Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home (59 page)

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Authors: Ilona Bray,Alayna Schroeder,Marcia Stewart

Tags: #Law, #Business & Economics, #House buying, #Property, #Real Estate

BOOK: Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home
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Don’t rely on a home warranty to cover undisclosed defects.
Most cover only appliances and other mechanical systems (such as heating) and leave out expensive structures or problem areas (such as the foundation, walls, or roof). Chapter 13 provides details on home warranties, both for preowned and newly built houses.
 
House Calls: Your General Inspection
 
The general inspection will usually be the most important inspection your house has. Its findings could make a difference to both your current negotiations with the seller and your future home maintenance budget.
What a General Inspection Includes
 
Assuming you use a professional inspector (licensed in states where that’s offered), the investigation and resulting report will probably cover all the items listed on the Standard Inspection List, below. The report will describe the items’ condition and any defects or damage.
But not all home inspections are created equal. In fact, many states don’t offer an inspector’s license, so people with varying specialties—or lack thereof—can decide what services to charge you for in the name of a “home inspection.” Most good general inspectors started out as either contractors, builders, or engineers. (We’re assuming you’ve already evaluated the inspector’s basic qualifications, as covered in Chapter 5.)
Before hiring the inspector, confirm exactly what will be inspected, what won’t be (perhaps because the inspector isn’t licensed to do so), and what inspections (such as radon, or simply the inspector crawling into the subspace or attic) are optional for an extra fee.
 
CD-ROM
 
Check out an actual inspection report:
You’ll find one (with personal information removed) in the Homebuyer’s Toolkit on the CD-ROM. A sample of this inspection report is shown below.
 
Sample From Home Inspection Report, by Paul A. Rude
 
ROOF, GUTTERS, AND ATTIC
My roof inspection is limited to a visual evaluation of the overall condition. I do not guarantee that the roof will not leak. Roof leaks are commonly due to defects that are concealed by the roofing surface. Identification of leaks typically requires testing or removal of roofing materials, which are beyond the scope of my inspection.
Roofing
The roofing is of modified bitumen. This is a petroleum-based material applied in sheets sealed at the edges with heat. I used a ladder to reach the roof and walked on the surface.
I was told that the roofing was installed about seven years ago, which is consistent with the appearance. It shows moderate wear. This type of roofing may last from 10 to 20 years, depending on environmental conditions and the quality of installation. I offer no warranty as to the remaining service life.
The roofing is wrinkled and loose from the sheathing at the left front corner. This usually indicates an installation defect. These areas should be checked regularly in routine maintenance, and may need repair sooner than the rest of the roof.
The roofing has a reflective coating to reduce deterioration due to sunlight. This coating is worn. I recommend that a qualified roofer apply a new coat. Depending on the material used, it will probably need to be renewed every few years to achieve the maximum useful life from the roofing. There are several trees near the roof. Plants touching the roofing can damage it, and leaves on the roof hold water, increasing the chance of leaks. I recommend that you keep trees and other plants trimmed away from the roof.
All roofs require routine maintenance and occasional repairs. You should have a roofer examine the roof periodically and perform any repairs required to keep it waterproof and extend the service life. After initial repairs and maintenance, a maintenance check every two or three years should be adequate. As the roof ages, maintenance will be needed more often.
Flashings
Edges, openings, and intersections in a roof should be protected by transition pieces called “flashings,” usually made of metal. Visible portions of the flashings appear to meet generally accepted standards. Much of the flashing material is concealed by the roofing, siding, and other surfaces.
Part of the tile liner for a “patent” flue that once served a kitchen range has been removed at the rear. The metal shroud for the flue is still in place but it is not weatherproof; rain could blow into it, resulting in leaks. I recommend that a roofer modify it as needed to prevent leaks.
Roof Drainage
The main roof has a single drain opening through the parapet wall to a downspout at the right rear. There is a second opening for the small roof area above the front porch.
The drain opening is small and could easily be clogged with leaves. I recommend that it be cleared regularly as needed and the downspout flushed with a hose to ensure it is not clogged.
 
