Buying A Home: The Different Type Of Building Inspections You Can Perform

When purchasing a home, your bank or financing company will likely require that you have an appraisal of the property performed. Unfortunately, if you are like many people, you may think that this appraisal takes the place of a building inspection. However, the truth is, an appraisal simply verifies the value of the property, not the condition of specific systems within the home. In order to gather this information, you will need to call on a variety of different home inspectors. Below you will learn more about the different types of inspections that you can choose to perform before committing to the purchase of a particular home.

General Property Inspection

A general inspection will allow you to determine the overall condition of the home. While a general inspector will inspect all of the household systems, such as the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems, they will typically be unqualified to diagnose specific problems within these systems. Therefore, if a problem is detected, your inspection report will likely refer you to a specific type of inspector who can diagnose the problem and give you an accurate estimate for repairs.

While a general inspection may not provide you with a wealth of specific information, it can be incredibly valuable. This is because rather than initially spending money on every type of specialty inspector you can find, a general inspection will allow you to identify the areas of the home that truly require further inspection.

Structural Inspection

The purpose of a structural inspection is to determine whether or not the home has suffered any structural damage since the time it was built, verify that the home is safe, and determine how well the home can be expected to stand up in specific weather conditions.

A structural inspector will look closely at the building materials used in the construction of the home and the current condition of the home's foundation. Soil conditions will also be checked in order to rule out the presence of any sink holes or other potentially devastating soil disruptions. This type of inspection can be especially valuable when purchasing an older home that may have suffered severe structural damage over the years.

Land Survey

A land survey is different from most types of home inspections. This is because rather than focusing on the interior of the home, this type of inspection will focus on the property itself. By having the land surveyed, you will be able to verify property lines, identify any existing easements or encroachments, and verify any improvements that have been made to the property over the years. For more information on home inspections, visit http://www.homeinspectionassoc-ma.com.