How a Building Inspection Can Save You Thousands
Finding your dream home can take a while.
A house is the single largest purchase most people make in their lives so you want to make sure you get it right.
The location has to be great and it has to fit your budget. You don’t want it to be too big for you and your family but you also don’t want it to be too small for your lifestyle.
When you think you’ve found your ideal home, you can’t just expect to make an offer and take possession straight away.
Even in the face of competition from other interested buyers, you have to make sure there are no hidden issues that will sting your wallet in the future.
Sometimes, you might be tempted to forego an inspection or get a cheap inspector.
Don’t let the desire to own the property cloud your judgment. You might think that the house is so perfect that you’re willing to accept it without a thorough inspection. After all, you could use the money that you’d spend on an inspection to fix any problems that might arise.
Everything appears fine. The house is exactly what you want and the investment seems to be worthwhile. However, without a proper building and pest inspection, you don’t know what you’re buying.
The appearance of a home can hide serious problems. It could be a money pit. Even if you decide to sell the house, other buyers will certainly have it inspected.
Their inspections will uncover the issues you would have discovered if you had taken the time and spent the money to protect yourself.
Unforeseen problems can chew a large hole in your bank account. Without an inspection, you may not know if your new home has any of the following problems. Any of these structural problems, and many others, can cost thousands to repair and are hard to detect.
- Dampness behind or in the walls
- Cracked foundation
- A damaged roof
- A leaky ceiling
- Rotting floorboards or beams
Additionally, you need to have the house’s systems examined.
- Water heater
- HVAC
- Plumbing
- Electrical wiring
- Septic
You’ll also want to have the house inspected for pests such as termites or vermin. Some inspectors include this as part of their standard inspection and others don’t. Termites can cause a great deal of damage in a short period of time.
You should also have the home tested for mould just to be safe.
Inspect before bidding
In some cases, an inspection might turn up defects that you can use as leverage to get the price lowered. You could save a few thousand on the purchase price by spending a few hundred for the inspection.
Every home you consider requires an inspection so be sure to budget for that eventuality.
It’s easy to get emotionally attached to a house but don’t make the mistake of buying before you have it inspected. It’s better to miss out on a property than to take a chance on a home that might have hidden flaws.
