Do you need to hire an inspector to inspect your property before you make your purchase? Here are 6 reasons why you should get an inspection:
If you don't know anything about building codes it's a good idea to hire an inspector who can provide a list of items that don't meet current building standards that may need to be repaired/upgraded. Your inspector will look for structural integrity issues, life safety issues/fire hazards and inspect your MEP Systems to make sure Electrical panel, wiring, piping, hot water heater & HVAC systems are acceptable/good working condition.
If you are afraid of heights and don't want to get on the roof, crawl around in a dirty creepy crawl space or climb around in a haunted attic, an inspector can inspect these areas.
Your inspector can tell you if your roof needs to be replaced, get in the crawl space and inspect the foundation/piers for damage or water issues. They will also get in the attic & look for water damage, electrical junctions not in a box or even find dead animals that need to be removed.
Your inspector will help you identify major issues & expensive repairs on your property such as the structural, roofing, HVAC, electrical, etc. All of these items are very expensive items that could potentially cost you thousands of dollars in repairs.
An inspector can help you identify these expensive issues upfront so you can away from the deal or negotiate a lower purchase price.
Now, an inspector will not tell you what rooms need to be renovated or what finishes to use on your rehab, but they can at least provide a list of recommended repairs to the property.
Review the Inspector's list of repairs and selectively add the items that you want your Contractor to perform to the Scope of Work.
Your home buyer will be getting an inspection when you sell the property. If you didn't get your own inspection and make the inspection repairs during the rehab, the buyer's inspector could find a hefty list of inspection repairs that need to be fixed and repaired.
If you don't have these repairs in your original Scope of Work this could result in an expensive Change Order from your Contractor.
A Home Inspection only costs around $350 to $500. When you consider the potential savings from finding expensive repairs upfront and minimizing expensive change orders, an inspection is a good investment.