Are you buying a home? Do you know that buying a home is not something everyone experiences? Many people are privileged to make this purchase or build their own homes during their lives. A home purchase requires a significant investment, which usually makes it the most important and, at times, the most significant transaction of your lifetime.
A home purchase is a lengthy process that requires a lot of your valuable time. However, no matter how long you have spent searching for the perfect home or how much you think you have learned about homes during the course of looking for one, there is one thing you should not miss, a professional home inspection. Unfortunately, reading home inspection articles many a time, I’ve read that home buyer hesitate at the prospect of having a home inspection.
The few hundred extra dollars may seem to pinch because of the massive amount one spends to purchase a home. Still, homebuyers forget that the cost of an inspection compared to the value of the home inspected is meager and the benefits numerous.
Why Is it Essential To Get A Home Inspection Before Purchasing A Home?
A home inspection is usually the most common contingency in a real estate transaction contract. Why, because no matter how many homes you have purchased in your life, a home inspection is always crucial for every new home. Each home is unique and has its set of problems. A home seller is not required to disclose every problem a home may have. On the contrary, many home sellers polish up their homes before listing them to make them more attractive and help them sell faster.
A home inspection is also essential for getting a mortgage for your home; many companies will turn you away without an inspection. Mortgage companies don’t want to invest in properties that may be problematic for them.
What Is Included In A Home Inspection?
If you are searching for a home inspection in Fredericksburg you may have many questions. The cost, process, and time involved may only be a few of your concerns. A home inspection is a thorough, non-invasive analysis of a home’s structural and functional components. These components have 1600 more parts that go under scrutiny. A standard home inspection includes an inspection of the following:
- Foundation
- Walls
- Windows and doors
- Roofing
- Electrical Systems
- Plumbing Systems
- HVAC
- Crawlspaces & Attics
- Exterior Grading
- Carports & garage
A Home Inspector in Fredericksburg visits the home after you schedule an inspection. This can be the next day or the same day in an emergency. The inspector will inspect your home from the interior and the exterior. The good thing about a home inspection is that you can walk through one with your inspector and educate yourself about the home you are about to purchase. In addition, insight into the features and systems can ease the process and make you more informed regarding your new home.
Does Fredericksburg, Virginia, Require Home Inspectors To Be Licensed?
Virginia laws regarding home inspector licenses were amended in 2017, and since then, a home inspector has been required to:
- complete a 70-hour pre-licensing course which has to be state-approved
- complete 25 home inspections supervised by a licensed/certified home inspector
Licensed home inspectors attract more customers, including real estate agents, which helps them get continuous business. As a result, licensed inspectors open their own home inspection companies.
How Much Is A Home Inspection in Fredericksburg, Virginia?
The home inspection fee varies between $300 to $500 and can change with the home’s location, size, and condition. According to Manta, the average home inspection cost in Fredericksburg, VA, in 2022 is $309, whereas the highest-paid was $428 and the minimum $190. If you are looking for home inspectors in Fredericksburg, VA, this knowledge will help you get a home inspection at the right price. This estimate does not include other costs such as added permits or contractor fees.
How To Find The Best Home Inspector In Fredericksburg, VA?
A good home inspector will inform you about the condition of the home you are about to purchase in detail. He will help you make an informed decision regarding the purchase. The end decision of whether you want to buy the home or not is yours, though. To shortlist a good home inspector, you can ask family and friends who have already had a home inspection. Referrals are a great way of finding home inspection professionals who have experience in performing Fredericksburg property inspections. A local inspector knows more about homes in that area and is more acquainted with their issues and problems.
Secondly, look for great reviews on yelp, Foursquare, Angie’s List, or sites like Google my business. According to a survey, around 93% of people look for assistance using reviews left on these sites to make crucial decisions related to various fields of their lives.
The Qualities Of A Good Home Inspector Include:
- A good home inspector does his job diligently. Every inspector has a checklist they follow, but a great inspector goes out of his way if he senses some problems. Professional and thorough inspectors use state-of-the-art advanced technology. For example, an inspector who sees stains on the walls and suspects there could be leaking pipes behind the wall will go out of his way and use thermal or infra-red technology to assess the condition of the pipes behind the walls as well. These are areas the human eye can’t access; a diligent inspector will go the extra mile to inspect every nook and cranny in your home, especially one of concern.
- Many states require licenses for home inspectors; however, most inspectors go through extensive training and certifications. A trained inspector must usually do 250 inspections under a certified home inspector to get his license. This gives the inspectors experience along with work ethics and integrity.
- On-field experience is something inspectors can only get when performing home inspections and facing actual life evaluations. No degree or license can give the exposure that a home inspector gets from doing actual home inspections. Look for an inspector with a couple of years of experience performing reviews. An inspector should know about wiring, plumbing, and other systems functioning in a house. In addition, their knowledge about advanced inspections is critical. An important issue is a radon, which is the number 2 reason for lung cancer in the US; a good inspector will make sure this issue doesn’t go unnoticed in your home and may also suggest an advanced inspection.
- A professional inspector knows his limits concerning the inspections or what and how much to suggest. For example, a professional inspector should never comment on the aesthetics of a house; he should never cross his boundaries and cannot give his feedback regarding building coding rules and regulations. Along with all this, a professional inspector will not put himself in danger performing inspections he is not familiar with. for example, a house has a roofing problem that needs attention, the inspector will not try and access the roof if it is dangerous to do so and will use a drone instead.
- Above all, a professional inspector should be friendly, helpful, and answer as many questions a home buyer asks that are within his knowledge. A good inspector feels it is his job to help inform people about the actual condition of homes so they can make informed decisions. An incorrect report can cause a homeowner or buyer exponential damage in repairs they weren’t expecting. In short, a great home inspector In Fredericksburg, VA has excellent communication skills and pays a lot of importance to customer service, knowing a company’s reputation is at stake.
- Before choosing an inspector, ask him to provide you with a written sample report of his latest home inspection. A good inspector should write clear and easy-to-understand inspection reports that homeowners can use as guides for their homes’ future maintenance and upkeep.
- Lastly, choose an inspector who comes with insurance; this keeps you out of trouble if an inspector is injured while performing a home inspection. In addition, he should be equipped with personal liability insurance so that there is coverage for any negligence on his part when performing an inspection.
Hopefully, hiring an inspector keeping all these things in mind will give you a home inspection experience you will tell others about. Referring to an inspector after he does an excellent inspection is honoring his work, so don’t forget to guide him and leave positive reviews for an excellent inspection. If you are searching for a home inspector with all the above qualities in Fredericksburg, VA, schedule a home inspection here; I assure you, you will end up a happy customer.