate images of what they are and aren’t. Depending on whether you’re a property manager, buyer or seller, the idea of having a building inspected by a professional may elicit reactions of dread and apprehension. Such responses are usually based on common misconceptions. Here are the five most common:
- They only benefit the buyer – When we think of a building inspection, it’s common to think in terms of it only being useful to property buyers. That is, the only reason for getting a home inspected is to find reasons to negotiate a lower price due to defects discovered during the inspection. The reality is, building inspections help both parties to achieve faster sales, reduce re-negotiations, and alleviate uncertainty as well as liability issues.
- New homes don’t need to be inspected – Very often defects occur during new building construction, and a proper building inspection is important to identify issues before building is complete. Access to many areas of a home is much easier during construction, so problems can be corrected before they are sealed from view. With many separate contractors working on a home at the same time, it is not uncommon for problems to arise, and they aren’t always detected by the building supervisor. Independent building inspections during the stage of construction can identify those problems before building is complete, or prior to sale of the property.
- All building inspections are done by licensed professionals – All building inspectors are not equally qualified, so not all inspections are of equal value. It’s important to pre-qualify a building inspector before hiring one to examine a home. Make certain the inspector is licensed and insured.
- A home must pass inspection before it can be sold – The purpose of a building inspection is to evaluate the current state of the structure and all its systems (plumbing, electrical, etc.) in order to identify any problems or potential problems that need to be corrected. Whether the responsibility lies with the seller or the buyer is to be determined between both parties. The inspection itself is not a pass/fail examination.
- Inspectors work unaccompanied and will only share their findings after the inspection is completed – A reputable inspector will usually welcome a buyer or seller to accompany them during the inspection and will explain what is being evaluated. This is a prime opportunity for a homeowner or prospective buyer to learn about the building, its layout and construction as well as the location of various services.
Houspect Building Inspections– Buy, Build, Invest and Sell with Confidence
