You will probably look at several homes before you decide on the one which is right for you. Even then, many home
shoppers have more than one in which they have an interest.
You know you will need a proper inspection but what should you do when
there are several properties in which you are interested? Most likely you will not want to arrange in depth inspections for several
locations. Now what?
Before enlisting the services of a Professional Home Inspector, we suggest you do a preliminary inspection. From this brief inspection, you may be able to determine the more obvious flaws or concerns with the prospective home. If it meets your requirements after your initial review, then you will be ready to arrange for the more complex and in depth inspection.
First, we must realize that this is simply a preliminary inspection and therefore are looking for only the most obvious or glaring concerns. We will guide you through the basics. As we go through this procedure, if there is something you don't understand, contact us for help. This help is absolutely free and there is no obligation.
To help our Web Site Visitors, here is an outline of the steps you can follow:
Outside
1. Stand back from the property and look at the surroundings.
Everything look OK? Anything unusual catch your attention?
2. Is the house standing up straight? That is, do the walls look straight
or are any leaning or tipped?
3. Is the roof straight across the top? Are there any obvious sags or dips noticeable in or on the roof?
Look at all the individual roofs (if there are more than one) including the roofs on the garage and outbuildings.
4. Does the roofing
look OK to you? Look for obvious damage, missing shingles, lots of moss, or repairs.
5. Look at the chimney. Can you see any damage?
Is it straight? Is the work neatly done where it passes through the roof?
6. Next look at the doors and windows (from the outside).
Do they appear to be straight and without damaged sections?
7. Look at each of the outside walls of the building. Do you see any damage
or places where something seems to be missing? Are there any plants, shrubs, or tress against the siding or over or touching the roof?
There shouldn't be.
8. Can you see the top of the foundation wall? Look for any cracks or damage. Any wooden parts of the building
(such as siding) should be at least 8 inches (20 cm) away from the land surface.
9. Look at the steps and decks. Do they look solid
and safe? Are you able to see underneath? It's important to look at the underside as damage and decay often starts on the under parts
first.