Checklist for Home Inspector and Home Inspection Company

Basic objective from the buyer’s point of view is that the buyer would know the deficiencies and the value of the home in view of the price offered. Similarly, the basic objective from the seller’s point of view is that the seller should know the approximate price the property can fetch for them and how best they can get it ready for better prices.

Whether the task is entrusted to an Inspector or a Home Inspection Company that will also deploy one of their Inspectors for the purpose only, it is necessary for the buyer or seller to know whether they are performing the task diligently. This could be possible if the buyer or seller have a check list at their disposal that the Inspector should conform to or follow.

Usually the home inspection is different state wise as well as across the counties and cities. A lot depends on the Home Inspector and the state of his origin. However the common feature in all cases would be to conform to the guidelines issued by the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors besides the specific state or city guidelines. The NACHI guidelines continue to be the basic for any check list for home inspections.

Standard practice of the Inspectors do not include some of the items like asbestos, radon, methane, radiation, formaldehyde, organisms that cause destruction of wood, fungi, mildew, mold, rodents, and lead. Hence a buyer or seller should not be unduly perturbed if the inspection report does not include all or some of these items.

On the other hand the general home inspection checklist for any Home Inspector would include the following items.

• Structural items that includes the ceilings, floors, roofs, walls, foundation, all concrete and other works, doors, windows, woodworks, and glass works etc.
• Exterior works like grading, drainage, driveways, elevation, fences, sidewalks, fascia, trims, doors, windows, landscaping, wall covering, lights, as well as the exterior receptacles.
• Relating to roof and attic the framing, type of construction, gutters, flashing, and ventilation etc would be inspected. However it will not ensure any certification or guarantee on the roof.
• Verification of pipe works, potables, drains, wastes and vent pipes. It also includes the toilets, showers, sinks, faucets as well as the traps but not the sewer inspection.
• In system and component inspection duct work, chimney and fireplace, sprinklers, furnaces, water heaters, as well as the air conditioning is included.
• Among electrical and appliances the Home Inspection Company will ensure checking of main panel, wiring, grounding, receptacles, ceiling fans, circuit breakers, exhaust fans as well as the light fixtures on one hand and ranges and ovens, microwaves that is built in, disposal of garbage, smoke detectors and dishwashers on the other hand.
• Last but not the least would be the inspection of the garage that would include the door, openers, receptacles, exterior, windows, roof, ceiling, walls, slabs, ventilation, firewall, slab and other parts of the garage by the Home Inspector.