Home inspection ! (West: sale, insurance, loan)

[Samsandy]

Hello I'm going to be a first time homeowner . Friday is our home inspection. My husband will be busy it's his working day . So I will be going with my brother & in laws . I don't want to miss anything ..
I've a few qs ..
1. Can I walk with the inspector & ask him qs?? Or am I disturbing him?
2. Can I ask if there are any molds
Can I ask them so many qs ??

& what qs should I even ask? I don't knw where to start . I feel nowhere . , can someone suggest something .. we want this house badly but don't want to end up paying a lot down 3-5yrs same time .
I'm already worried ,the seller wanted us to get the loan work done in 15days instead of 21. So that's already giving me so many doubts on why would she do that. Y hurry. Anyway ... pls shed some light on what not to miss for sure .
Thankyou in adv !

[jdallas]

firstly, you need to not stress out so much at this stage. Being a homeowner means being surprised by things all the time that need attention. Even brand new homes right out of the box require things done within 3-5 years.
Home inspectors are not required to have any residential construction experience so adjust your expectations accordingly. Most just use a checklist form, a thermometer and check the elec outlets for proper ground.
It's perfectly fine to walk around with them and ask questions. You are paying them for their time so they are working for you.
Ask them if there are any potential issues that may require further inspection by a specialist (plumber, structural engineer, electrician, roofer, HVAC etc).


Many things the inspector finds can easily be addressed for $25 so don't sweat the small stuff.

[TrapperL]

1 Most inspectors don't mind questions when doing the inspection. It gives them a chance to teach a first time home buyer on what to look for. Some, however, see it as a nuisance and will answer questions when the inspection is complete. If yours is the latter, write down your questions as you follow him around.

2 I can answer that for you right now, yes, there are molds in the house and they're also where you are at right now. They are inside and outside and are as common as air. Texas no longer considers molds to be the major health hazard that it once was. The issue got out of hand when every time a house got any water in it, potable or not, the home owner wanted the house remediated. The insurance companies and our insurance rates took a major hit because of it. The claims are now limited and you'll find few, if any, still in the business. I gave up my remediators license a long time back and frankly, it was a dog and pony show anyway. You can take a nice, clean, new home that nobody has ever lived in and find molds. If you have any that are causing issues, all that's required is taking the moisture away and it's over. There is no such thing as a Lazurus mold, it doesn't come back from the dead. In Texas, I would be more concerned with termites and any termite damage than molds. I'd also be looking at the insulation package of the house like Low E windows, R30 insulation in the attic, caulking, etc.

I think it prudent to tell you to READ the inspection report while the inspector is still there. DO NOT assume that anything and everything he tells you is the entire report. Many times the report will read that another tech or even an engineer is recommended but the inspector fails to state that verbally. Most often, the inspector is one that is being called to do the inspection by the realtor. Inspectors that call out too much on a report will not be called again because the realtor doesn't want to lose the sale and commission. So if you, yourself, did not call this inspector or you called the inspector recommended by the realtor, know that while the written report will contain everything or the inspector is liable for it, and that any commentary may not be everything on the report. You might find that your inspector will not cover anything with you at all. Some won't even give you a report face to face- they mail it to you days later. Personally, I have a low regard for these guys as you never have the chance for any explanation. A phone call will usually result in the inspector telling you to read the report. That leaves a buyer hanging in my opinion and shouldn't be allowed in the industry. Should you end up in this situation, your welcome to PM me as I have over 50 years experience in the industry, have worked for the local courts and as an expert witness, handled houses in litigation for builders, built over 3000 homes in Texas, etc.
If the home you are buying has good bones, the roof, HVAC, foundation, framing, plumbing system, electrical system, the rest is pretty much cosmetic. Most folks will change the cosmetics anyway so I wouldn't sweat the small stuff if the bones are good.

[FalconheadWest]

Be careful following the inspector around and bugging him while he's inspecting as all inspectors have their own process and if you get them off task, they might miss something. You can also turn a 3 hour inspection into 5 hours easily, so just be respectful of him doing his job, that's what you hired him to do.

Best outcome is you let him do the job, and at the end, he will review his findings with you and that's when you can ask any questions you have and he can show you how things run and point out what issues he sees.

[Samsandy]

Ok ty .
So I shud worry about the roof ,insulation and foundation & plumbing & electricity .. that's all correct .
Infact the seller replaced the kitchen sinks and few stuff like washrooms . And painted it all interior n exterior .

