Lexington, KY - Whether you are buying or selling a home, or simply wanting to give your house a good once-over, a home inspection is always a good idea. But knowing what to expect and what is not covered are key elements to being satisfied.
Home inspectors are not contractors, and while they come from all kinds of backgrounds where one specialty or another might prevail, they are generalists. They do not recommend specific repairs, and the inspection is not an exhaustive evaluation. Steve Pruitt, of Pruitt Property Inspections, likens the home inspector to your family doctor.
"He's not necessarily a specialist, and if he finds a problem, he will refer you to one," Pruitt said. "So you could hire individual specialists, like a roofer, and an electrician, and a chimney sweep, but then that defeats the purpose of paying for a generalist who looks at all of it, but as an overview."
At Pruitt there are four inspectors, all of whom were at one point homebuilders.
Joe Wallace, of Plumb Square Level, was formerly an industrial electrician before taking over his father's home inspection business six years ago. "We note in a report what needs further review, and then steer the homeowner to a contractor in that area of expertise to give a more detailed evaluation," he explained. "We recommend what you might need. We don't pinpoint the repair, (we) just recommend reviews."
Inspectors examine basic elements in your home for safety and proper function, including structure and systems. They do not cover mold and air quality, hazardous materials, or wood-destroying organisms, as those are specialties. Even if an inspector has another license in something like pest control, there are standards of practice that all inspectors abide by, so all inspections will proceed in the same way and cover the same things. Ethically, they cannot recommend themselves for any necessary repairs.
Usually, someone wanting to buy a home will initiate a home inspection of the property. About 20 years ago, the Lexington Board of Realtors added a line in their contracts asking if the buyer wanted a home inspection, and the service has gained in popularity from there. Now, often the real estate agent will give the client a list of prospective inspectors to choose from. Because the inspection is designed to be independent, it is not ethical, nor is it desirable from the agent's perspective, to always use the same inspector. However, repeat business does occur once they find inspectors whom they trust and are thorough.
"Occasionally, and it's growing, we're getting calls from sellers," Wallace said. "This is a growing area where sellers want to have things done ahead of time and can show a buyer the inspection and receipts for what work he's had done. It is one more way to be competitive in selling your home."
An inspection takes about four hours, about a week to 10 days after the request is made, and the client can have a printed report immediately. It is best for the customer not to follow the inspector around during the inspection, but to be there at the end to discuss any issues. For the owner of the home, the most important thing to do is provide access for the inspector.
"We need to be able to get the covers off breaker boxes, get in the crawlspace," Wallace said. "We don't move owners' materials, but we need to get to attics and go in closets. If I can't get into an attic, I don't want to do the inspection until I can because it's a waste of time otherwise. From there we can check ventilation, insulation, electrical, and see if a homeowner tried some updating on his own that isn't up to code."
Water management at properties is the key problem that inspectors find, with water getting into basements and crawl spaces causing damage, mold, settlement of the foundation and other structural issues. Drainage when houses are close together is a serious concern. Loose chimney flashing can cause roof leaks and an inspector will recommend a roofer come look at it.
"Sometimes screens over gabled entries get loose," Wallace warns. "I've seen so many birds in an attic that had been there for a while, that I got out quickly and told the homeowners that it was a health hazard. Other times it's a mouse chewing on electrical wiring. You never know what you're going to find."
If significant issues are found that were not previously known, a buyer can request that it be fixed, and the seller can counter with either the repair, a discount to cover it or refuse to do anything.
Pruitt has been inspecting homes for 19 years, and the biggest change he has seen is that since 2004, requirements now need to be met to do the job. Formerly, if you practiced in Lexington you needed a license, but not in the rest of Kentucky, so anyone with a flashlight could be doing inspections. Now, in Lexington and throughout the state, everyone follows the same procedures and has to know what they are doing.
Look for inspectors who are members of ASHI - the American Society of Home Inspectors. Like accountants and real estate agents, home inspectors have continuing education. While the state only requires 14 hours a year, ASHI members have 20 hours a year. Another important trade groups is KREIA - the Kentucky Real Estate Inspectors Association, which holds a three-day annual conference in Frankfort. An inspector who is concerned with keeping up on the latest in his profession will belong to these groups.