What does the inspector check during a home inspection?

LOTS OF THINGS! Your home inspector will check everything from the HVAC system to the roof to the plumbing to the electrical panel. Inspectors check windows, doors, appliances, chimneys, fireplaces, and much much more. To see a full list of what we inspect during a home inspection, click here.

Who pays for the home inspection?

Typically the buyer pays for the home inspection. This can vary, depending on your circumstance and the terms of your contract. Please talk to your real estate agent if you have any questions about who is responsible for the home inspection!

When is payment for the home inspection due?

Payment is due at the time of inspection. This is one of the costs that is NOT paid at closing. You can pay your inspector before or after the inspection, but payment is due before we can release the full report! J

Why should I get a home inspection?

There are MANY reasons you should get a home inspection. Buying a home is a HUGE expense. If you are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this purchase, why not spend the extra few hundred dollars to have the home inspected first? Inspectors check for all sorts of issues in your home and usually end up saving buyers hundreds, even thousands of dollars in repairs down the line. Many times, you can use the home inspection as a bargaining tool with the seller to get repairs done.

What if the findings during a home inspection are really bad and I don’t want this house anymore?

Situations vary, so please talk to your real estate agent regarding this. But typically you have 10 days from the date the contract is signed to complete your inspection period. Most of the time, you can back out of the contract during this time if the findings during the inspection are not to your liking. Again, please talk to your realtor about this because every situation is different!

How much does a home inspection cost?

This varies widely depending on the age of the home, the square footage, and how the home was built. Larger homes are more expensive to inspect because there is obviously more house to check. Older homes are also more expensive because they tend to be more complex and have more issues than newer homes. Does your home have a crawlspace underneath the home? If so, this will add an extra fee as the inspector has to crawl underneath the home and check it out. Call us today to get a quote for your home inspection! (904) 220-5323

Does a home inspector check for pests?

NO! As home inspectors, we are not certified to report on pest issues in homes. We always recommend a WDO inspection on top of your general home inspection. The WDO inspector is certified to check for all types of pests and fungi including termites, powder-post beetles, and wood-decay fungus. This will be an extra cost on top of the home inspection and we know some great WDO inspectors. We are happy to get this scheduled for you and coordinate with the WDO inspector on the day of the inspection.

Below are a few pest inspectors we frequently use and love (in no particular order)!

Russel Pest Solutions

Freedom Pest Control

We hope this home inspections FAQ helped you learn a little bit about home inspections! Call us today to schedule your next home inspection, or for general questions! (904) 220-5323

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Roof:

This is the question we get the MOST. There are so many factors that can impact the life expectancy of your home’s roof. These include environmental factors, maintenance and upkeep, and the quality of the materials used. Different types of roofing also have different lifespans:

Wood shake roofing will last about 30 years.

Asphalt shingles will last about 20 years.

Clay and concrete roofs have the longest life expectancy at about 50 years.

Fiber cement shingles will last about 25 years.

HVAC:

Your home’s HVAC system is one of the most crucial items in your home to ensure you keep up with its maintenance! The better you maintain it, the longer it’ll last. They typically last between 15-25 years. Broken down, the furnace should last 15-20 years, AC unit 10-15 years, and heat pump 16 years, and thermostats 30-35 years on average.

Deck:

If you’ve got a wood deck on the front or back of your home, you may be wondering how long it’ll last. Like many other items in your home, your deck’s life expectancy depends on environmental factors like rain, moisture, and humidity, as well as maintenance. A well maintained deck made of wood planking should last about 15 years. A composite decking could last between 8-25 years. A structural wood deck can last between 10-30 years. Again, this all depends on how well it is maintained and your local climate.

Water Heater:

On average, a water heater should last between 8 and 12 years. This is another item in your home that will last longer if it is maintained well. Check out our social media post below about cleaning your water heater! It is extremely important to drain your water heater regularly to get rid of the sediment and build-up inside!

Appliances:

The appliances inside your home have life expectancies that vary greatly. Remember that, again, the better you take care of it, the longer it’ll last. The quality of these appliances also affects their lifespan. In general, here are the average life of these appliances is:

Refigerator: 13 years.

Dryer: 12 years.

Washer: 10 years.

Microwave: 9 years.

Range/oven: 15 years.

Dishwasher: 9 years.

The post How Long Will Your House Last? appeared first on Bill Wilson Inspections.

The government banned the use of lead paint in homes in 1978, and for good reason. Lead paint can be extremely hazardous to the health of you and your family, and the older your home is, the higher the chance that it has lead-based paint.

 Find out more info about lead-based paint on EPA.gov, linked here.

The good thing about lead paint is this: as long as the paint is not DAMAGED (peeling, cracking, chipping, etc.) it is usually not a problem.

The problem occurs when the lead-based paint starts chipping and your 2 year old eats one of those paint chips, or when your new puppy decides one of those paint chips would make a good treat. You must also remember that lead-based paint isn’t ONLY on walls. You can find lead paint on stair railings, windows, doors, porches, exterior walls, ceilings, floors, kitchen cabinets, and more. We know where to check for lead-based paint and our inspectors are EPA federally certified.

Lead-Based Paint Dust

Another issue you can run into with lead paint is “paint dust”. When indoor surfaces containing lead paint rub together they create lead paint dust. This dust then flies through the air and is a potential health hazard. For example, if you have an old window that was painted with lead-based paint, and you open that window, the surfaces with the lead paint on them rub together. This causes friction, releasing that lead paint dust into the air. THIS is one of the most common causes of lead poisoning.

How can we help you?

At Bill Wilson Inspections, we have invested in state of the art training to provide lead paint investigation and risk assessment services. The XRF equipment used in non-destructive and leaves no gouges or marks on the existing paint. This is a completely non-invasive way to check for lead-based paint in your home. Our lead paint risk assessment checks 10 to 20 building components for lead paint. It also includes a risk opinion from an EPA federally certified risk assessor.

You can find out more about our lead paint risk assessment services here.

We know the health of your family is of utmost important to you, and it is of utmost important to us too! If your current home, or the home you are considering purchasing, was built before 1978, give us a call!

The post What Are the Dangers of Lead-Based Paint in My Home? appeared first on Bill Wilson Inspections.