Good Guide to Home Inspection

[megloff11x]

Most houses around here are basket cases and I'm sure we're not alone. Can anyone recommend good books or guides for inspecting them yourself if you plan to buy or rent?

1. How not to miss anything important
2. How to guestimate what it will cost to fix each problem found
3. When to run, not walk, away

Wiring would be great. Plumbing, leaky roofs, leaky basements, bad windows, how to tell if the previous tenant brewed meth, etc., would be a bonus.

I have a lot of friends buying money pits, and when I was younger I lived in some places that were scary.

Matt

 

[77401]

Most houses around here are basket cases and I'm sure we're not alone. Can anyone recommend good books or guides for inspecting them yourself if you plan to buy or rent?

1. How not to miss anything important
2. How to guestimate what it will cost to fix each problem found
3. When to run, not walk, away

Wiring would be great. Plumbing, leaky roofs, leaky basements, bad windows, how to tell if the previous tenant brewed meth, etc., would be a bonus.

I have a lot of friends buying money pits, and when I was younger I lived in some places that were scary.

Matt

Hire a licensed Homebuyers inspector that has many years experience, instead of an engineering degree.
1) Remember Murpys law & "if it can happen... it will"
2) Only experience in this will help
3) Trust your instincts. Hope is not a plan.

If you need to ask how to tell if something is leaking, or if a window is any good, then you are already over your head.

Quit now before it cost you.

 

[charlie tuna]

from my experiance most home inspectors are tradesman. they are very good at their own trade area, but only limited to the other systems. they are taught the highlight area of each trade and what to look for like gfic receptacles, etc.. but the importance of proper grounding, a life threatening issue may be overlooked. it would probibly cost twice as much but what you would get in return would be well worth the extra money to hire each mechanical trade to inspect. consider the a/c unit. an honest a/c serviceman would spend 1/2 hour on a compressor unit and tell you what to expect to get out of it. and also find out exactly what it's gonna cost to get it up to today's standards......... plumbing and electrical are a two hour service call................. i have never worked around or behind a "home inspector" that produced much useful information to a prospective buyer....

 

[celtic]

Can anyone recommend good books or guides for inspecting them yourself if you plan to buy or rent?

Renting and buying are two seperate and distinct transactions.
As a home buyer, you are entitled to a full evaluation of the entire property. A HO should have a HO Insurance policy to cover their possessions as well as to cover the property.
As a tenant, you may only be entitled to evaluate that portion of the property that you will occupy and posess. A tenant should get "Renter's Insurance" to protect them/their possessions in the event of some sort of damage to the property that could affect their possessions - NOT the property.
There is a big difference in the coverages needed between renter and HO.

As far as books/authors go, I would recommend :

Norman Becker, P.E.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/ has a larger selection than amazon.com.


If you haven't the time (or confidence/ability/finances/you pick the adjective) to attempt a HI solo, I would recommend hiring a professional....and this person will probably NOT be the the person the REA suggests. Hire an Inspector that is listed through www.ashi.org (American Society of Home Inspectors).

I have had the severe discomfort of watching an inspection performed by the REA's "reccommended" HI....it was a complete joke...one hour and the hands out for a check.
I have also had the extreme pleasure (if you call a 6 hour inspection of a SFH "pleasure") of being present for an inspection by one of the ASHI listed HIs.
The differences were night and day right from the first meeting up to and including the "report". ...ASHI man, hands down a "pro".

This is MY opinion, and your mileage may vary (IMHO, YMMV)