What To Look for in a NJ Home Inspector | Home Inspection Tips

Hiring a good home inspector can alleviate a lot of stress for homeowners and buyers alike. If you’re in the market to buy a house, you should be aware that there can be issues with homes that only a good inspector will notice. It’s smart to hire this kind of inspector, as finding these issues puts the responsibility on the seller to resolve these issues before you buy the house. You may even find issues you would never have noticed that cause you to rethink buying the house altogether. Conversely, if you’re looking to sell a house, it may be in your best interest to get ahead of the game and hire a new jersey home inspector to identify any issues, saving you the hassle of having to negotiate these problems and costs with potential buyers.

What Your New Jersey Home Inspection Should Include

Your standard home inspection should include a thorough assessment of the property’s structural integrity, external and internal features, mechanical systems, as well as other details.

An inspector will look at things such as:

– Plumbing
– Electrical systems
– Thermal systems
– Basements and garages
– The kitchen and all of its features
– Walls, both exterior and interior
– The condition of the roof and attic
– Chimney
– Stairs and steps
– Baths and shower systems
– Potential insect or rodent problems
– Exterior drainage systems
– The foundation of the home

Though the inspector should be efficient, this task requires thoroughness and should take two to four hours. Sometimes inspectors take longer than this depending on the intricacies and size of the property. The cost of a home inspection usually lies between $300 and $800, though factors like the age and variety of the property can add to the cost.

Related: Learn about our NJ mold testing and keep your home free of dangerous mold

When to Find a Home Inspector

Finding the right home inspector for you is essential. In fact, it’s recommended that you find a reliable home inspector before you start shopping for houses. Finding the house first can make the deal time-sensitive, and it’s better not to rush into big decisions if you can avoid them. Speaking to friends and family about their experiences with home inspectors, roof inspections, termite inspections or others may lead you to the right one. You can also find a list of local home inspectors on the American Society of Home Inspectors website.

What to Ask Your NJ Home Inspector

When courting a potential home inspector, be sure to ask them the right questions to get an idea of their verifiability. Find out how long they’ve been in the industry, how many inspections they’ve done, what their background consists of, and what you can count on their report to look like. Keep in mind that specialist like plumbers and electricians are great for plumbing and electrics, but inspectors should have a more global knowledge of a home and all of its structures and components.

If you’re in a state that regulates home inspectors, any reliable home inspector should be licensed. Check their official record for any negative reviews. In the case that your state does not regulate home inspectors, verify that they are ASHI accredited and carry errors and omissions insurance.

Final Words

Choosing an inspector that is not affiliated with any real estate agency is the best way to avoid any unwanted biases. Be sure that the inspector you choose can send you a thorough report with ample time to review, in a digital format that you can easily forward to friends and family. Finally, you want an inspector that knows what they’re talking about. Go with someone who carries a sense of pride and confidence in their abilities as a home inspector.