Congratulations, you’ve found your dream Midcentury Modern home! Now that the dust of house hunting has settled and papers are being signed it’s finally time for the big event—no, not moving in—the home inspection. This series will take a look at some of the questions you won’t want to forget to ask as well as the ins-and-outs of navigating a home inspection well. See the start of the series here.
What You Should Ask Your Home Inspector
1. Can I see your inspector license?
Awkward? Maybe. But don’t you want to ensure that the individual inspecting your home has a current license to do so?
2. Are you working for my real estate agent?
Proceed with caution. Your home inspector should be working for you, not a real estate agent.
3. What do you check?
It’s important to step into the home inspection process with clear expectations. If there is an area of the home that you’d like reviewed but isn’t on their list, now is the time to speak up.
4. What don’t you check?
Again, clear expectations will help set you and your home inspector up for success. Anything regarding the home’s physical condition, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning or electrical should not be on this list.
5. Can I come along?
The answer to this should be a resounding yes. Your follow up question should be how long the home inspector expects the home inspection to last—that way you can plan accordingly.
6. What is the condition of the wiring?
An obvious one. Your home inspector should also be able to tell you the condition of your panel, if the home is maxing it out, whether or not the home is grounded, and if the home has suffered from bad DIY wiring updates.
7. When can I expect the written home inspection report?
The information gleaned from your home inspection is exceptionally pertinent not only to your home-buying decision but also to your future renovation plans. The information gleaned from the home inspection report can help your prioritize fixes and plan for the future.
8. Is there anything underground?
Ask to look for signs of any underground tanks or storage and ensure that those are properly inspected as well.
9. Am I forgetting anything?
You may not have gone through the home inspection process many times, but your home inspector has. Ask if there are any additional tests they may recommend for your home and if there is anything you should be concerned about.
Don’t forget: Payments and terms
Another important topic of conversation should be payment. Know ahead of time how much you’ll be paying, the preferred method of payment, and when your home inspector expects payment.
