Preparing Phoenix Homebuyers for a Home Inspection

Your home offer has been accepted, and you are ready to take the keys and run. Before you do, you will need a quality Phoenix home inspection. Once you fall in love with a home, the last thing you want happening is confront a poor inspection report. We don’t want that either. We want to make sure you are fully informed about your investment since a home can hold many secrets if it’s not inspected correctly.

THE PHOENIX HOME INSPECTION RUNDOWN

Let’s talk about what the inspection process looks like and what you can expect.

A good Phoenix home inspector will have their own checklist to work off of, ensuring they cover as much of the home that is accessible. It isn’t unusual for a professional to crawl, climb, and contort their way into spaces to give you the best information about your pending purchase as possible. Here is a short list of items a certified professional will look at. This is not an exhaustive list, but give you a sense of what they investigate and look for.


The Exterior:

  • Roof and attic

  • Shingle damage or absence of shingles

  • Flashing and trim installations

  • Signs of leaks or water damage

  • Projected longevity of the roof

 

The Foundation:

  • Visible cracks in the external or interior walls

  • Any vegetation that will impact the foundation

  

The Yard:

  • Drainage sloping

  • Oversaturated areas

  • Walkways and driveway condition

 

The Interior:

  • Appliances age and function

  • Leaks in kitchens and baths

  • Structural damage or signs of weakening in walls or ceiling

  • Signs of fire or water damage

  • Proper venting and working HVAC units

  • Electrical components working, such as outlets and switches

  • Electrical panel and the breaker box function

  • Plumbing drainage and pressure

  • Garage space

  • Windows and doors

 

How Long is a Phoenix Home Inspection?

According to the professionals at Trulia, a home inspection will take about 2-3 hours depending on the size of the home and its features.

 

WHEN CAN YOU EXPECT TO GET THE HOME INSPECTION REPORT?

After the inspection is done, a report is typically available to the homebuyer within 24-48 hours. This report can take an inspector 5-8 hours just to put together. The inspection report will look different depending on who produces it. For example, Spectora is popular because it creates visual and easy-to-read option for homebuyers. Many reports will include photos, especially in areas of trouble or concern.

 

DEFECTS - MAJOR VS. MINOR 

After receiving your report you will likely see a few things flagged. Very few homes get away free and clear and usually have at least a few blemishes. Some of the defects might end up being more significant than others, so let’s take a quick look at what that means.

  

Major Defect - Three main defects that can be identified as "major" by a Phoenix home inspector are:

1. Structural. This targets how the home is built and the condition of the materials used during construction. 

2. Safety hazards. such as items that can cause harm or damage. 

3. Workmanship. This presents itself in various ways in structural, electrical, mechanical, and other faulty or shoddy work.  

Major defects are usually those you want fixed or addressed if they are found on your home inspection report.

Minor Defect - These defects are characterized as minor because they can usually be fixed relatively easy. Some may be worth asking the home seller to fix, while others might not be worth the trouble to ask for if they come off ‘nit-picky” in nature.


Finally, before we send you off into homebuyer bliss, when looking for a Phoenix home inspector, consider learning more about them and their background. Are they InterNACHI or ASHI certified? Do they have ratings from those who have used them before? Do they belong to any associations? Take your time and make a solid attempt at doing your homework, it will pay off in the end when you’re sipping your coffee by your new home fireplace. 

Article courtesy of: https://www.spectora.com/find-a-home-inspector/phoenix-home-inspectors