Preparing for Inspection

OK, you have just been advised that there is an Inspector coming to inspect the house that you live in; NOW WHAT?!

This article is designed to help you prepare your home to be inspected. By following these guidelines, you can make the whole "inspection process" go quicker and smoother for everyone involved.

First of all, you need to know what a Home Inspection is, and what it is intended for. The inspection is limited to a non-invasive, visual, physical examination of the general systems and components of your property. The typical inspection takes approximately three to four hours.

The inspection begins on the outside of the dwelling with the roof, the exterior, garage, and the grounds of the property. The inspection then proceeds to the inside of the house, where the major systems of the house (visible: structure, heating/air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, basement, etc.) are examined. The inspection continues through the house as the Inspector operates light switches, receptacles, doors, windows. The Prestigious Home Inspector looks under sinks and inside vanities, runs water in sinks, tubs, showers, flushes toilets, observes inside closets and cabinetry, and checks the attic. The Prestigious Home Inspector will operate all the fixtures and components of the house with their normal operating controls. No destructive testing or dismantling is done during the inspection.

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The purpose of the inspection is to fairly and accurately report on the visually discernible condition of the property. The intent of the Inspection Report is to keep the findings in perspective for the clients, relative to the conditions noted. If a recommendation is made, that is typical for homes of that age, or for homes in the area, the client will be told that.

Alright, now you know what to expect… the Prestigious Home Inspector is going to look at, and operate everything. What should you do or not do? Well, some of what comes next is common sense. However, real estate transactions can be charged with emotions and fear of the unknown, which can sometimes let common sense take a back seat to normal good judgement.

Let's take a step back to the beginning. If you are the owner/seller of the property, you have (for your own reasons) decided to put the property up for sale. Therefore you must want this property to be sold. So you should do things that will help the sale of the property. Equally important, you should not do things that may hinder the sale of the property.

If you are a tenant in a property that has been put up for sale, you are possibly facing a move that you had not planned on. You should keep in mind that many rental properties are sold to other people who intend to keep the property as a rental. Therefore you should do everything in your power to demonstrate that you are an ideal tenant, so that the new owner sees no reason to search for a new occupant for the property. Even if you do have to move, you should want a favourable letter of recommendation from your landlord, to show to any future landlords. This will help you to secure a new place to rent.

Owner/seller and tenant should both follow the advice on the DO's and DONT's List. You should want to give the Prestigious Home Inspector the impression that the property is 'cared for'. Remember that the people who ordered the Home Inspection will usually accompany the Prestigious Home Inspector during the Inspection. You will also want to convey a 'cared for' impression to the people that have hired the Prestigious Home Inspector to report on the condition of the property.