Practical Tips on How To Use Your Home Inspection Report
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At Green Scene Home Inspections, our motto is “knowledge is power” — the power to negotiate, the power to plan, and the power to protect your home.
One of the main purposes of a home inspection is to equip you with the information you need to make a truly informed decision when you’re buying a home. So this week, we’re looking at how to use your home inspection report to negotiate, plan, and protect what’s likely to be the biggest investment of your life.
Negotiate
In this video, Inspector Travis walks the roof of a house to show several problems he found during the inspection. The roof is one of the five major areas of a home you want to pay the closest attention to when house hunting, and it’s also one of your best bets at leverage during the negotiation phase because roof repairs or replacement may be covered under the seller’s insurance policy. If your home inspector finds roof problems, be sure to have a roofer check out the damage and have your Realtor inquire with the sellers about their policy.
Plan
If your home’s drainage system isn’t set up to effectively drain off excess water, you’re likely to end up with flooding and then standing water, which can cause damage not only to your yard but to your foundation. You do not want that happening. But if it’s going to happen, it’s better to know in advance.
If this weren’t a new construction house under warranty, the homebuyers could go in knowing that they will have a major repair on their hands, instead of being surprised down the road by sudden drainage issues and foundation problems. They can decide whether it makes sense to buy and plan for a repair of this house or just move on to a different option.
Protect
The best way to protect your home from termites is to make it as unattractive as possible for them to move in. You can do this by eliminating conditions conducive to wood-destroying insects, like wood or heavy foliage that’s actually touching the house, moisture build-up, and wood rot.
You should also have regular pest control check-ups to look for signs of infestation. If you catch an infestation before it’s had time to really dig in and do a lot of damage, it’s a lot easier to get rid of. Termites and other wood-destroying insects shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but knowing before you buy makes all the difference, so you can take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your home.
Here’s a tip. Continue using your home inspection report after purchase as a guide for home maintenance, to plan home improvement projects, and to know your home better. Always a good idea.
