Prepping for a Home Inspection
Most people don’t have home inspections very often, which means they aren’t sure what to expect when I arrive at an appointment. If you’re wondering what an appointment includes and how to prepare for your upcoming home inspection, check out some of these top tips:
Find Out Your Home Inspection Costs
We believe in transparency in all things, which is why you can view our home inspection pricing for Edmonton on our pricing page. It’s always good to know what you’ll pay upfront, especially when you’re buying or selling a home and this is just one of many expenses to consider.
If you’re wondering if it’s worth the cost, it’s easy to compare the price of an inspection to a simple fix. Even a maintenance appointment for a broken furnace can easily cost more than the inspection, and when you look at larger replacements, that figure can multiply many times over. Not to mention, there’s no way to put a price on your peace of mind.
Write Down Specific Questions
In many cases, home inspectors are called in when you’re selling or buying a home. If you’re the current owner of the home, you may want to know what you can fix, replace or improve to get a better resale value from your home. You know your home’s history, so it’s a good idea to write down specific issues you’ve had in the past or recent upgrades you’ve made and bring them to the attention of your inspector.
If you’re a potential buyer, you’ll want to write down questions you have about the home before the inspector arrives. You can be present for the inspection and ask questions from room to room, or ask your questions before or after the inspection. Either way, you’ll receive a full report to take home with you.
Move Your Furniture and Belongings Away from the Walls
When you ask or allow someone into your home, you expect them to treat it with a high level of respect and care. Most home inspection companies in Edmonton conduct non-invasive home inspections, which means we don’t move anything in the home, especially belongings or furniture. This is to prevent damages from occurring to your belongings and home, and for the inspector’s safety. Essentially anything we can’t see, we don’t inspect. If there’s something specific you’d like us to look at, please move it before we arrive.
If you’re not the current homeowner and you’re having an inspection on a home you’d like to buy, you don’t need to worry about components being missed because the owners wouldn’t have moved their belongings. Although I won’t be able to see them until you own the home, I’ll come back for a free follow-up appointment after you take possession to make sure you’re thoroughly aware of anything that couldn’t be seen during the original inspection.
Don’t Bother Trying to Cover Up Issues
If there’s one thing you don’t want to waste your time on, it’s covering up issues in your home before an inspection so it will pass with flying colours before someone buys it. Typically, efforts to conceal an issue will make it even more noticeable to an experienced eye. Plus, a qualified home inspector will be using an extensive checklist to make sure no part of the home is left unchecked. If we can’t inspect something, it will be noted on the report.
Learn What’s Included in Professional Home Inspection Services
During your inspection, I’ll look at as many systems as possible in your home, including water heaters, furnaces (including pilot lights), central air conditioning systems, electrical boxes, windows and doors, and much more. I’ll also walk through each individual room to inspect all accessible spaces.
Your inspection from Fortified Home Inspections also includes water testing, thermal imaging, a maintenance inspection on your septic system (if applicable), and a $10,000 Honour Guarantee from interNACHI, the international certifying body for inspectors. At the end, you’ll get an extremely thorough inspection report detailing everything that was seen.
Learn More About the Inspection Process
If you’d like to learn more about what to expect from professional home inspectors in Edmonton, get in touch directly to have your questions answered. We’re happy to walk you through the process and let you know more about how we can handle your specific request or situation.
