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How long does a home inspection take

You have bought a new home and you are so excited to move in and get going on making it your own. But then, during the home inspection, your inspector finds an issue – maybe even several issues. 

In this situation, it is common to hear people say “the house failed inspection”, but a house doesn’t actually pass or fail. No home is perfect, so there will likely be issues in any house that you buy. So if a home doesn’t pass or fail, what are some things that are found on an inspection, and how are they generally categorized? Here are a few:

Maintenance Issues

These items are usually smaller in nature, and make up the bulk of the items in most home inspection reports. These include things like small repairs such as a loose doorknob, gutters needing cleaning, some loose insulation in the attic, and other common maintenance items that are often found in many homes.

 

Safety Issues (Hazards)

Hazardous items and safety issues are the most important items generally – because they involve human life. These items can vary in size and cost to repair, but generally meet the requirement of being an immediate threat to safety and life. Things such as electrical hazards, collapsing deck, loose stairs/handrails, and other items along those lines.

 

Defects

These are items that are not performing their function as intended, or are not appropriate for their age/use. These are also sometimes called “material defects”, “significant issues”, and other names – but they all basically mean the same thing: Something is not right. Some of the most common items in this category are leaking roofs, foundation issues, an HVAC system at the end of its life, and other items.

 

Informational Items

In addition to those three main categories, your home inspector may put items in your report that are just there for informational purposes. They may tell you that your walkways are made of concrete, that your heating unit uses natural gas, that you should regularly replace your HVAC filter, and many other informational items that are meant to help you own and maintain your home.

 

All Things Can be Fixed

You will never find the “perfect” home that doesn’t have any issues. Instead, look for a home with the issues that you are willing to take on. You could miss out on a great house by thinking that it “failed” the inspection. Be sure to thoroughly discuss the home and the issues that were found with your home inspector and your real estate agent.

 

If you are looking for some articles on Home Inspections, you might find How Many People Should Be on a Home Inspection? and Why Get a Pre-Listing Home Inspection? interesting.

Summary
A House Does Not "Fail" A Home Inspection
Article Name
A House Does Not "Fail" A Home Inspection
Description
Do you wonder whether your home passed or failed its home inspection? The answer is neither. This article will tell you why.
Author
Publisher Name
Inspector Toolbelt Home Inspection Software
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