Top-quality home inspections in Philadelphia, PA, are essential when buying or selling a home. They give both parties a clear idea of what kind of condition the property is in, so everyone can feel confident that they’re getting a fair deal on the sale. If you have a home inspection coming up, you might be wondering which areas of the home inspection are most likely to cause a home to fail.
First, it’s important to understand that a home inspection is not a pass/fail test. It merely provides you with an in-depth look at the home’s current condition, with a detailed report of all the property’s faults, both big and small. A home inspection report can have hundreds of listed issues, but the property can still be considered in good condition, if those issues are mostly minor, cosmetic problems.
However, in general, most people will consider a home to be “failing” an inspection if a large and unexpected issue comes up—something that could potentially break the sale. With this definition in mind, here are the most common “failures” on home inspections.
Most people know that major foundation issues are a major problem for a home. An unsteady foundation compromises the structural integrity of the rest of the home and leads to other damage, such as cracks in the walls. If a home inspector finds a problem with the foundation, the sale will likely fall through. However, luckily, major foundational issues aren’t incredibly common.
Issues with the roof are much more common than foundation troubles. This is because, unlike the foundation, a roof isn’t meant to last forever. While it will last decades, eventually, most roofs need to be replaced—and that’s an expensive project. If a potential buyer receives a report that the roof of the home they’re buying needs replacement right away, there’s a good chance they’ll be backing out or asking the current owners to fix the problem first. Few people want to replace the roof on a home they just bought.
A top-quality home inspection will also take an in-depth look at the wiring to ensure everything is up to code. If something is amiss with the wiring, the potential buyers should carefully consider the implications and possible complications that can arise from those wiring troubles. Bad wiring can present a fire hazard, and nobody wants to buy a home that could endanger their family.
An obvious pest problem is pretty likely to turn off anyone walking through a home. But pests like termites are tricky to spot on a standard home inspection. If a termite specialist finds termites in the home, and those pests have done some significant damage, many buyers will walk away. Getting rid of termites is enough of a hassle; repairing the beams inside of the walls on your new home is not something many want to tackle.
A thorough inspection will catch all of these issues before you lock yourself into buying a new home. If you need new home inspections in Philadelphia, PA, contact Eagle Inspections today.