Conducting a home inspection is a multistage process but there are certain things you can expect once the home inspection is complete. Initially the home inspection will be scheduled by the mortgage lender or property owner to verify the property is in proper order prior to listing and sale. A qualified and certified home inspector will thoroughly evaluate the premises providing a detailed overview of any defects, both structural and cosmetic, that the buyer or seller may need to address prior to the transactions completion.
While there are certain consistencies between home inspections, some inspectors may provide additional resources to the homeowner upon request as part of the inspection. This will almost always include a detailed checklist of a dozen or more pages covering various interior and exterior aspects of the home. The checklist should include a thorough overview of the substructure including the foundation and driveway as well as the roof and rafters. The inspector will also evaluate the exterior grounds for proper drainage as well as signs of insect or water damage. The interior analysis will ensure proper working order for electrical and plumbing by testing all sockets and light switches as well as running the water checking water pressure and drainage.
While the inspector is evaluating the home they may choose to take numerous digital photographs of any damage they come across which the homeowner and buyer can review after the home inspection. If the home buyer or seller choose not to follow the home inspector during the inspection it is customary for the inspector to do a brief walk-through to highlight any significant findings. It is however recommended to be on site during the inspection and to stay close to the inspector in case you have any questions about the severity of the findings and whether or not they need to be addressed prior to sale.
After the home inspection is complete many inspectors will not only provide a detailed written analysis including the checklist but will also often include a follow-up e-mail with the same summary report in addition to a link or CD to the digital images taken during the inspection. These extra services may or may not be included in the initial inspection price so be sure to verify what you're paying for us to avoid any unexpected additional charges.
If the home inspector finds property damage which may need to be repaired prior to the sale of the home it is common for the homeowner to make these repairs and then request a follow-up inspection. The follow-up is to verify that the repairs have been made successfully and updates to the home inspection report will be made accordingly. This follow-up visit will normally be provided free of cost for the first follow-up and then half price for any additional follow-ups after that. Again, verify what is included with the home inspection as it would be a shame to pay full price for two home inspections even though the second is a follow-up. At that point the home inspector will have done their job and provided a written report as well as amended annotations which will be used as part of the sale paperwork.