One of the steps of purchasing a home in Virginia is getting a home inspection. This is something you need to do to make sure that the house you were thinking of buying is in acceptable condition, and that you are going to be paying a fair price for it that reflects its true value.
Let’s go over what is covered in a basic home inspection. We will also discuss some additional steps you might need to take depending on what the home inspector discovers.
What Home Inspectors Check For
Home inspectors conduct a thorough assessment of a property. Here is what they look at:
- Deck, patio and stairs
- Drainage and landscaping
- Signs of standing water
- Tree condition
- Driveways and walkways
- Foundation and walls
- Signs of pests
- Signs of water damage or mold
- Siding condition
- Windows and doors
- Interior and exterior lights
- Garage door functionality
- Roof condition
- Gutters and downspouts
- Chimney condition
- Attic condition and insulation
- Basement or crawl space condition and systems
- Plumbing: sewer line, water heater, fixtures, water pressure, pipe condition, and more
- Electrical: Switches, light fixtures, outlets, electrical panel, wiring, and more
- HVAC
- Condition of interior walls, floors, baseboards, etc.
- Door locks
- Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
- Ceiling fans
- Landings and stairs
- Appliances in the kitchen, laundry room, etc.
This is not a totally comprehensive list, but it is a pretty good overview of what you can expect the home inspector to check.
What Home Inspectors Do Not Do
It is important to know that there are limitations to what home inspectors do. For example, a home inspector is allowed to visually inspect a wall. But they are not allowed to cut a hole in that wall to take a look at what is happening behind it.
The home inspector can point out any problems they see, but they also cannot give you a detailed description of what to expect in the future, unless it is obvious.
Finally, home inspectors are there to do a broad overview of your home. They may lack the expertise needed to conduct in-depth inspections into certain issues.
In those scenarios, if they spot signs of an issue (or if you do), you may need to bring in additional specialized inspectors.
Here are some examples of types of professionals you could need to bring in:
- Mold inspector: If you smell a lot of mustiness, or you see potential signs of water or mold damage, you should get a mold inspector to come out and have a look. It is very common for mold and water damage to be mostly hidden. A specialist knows what to look for and how to assess extensive problems.
- Roofer: For problems with the roof, you might need an actual roofer to come check them out and give you a detailed report.
- Electrician: Electrical issues can be hard to diagnose without technical expertise in the field. So, you may need an electrician to check out any problems the home inspector notices.
- Plumber: Problems with plumbing or sewer can also be tricky to pin down. There may be situations where you will need to have a plumber come scope a line.
- HVAC specialist: HVAC systems can be complex as well, so this is another type of specialist you may need to bring in.
In most cases, it will not be necessary to bring in that many specialists (and in a lot of situations, you might not require any).
If you are buying a fixer-upper, however, there is a chance you will need to bring in multiple specialists to examine the house thoroughly. All of the issues above can potentially be very expensive and complex to address, so it is critical to know what you are getting into before moving forward.
Your Next Steps After a Home Inspection
Share the results of the home inspector’s report with your real estate agent. Then, make a decision. You can buy the house as it is, try to negotiate down the price, or ask the seller to make certain repairs before you purchase it. You also can move on in your home search if you decide the house isn’t going to be worth it.
The Final Walk-Through
Let’s say you proceed, and ask the seller to complete repairs, and they agree. A last step before you close on a home is the final walk-through. This gives you a chance to make sure that the seller kept up their end of the deal and did the repairs.
Buy a Home in Blacksburg or Beyond
Now you have an idea how the home inspection process works, what is included, and what further steps you might need to take based on the findings. First Residential Mortgage is based in Blacksburg. We make it easy for you to apply for a home loan anywhere in VA so you can focus on your home search. To get started, please call (276) 782-1677 to schedule your consultation.
