“Don’t judge a book by its cover”
Every house that you are planning to buy should be worth your money. You may already be planning how to decorate your home to make it look as attractive as possible for you and your family to enjoy, but before you proceed, you must check the health of the building you propose to make your home.
What if the roof comes crumbling down? What if the old owners hid a colony of mould under a patch? How disastrous can that crack become few months later? What if the repair costs are too high?
Here are 8 uncommon inspections that can save you from purchasing the wrong property.
- Pests and termites
Pests are visible trouble-makers; termites are invisible destroyers. Any spot that has accumulated rot on it by fungi or disintegration wood might lead to irreparable damage. Only an expert pest inspector will go around meticulously locating any problems and helping you sort out the exact issues.
- Accumulated Asbestos
Homes built before 1975 have great chances of accumulated asbestos present in their structure. This is usually found as thermal insulation in basements. But for any building built before 1970’s, asbestos can be in the attic insulation as well as the window caulk.
If the metal around windows has started crumbling then it definitely needs change or repair. Only a professional inspector can help you figure out the condition of your asbestos insulation or window caulk.
- Cracks in foundation
For people residing in older homes, there often lies a threat for the foundation to get unstable with time. Cracked walls, horizontal cracks or twisted window frames in the foundation stage are threats to the stability of the building. These need to be checked and corrected.
- Electrical stages
Electrical rewiring happens often happens when you plan to repairs or renovations with your home. While these are mostly minor changes to the way your home functions, there can be serious code violations occurring in the premises that you just might not be aware of. A professional building inspector can guide you through speculating such imminent problems.
- The fireplace
That old wood-burning fireplace is definitely a huge eye-catcher if you are planning to sell your property. It is also an important element of your home that catches the attention of a professional inspector. The flue liners and the inside bricks must always be in good shape to let the smoke exit properly and help keep the house in good shape.
- The roof
Homeowners who plan on selling their house should ensure that their roof is in good shape so that it doesn’t get dismantled or crumble down. Only an expert eye can suggest if your roof needs major changes or minimal repairs.
- Trees
Many homes have beautiful trees in backyards that can bring pleasant memories for new families that move in. However, thorough tree care and removal happen to be very costly options and can lead to neglect. Thus, be sure your trees are healthy and not the shelter for timber borers and termites.
- Mould
More than half of the population is suffering from the adverse effects of mould. Health dangers of mould have been documented by many physicians all over the world. A professional property inspector will almost always check for water damage history before testing for its various spores.
Your building inspector will have a list of things to do, apart from the ones mentioned above, so it’s important that you recruit one when buying or selling a home.
A property inspection might appear to be heavy on your pockets now, but if done on time, it will save you in the long run.