What to expect at a home inspection
Your home inspection checklist
A home inspection is the buyer’s last opportunity to discover any possible problems with the home before purchasing. A Better Home Inspection always recommends a home inspection, no matter how new the home may be, even if it’s brand-new construction. Why you ask? The answer is simple; because even brand-new homes may have potential issues like improper wiring, gas leaks, shoddy craftmanship, etc.
What to expect at a home inspection
Not sure what to expect at a home inspection? Here’s what you can expect on home inspection day as a buyer or seller.
As a home buyer, a home inspection is your last chance to uncover defects with the home — and potentially get the seller to pay for them — before sealing the deal.
As a seller, you want to know what the inspector will look for so you can be prepared for their visit and help everything go as smoothly as possible.
Here’s what to expect during a home inspection:
- A Better Home Inspection will look at things like a home’s foundation, structural components, roof, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.
- Once our inspector has finished his inspection, he will go over his report with the buyer or seller, as well as their agent, on his iPad. Our report has 3 different categories of issues discovered: Safety Hazards, Deficiencies, and Maintenance Recommendations. Each category is color coded with pictures throughout the different areas of the home for easy reading. Our report is also emailed right after the inspection to the buyer or seller, as well as their agent.
- Our home inspections generally take about 90 minutes to 2 hours but may take more time depending on the size & condition of the home.
- Buyers should attend the inspection so they can explore their new home in detail and ask questions during the process. This can give you much more information than the report alone, as well as peace of mind.
What do home inspectors look for?
Here’s a list of what our inspectors will review. You can also get more detailed information here.
- Central air conditioning system (temperature permitting)
- Interior plumbing and electrical systems
- Roof
- Attic, including visible insulation
- Walls
- Ceilings
- Floors
- Windows and doors
- Foundation
- Crawl Space/Raised Foundation (if applicable)
- Structural components
How long does a home inspection take?
The duration of an inspection varies depending on the size of the home as well as the number of deficiencies. Our average inspection time is about an hour and a half to 2 hours. If the home is over 4000 square feet, we would include a 2nd inspector, as we know your time is valuable!
With our team at A Better Home Inspection, we’ve been in the neighborhood for years. Our staff have helped many California homeowners maintain their houses – Please call us at 619-514-4699 and schedule today!
