What is a Home Inspection?

A common misconception is that a home inspection is an appraisal of value, a termite inspection, or a pass/fail oriented assessment.  A home inspection is a visual, non-invasive evaluation of the condition of readily accessible maintenance, structural and mechanical aspects of a property intended to provide helpful information to a prospective buyer or current owner.  It is not technically exhaustive in nature.  The purpose of an inspection is to locate any obvious major defects which may require expensive repairs.  No systems will be disassembled and no furniture or personal items will be moved during the inspection.  A competent inspector will leave no footprint upon the property.  A home inspection evaluates a property based upon it's past performance and the condition observed on the day of the inspection.  This is essentially a snapshot in time.  A home inspector utilizes some building code information in the performance of his/her job but does not evaluate a property based upon strict adherence to those codes.  An inspector is trained to look for tell-tale signs of issues which a homeowner or potential buyer may not easily identify.  This provides the client with valuable information in order to perform necessary maintenance or to proceed with a real estate transaction. Keep in mind that no home is perfect. The inspection likely will reveal items in need of attention which typically fall into the deferred maintenance category. Realize that sellers are under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in an inspection report. Even newly constructed homes harbor mistakes.  Keep things in perspective.  A home inspection is intended to alert potential buyers of any serious deficiencies which may be expensive to repair.  It is inappropriate to demand that a seller address deferred maintenance, conditions already listed on the seller's disclosure or items of little importance such as stained carpet or other cosmetic flaws.

The Process:

1. Make an offer on a home leaving enough time before closing for inspections. Be sure to have a clause in your contract which allows you the opportunity to cancel or renegotiate the deal if major deficiencies are uncovered by the inspections.
2. Call Essential Home Inspection Service at 803-325-4165 to schedule your home inspection.
3. Attend the inspection if possible or arrive at the conclusion of the inspection for an on site review. If attendance is not possible, the report will be written in easily understandable language with supporting photos.
4. Read the entire report carefully. The report is long and comprehensive but it is not intended to be overwhelming. No home is perfect. All homes have at least a few issues. Take into consideration that many deficiencies listed in the report will be minor and may be used as a subsequent guide for you to place your new home in top condition.
5. What if a major problem is found?  Your report will differentiate inspected items as acceptable, marginal, or defective. Marginal and defective items should be given careful consideration. A professional evaluation by a licensed contractor will likely be recommended to assess the seriousness of the defect and the potential cost of repair. You then have the option to accept the home "as is", renegotiate the deal or cancel if need be.

Click here for a list items which are evaluated during a home inspection.