If a home is going to be sold, then the buyer or the seller may request a home inspection. This is done before the real estate is sold and it is to uncover any issues or put to rest any concerns that the prospective buyer may have. The home inspector’s job is to assess the home’s structure, try to find any issues with the site where the home is built on and also looks at other important details of the home to check for any problems.
When the inspector visits to make an external inspection, they will firstly make an inspection of the exterior of the house. This is a visual inspection only. The inspector will be looking for cracks in the brickwork that may suggest settlement or movement of the home, any damage or sinking issues with the home’s foundations and usually the inspector will go onto the roof of the home to ensure that there are no foreseeable problems that may arise due to any roof damage. Sometimes the buyer may request a further inspection if anything of concern does show up.
This follow up inspection goes deeper into the semantics of the property and even involves checking that the boundaries of the home falls into the area owned according to the land registry, as it can be a long and expensive procedure if you are taken to court over land ownership.
Internal inspections involve the inspection of the plumbing installations to ensure that there are no leaks or cracks in any pipes. The inspector will ensure that the electrics in the home are fitted legally and safely. If there are any internal cracks in the wall, then the inspector will note these too.
The report that the home inspector produces is given to both the current owner and the prospective buyer. It will outline any serious cause for concern and will also suggest ways that the home can be improved based on the findings.