Home Inspection FAQ
12/21/2023
Buying a home for you and yours is an emotional period filled with mountains of paperwork, endless deadlines, and a seemingly countless number of other need-to-dos. With so many things happening at once it’s easy to get lost or confused, especially when it comes to one of the most important events in the home-buying process, the home inspection. To help alleviate your worries, we’ve put together a list of the most common questions that we get asked or that we think you should know.
#1. Do I need a home inspection?
This is the most common question we get asked here at Carolina Premier Inspections and our answer is a resounding YES, you should always get a home inspection before purchasing a home! Without a home inspection, you could end up purchasing a home that has thousands of dollars in maintenance and repair issues waiting just for you. Even worse, without a properly performed home inspection you could find yourself in a home that’s unsafe to live in!
#2. What is a home inspection?
A home inspection is a non-invasive visual analysis of a home and its major components, including the HVAC, electrical systems, roof, and attic. A home inspection is an excellent tool to help find maintenance, structural, electrical, and mechanical issues with a home, and provides you with pertinent information as a potential home-buyer. To read more about exactly what a home inspection is, check out our page on home inspections here.
#3. How much does a home inspection cost?
A common and very important question. The cost of a home inspection varies depending on a few factors, including the square footage of the home that is being inspected, the age of the home being inspected, if any detached structures are being inspected (like a guest suite), and if there is a crawlspace. In short, the more that is being inspected, the more the cost of the inspection is likely to be. To get an estimate for a home inspection head over to our online price calculator here.
#4. How long does a home inspection take?
Similar to the pricing question, the length of a home inspection depends on factors such as the square footage of the home, if any detached structures are being inspected, and if the home has a crawlspace. Estimates for the length of time of an average home inspection usually range from 2 to 4 hours.
#5. Do I need to be present during a home inspection?
You do not need to be present during a home inspection, though if you want to attend the inspection we certainly welcome it! It can be a very valuable experience for a home buyer to attend the inspection, observe the findings as they occur, and ask any questions you have as they arise.
If you wish to ask your home inspector about the final findings of the inspection we recommend that you arrive approximately an hour after the inspection’s scheduled start time. This is to ensure that you are present once the inspection is concluded and the findings are documented.
#6. How are the issues that were found documented/presented to me?
After the home inspection is completed, any issues that were found are compiled into a home inspection report. This report details what issues were found during the home inspection, explains why the particular issue should be remedied and gives our suggestion on what you should do next. Photos of the issues we found are also present in the report. To see an example home inspection report by Carolina Premier Inspections, click here.
#7. Does a newly constructed home need a home inspection?
Absolutely. Even though a home may be a new construction, it’s not immune to issues that occur during the construction process. Shoddy construction, improper installation of housing components, plumbing issues, electrical concerns, and a myriad of other problems are commonly found in newly constructed homes. You should always have a licensed home inspector inspect a home before you purchase it, no matter how old the home is.
#8. What are the most common issues found during a home inspection?
The most common issues found during a home inspection include drainage issues, plumbing problems, attic insulation issues, and moisture-related damage from water intrusion.
#9. Can I perform a home inspection myself?
Performing a home inspection yourself is highly discouraged. Home inspectors like the ones here at Carolina Premier Inspections are licensed and extensively trained to identify issues during a home inspection. Carrying out a home inspection without the proper training can lead to issues being misdiagnosed or missed entirely. Some lenders also require a licensed inspector be the one to perform the home inspection. Always get an expert!
#10. Can a house “fail” a home inspection?
Despite commonly being portrayed in media as a pass/fail system, a house cannot “fail” a home inspection. A home inspection details the issues that were found during the course of an inspection, but does not assign any sort of grade or pass/fail to the home.
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