[escanlan]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Be careful following the inspector around and bugging him while he's inspecting as all inspectors have their own process and if you get them off task, they might miss something. You can also turn a 3 hour inspection into 5 hours easily, so just be respectful of him doing his job, that's what you hired him to do.

Best outcome is you let him do the job, and at the end, he will review his findings with you and that's when you can ask any questions you have and he can show you how things run and point out what issues he sees.

In a nutshell this right here ^^^^

Additionally if the Inspector is writing his inspection report on site then chances are very high it is a minimalist inspection and report. No good Inspector worth having writes them on site. If it helps you should take a look at the Standards of Practice (SOP) that licensed Inspectors are required to follow. This can be found here TREC - Inspector Main Page . This is the bare minimum they are required to inspect to. There are optional items for inspection and if you have these and are concerned about them make sure your inspection agreement states they will be inspecting them.

If you need further clarifications on issues found and seek additional assistance make sure it is someone you can trust and you know for a fact has the experience in that area. Also always obtain repair estimates from properly licensed and/or qualified professionals to ensure you have fairly accurate quotes and an idea of what it will cost to repair something. Never use your own estimates as you will be surprised how much lower yours might be from actual cost to repair.

Don't sweat the process as it typically works out in the end. Good luck on the purchase!

[Mershu]

I've always spent most of my time taking measurements, checking out paint colors, taking pictures, etc. It's the longest period of time you''ll get to spend inside of the home prior to closing. Spend it wisely planing

Typically, if the inspector finds something of interest, he'll call you over. Of course, you can always ask questions about anything you are questioning as well.

Good luck!

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by FalconheadWest

Be careful following the inspector around and bugging him while he's inspecting as all inspectors have their own process and if you get them off task, they might miss something. You can also turn a 3 hour inspection into 5 hours easily, so just be respectful of him doing his job, that's what you hired him to do.

Best outcome is you let him do the job, and at the end, he will review his findings with you and that's when you can ask any questions you have and he can show you how things run and point out what issues he sees.

This.

That being said, there's nothing wrong with being there and being available for him to show you any potential issues. Greet him, be friendly, and ask him if you can tag along, or if he'd rather recap everything at the end. Some inspectors don't mind you walking around with them, and some do. One thing for sure is that if you walk around with him every step of the way, you are going to slow him down considerably.

He will give you a very detailed report at the end of the inspection, and it should be complete with photos of whatever he finds - and he will find things. THAT is the time to get really detailed with him and have him take you to show you anything serious in person.

Don't freak out at the laundry list you'll get of "issues." Every home will have issues. The inspector and your realtor will go over anything that is actually serious or costly or an actual danger.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by escanlan

In a nutshell this right here ^^^^

Additionally if the Inspector is writing his inspection report on site then chances are very high it is a minimalist inspection and report. No good Inspector worth having writes them on site. If it helps you should take a look at the Standards of Practice (SOP) that licensed Inspectors are required to follow. This can be found here TREC - Inspector Main Page . This is the bare minimum they are required to inspect to. There are optional items for inspection and if you have these and are concerned about them make sure your inspection agreement states they will be inspecting them.

If you need further clarifications on issues found and seek additional assistance make sure it is someone you can trust and you know for a fact has the experience in that area. Also always obtain repair estimates from properly licensed and/or qualified professionals to ensure you have fairly accurate quotes and an idea of what it will cost to repair something. Never use your own estimates as you will be surprised how much lower yours might be from actual cost to repair.

Don't sweat the process as it typically works out in the end. Good luck on the purchase!

I agree with a lot of this, but I don't agree that you can't get a good inspection report on the spot. This is a digital world and some inspectors are very tech savvy and can upload photos and write out issues at the tiem of the inspection, and be very thorough.

[FalconheadWest]

Originally Posted by escanlan

Additionally if the Inspector is writing his inspection report on site then chances are very high it is a minimalist inspection and report. No good Inspector worth having writes them on site.

I disagree with this. When they are onsite, it's all fresh in their head and can type it all out without having to review a recording and their notes. It's more accurate when they write it out as their memory doesn't have to fail them. I had an inspection on Sunday, and didn't get the report until Monday afternoon. That's irritating as I need it faster than that, but that's becoming more of the norm, when they're trying to get 3 inspections done in a day... and remember what notes to put in the report vs their other inspections...