 
Sample Report. ©2006
Standard Inspection List
 
Most inspections that meet industry standards will evaluate the house and garage, from top to bottom, including the foundation; electrical and plumbing systems; roof; heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; water heater; waste disposal; doors, windows, floors, and ceilings; walls; exterior, including grading, drainage, retaining walls, porches, driveways, walkways, and any plans or vegetation affecting the house’s condition; insulation; smoke detectors; floor surfaces and paint; and fireplaces and chimneys. If you’re buying a townhouse or condo, some of the exterior items, such as drainage, may not be included, because they’re not part of your property.
 
What a General Inspection Doesn’t Include
 
Although the list above looks pretty comprehensive, it doesn’t cover every possible problem area of a home. When you get the inspection report, you’ll see that it lists items or areas the inspector couldn’t or wouldn’t investigate.
Don’t worry—it’s not because the inspector is slacking. Instead, many of these disclaimers arise because the inspector can’t see through walls, pull up carpeting, or dig underground. And no one expects the inspector to take a dip in the pool or hot tub. Also, because the average home is estimated to contain 60,000 bits and pieces, inspectors may look at only representative samplings of things like electrical outlets and windows.
Safety is another important limitation. The inspector isn’t required to risk injury. Exactly where the line gets drawn might vary: One house’s crawl space, for example, might be accessible, but another’s too narrow or wet. And further limitations can arise if unscrupulous or lazy sellers create barricades, for example by piling up boxes in front of the door to a room or leaning bicycles near the back of a garage. If this happens, contact the seller and ask that the blockage be removed immediately. If that doesn’t work, follow up with a request that the seller clear the area and allow it to be inspected again, at the seller’s expense.
If your property has unusual features such as a swimming pool, hot tub or sauna, playground equipment, security system, seawall, breakwall, or dock, the inspector will probably not evaluate these. The exception would be if the inspector happens to have specialized expertise and is willing to put it to use. If you know these will be issues for you, seek out inspectors with those specialties.
Finally, every property has a unique array of appliances, furnaces, water heaters, and other manufactured items—some of which may have been recalled due to safety concerns. Most experienced inspectors know about major recalls and will mention them in their reports. But to be thorough, do your own search by noting the brand name, manufacturer, model, and serial number, then searching the site of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
www.cpsc.gov
.
Tagging Along at Your General Inspection
 
You and your real estate agent normally can—and should—follow along while your house is being inspected. There’s nothing like seeing problems for yourself and being able to ask questions.
 
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“If an inspector asks you not to show up until he or she is finished, hang up the phone,” advises retired Austin, Texas, inspector Paul MacLean.
You should wonder why someone you hired doesn’t want you—the paycheck—to watch how he or she works.
 
As a bonus, the best inspectors will tell you practical tips above and beyond the report, such as advice on future maintenance and potential remodeling. Plan on spending two or more hours at the general inspection, and definitely not less than one hour. Many unhappy consumers tell stories of inspectors who took only an hour to complete a general inspection and missed something important.
Here’s how to make the most of the inspection:
•
What to bring.
Bring pen and paper, and make a list of any potential trouble spots you saw on prior visits—such as cracks in the walls or signs of basement leakage. Also bring copies of any past inspection reports provided by the seller, as well as any disclosure form that the seller filled out. That way the inspector can follow up on the issues mentioned.
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What to wear.
Wear comfortable clothing that you don’t mind getting scuffed, and bring a dust mask in case you venture into the crawl space or attic or onto the roof. You aren’t obligated to follow along, and the inspector might not encourage it (you’ll be doing so at your own risk—no fair suing the inspector if you’re injured).
•
Bring a camera or video recorder.
Pictures and videos of the inspection will remind you of problems that the inspector said didn’t need immediate attention but should be watched. Ask the inspector for permission first—some aren’t comfortable with being photographed or recorded.
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What not to do.
Don’t crowd the inspector or interrupt with questions about your remodeling plans. Be attentive, but give the inspector space to do his or her job. Try not to be one of the buyers who blurts out nervous questions like, “Is everything okay?” before the inspector has even had a chance to look. Save unanswered questions for the end of the inspection, or ask the inspector to orally summarize the findings.
 

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