3 May 5 Must-Ask Questions For Your Home Inspector After the Inspection May 3, 2019 By NPI Marketing Team Home Inspection, Home Maintenance first time homeowner, moving, new homeowner, real estate 0 5 Must-Ask Questions For Your Home Inspector After the Inspection May 3, 2019 | Home Inspection, Home Maintenance | first-time homeowner, new homeowner, real estate, moving When you’re in the middle of buying a home, it’s easy to get lost in the process. One thing you shouldn’t overlook is the opportunity to get answers to essential questions from your home inspector. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve developed this list of must-ask home inspection questions to help you cover all your bases and completely understand your new home. 1. "Can I get an explanation?" Depending on how many issues your inspector finds, it’s common for their report to be 50 to 90 pages long, which can be daunting. While your inspector will make your report as easy to understand as possible, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you need it—after all, this is one of the biggest investments you’ll ever make, so you want to be sure you understand the home’s issues before you buy. As soon as you receive the home inspection report, go through it carefully and mark any sections that you don’t completely understand. Then call your inspector and ask them to address your questions. 2. "Is this a big problem or a small one?" If your inspection report ends up on the longer side, don’t get overwhelmed. Most issues an inspector uncovers will be small and easy to fix, but others may warrant a closer look and more consideration before you agree to buy the home. Some issues, like a leaky roof that’s nearing the end of its lifespan, are obvious big issues you want to be aware of, but some things that may seem like large problems are actually easy and inexpensive fixes. It’s in your best interest to ask your home inspector whether a problem they find is something that should genuinely make you think twice about a property. 3. "Do I need an expert opinion?" Home inspectors know a lot about the systems and structures that make up a home, but occasionally you may have to call in an expert. If your inspector notices a problem that’s outside their expertise, you’ll see a note in their report that recommends you consult a qualified contractor to investigate the issue further. Don’t hesitate to ask your inspector follow-up questions about these items—they may be safety concerns that require immediate repair or tasks that you can put off for a bit and plan to fix down the road. 4. "How do I maintain my home’s systems?" If you’re a first-time homeowner or just don’t consider yourself very handy, you should take the opportunity to learn more about the simple maintenance tasks that await you. There’s no better source of this valuable info than your home inspector, who’s always happy to answer questions about any system in your home, from HVAC to electrical, plumbing and more. Just remember that your inspector’s main job is to give you a comprehensive and accurate report on the condition of your future home, so it’s best to be selective with your questions (or save them until the end) so you don’t distract from their work. 5. "What should my repair priorities be?" This goes back to question #2—it’s important to understand that unless you’re buying a completely new home, any house is going to have a number of items in need of repair. Rather than expecting your potential home to be perfect (or expecting the seller to fix every single item listed in the report before closing), you should focus on prioritizing the repairs. Barring any huge issues that impact the sale (like a sinking foundation, extensive mold or termite damage), bigger safety concerns should always come first. Then you can plan ahead for smaller fixes as you have the time and budget to devote to them. Your inspector will be able to guide you in the right direction when setting up repair priorities and goals, so make sure to take advantage. Call National Property Inspections Today NPI inspectors are professionally trained to identify the condition of a home’s most important features, and are happy to answer any of your questions before or after the inspection. Find your local inspector today to schedule an inspection before you buy. Comments are closed.