|  What Your Home Inspection Should Cover
September 26, 2006
By:
Chuck & Diana Ivas
RE/MAX Elite
630.325.5555
34 S. Vine
Hinsdale, IL 60521
Contact Us
- Siding: Look for dents or buckling
- Foundations: Look for cracks or water seepage
- Exterior Brick: Look for cracked bricks or mortar pulling away from bricks
- Insulation: Look for condition, adequate rating for climate
- Doors and Windows: Look for loose or tight fits, condition of locks, condition of weatherstripping
- Roof: Look for age, conditions of flashing, pooling water, buckled shingles, or loose gutters and downspouts
- Ceilings, walls, and moldings: Look for loose pieces, drywall that is pulling away
- Porch/Deck: Loose railings or step, rot
- Electrical: Look for condition of fuse box/circuit breakers, number of outlets in each room
- Plumbing: Look for poor water pressure, banging pipes, rust spots or corrosion that indicate leaks, sufficient insulation
- Water Heater: Look for age, size adequate for house, speed of recovery, energy rating
- Furnace/Air Conditioning: Look for age, energy rating; Furnaces are rated by annual fuel utilization efficiency; the higher the rating, the lower your fuel costs. However, other factors such as payback period and other operating costs, such as electricity to operate motors.
- Garage: Look for exterior in good repair; condition of floor—cracks, stains, etc.; condition of door mechanism
- Basement: Look for water leakage, musty smell
- Attic: Look for adequate ventilation, water leaks from roof
- Septic Tanks (if applicable): Adequate absorption field capacity for the percolation rate in your area and the size of your family
- Driveways/Sidewalks: Look for cracks, heaving pavement, crumbling near edges, stains
|
|
Other Ivas Team Articles
| » |
Home Inspections! »
Prime deal killers? Home inspections! Agents surveyed say contracts can break over minor repairs... ... [view]
|
| » |
Preparing Your Home For Showing »
Once you have decided to sell your home, there are a number of things, which you can do, to help get the best possible price in the shortest amount ... [view]
|
| » |
7 Reasons to Own Your Own Home »
Tax breaks. The U.S. Tax Code lets you deduct the interest you pay on your mortgage, property taxes you pay, and some of the costs involved in buying ... [view]
|
| » |
8 Ways to Improve Your Credit »
Credit scores, along with your overall income and debt, are a big factor in determining if you’ll qualify for a loan and what loan terms ... [view]
|
| » |
5 Things to Do Before You Sell »
Get estimates from a reliable repairperson on items that need to be replaced soon, such as a roof or worn carpeting, for example. In this way, buyers ... [view]
|
| » |
The Pros and Cons of Condos »
Condominiums and townhouses offer an affordable option to single-family homes in most areas. But consider these facts before you buy. ... [view]
|
| » |
Homeowners Insurance 101 »
For most people, your home is your most valuable asset. That's why it's vital that you choose right homeowners to protect your property and ... [view]
|
| » |
Spring Time Tips for the Home »
Spring is the ideal time to rescue a house from the ravages of winter and prepare for the summer sun. Here are some home maintenance tips that will ... [view]
|
|
|
