May 5, 2022 GR Staff

Never Fail House Inspections Again - Common Mistakes

[Unlivable House Conditions | 5 min. Read]

Imagine putting in the time, effort, AND money into a property deal, and the buyer backs out of the sale because of a failed home inspection! That has been a reality for many homeowners looking to sell their homes and investors looking to put a house back on the market. Learn from their mistakes and make sure your home is in decent shape to bring on tenants or to flip a home. Whichever is your intention, you can successfully do that with the tips you'll learn in this article.

"An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth More Than A Pound of Cure"

There are a few things that homeowners look for that can cause them to fail the inspection. Ironically enough, these things are simple to fix or can be addressed by a reliable contractor! If you know these beforehand, you'll be saving money and time. You'll also be better equipped to estimate the return on investment (ROI) on your properties, and your buying decisions will be supported with more knowledge. Overall, you won't fail home inspections at all or never again! Here are the 5 most common reasons why people fail home inspections, and what you can do to avoid that same fate.

Structural Damage
Water Damage
Roofs
Plumbing
Electrical

We kept it to 5 common problems because we want you to be able to recall on one hand what are the major issues you may need to address.

Let's start with one of the most dangerous issues... and that is structural damage. This is one of the most noticeable defects, and one with fatal implications if the problem is not tended to. Structural damage lets you know that the foundation is weak or needs to be repaired before it becomes a problem. That may look like cracks in the bricks, cracks in the wood, cracks around windows and door frames, curvature, or bulging of interior walls. The implications of not treating structural damage are quite dangerous because if the cracks get worse, they may level the foundation. The erosion of your bricks or wood can be slow or sudden, but the effect is the same. It is best to hire a contractor to fix this for you. Contact a General Contractor or a Professional Carpenter to assess the situation and repair this issue for you. It is worth hiring a professional because of the implications of getting this completed the way you need it needs to be done. Simply put, no structure = no home. Here are some pictures of structural damage so you can recognize it before your home inspector does!

Structural Damages in Wall

Structural Damages in Home Exterior

Once the structural foundation is rebuilt, you hire a GC to install drywall and paint, then your home is back in shape and even better than before!

Now, it is worth mentioning Water Damage! It is typically needed and highly requested after a natural disaster. Hurricanes, Floods, Moisture, and other natural disasters are responsible for water damage. This situation only gets worse. Not only do the causes of water damage have your belongings floating in the water and unable to walk in said area, but the effect of that happening is moisture in the foundation!

This gets worse if you have cracks in your foundation as we previously discussed in the last step. The water will seep into the foundation causing the water to erode faster, that is in the case of concrete or brick. With wood it's even worse, not only would the water dampen the wood ultimately making it weaker, but the residue of water will create moisture in the wood and cause molding. Once the molding gets to the base of the house it can throughout the wood and travel to the roof. Mold spreads, it is a bacterial living organism with the ability to grow in those spaces. If the wood becomes molded, it needs to be torn out completely and replaced with new wood. You can treat the problem on a smaller scale if the damage is small. However, once the mold becomes entrenched in the wood, it is better to give your contractor a call. Here are some pictures of water damage so you can recognize it before your home inspector does!

Signs of Water Damage

The Roof is leaking! The Roof is leaking!! You've felt the ramifications of a faulty roof if you've ever had to place a bucket under the leak to capture the water! That is one of the major signs that your roof needs to be fixed. When it comes to construction and the maintenance of your home, small problems lead to bigger problems.

So it is best to address issues early on or have to deal with a more expensive problem down the line. If you're an investor, you should spot this because repairing it can be costly, and replacing it is costly. Think of the reality of that for a second, say you have to repair the roof... you are at the mercy of the weather. If it was to rain then your entire home would be rained on. To put it in perspective, no matter how nice your convertible is, I'm sure you wouldn't leave the drop-top roof down when it is pouring. Very rarely do you see motorcyclists driving in the rain. Protect yourself by realizing that the roof is a very important addition to your home, because your home inspector knows this, and that can be a reason you fail inspection. With that being said, a factor you need to consider while hiring roofers is the weather. Not only is it unsafe to work at extreme heights, but it's also even more difficult when the weather is bad. Most roofers will not work under those conditions and it will delay the succession of this project. All the while, you don't have a roof! Some causes of a faulty roof are lack of maintenance, weathering, improper design, and flashing problems.

Signs of Roof Damages

Do you have running water? Is your water spurting out yellow water? Does the water in your home take a long time to drain? Is your toilet constantly stopped up? This sounds like a Plumbing issue!

The most common reason why homeowners call the plumber is for a stopped-up toilet but that is just one of the many services plumbers offer. When you think of plumbers, think pipes. The pipes under your kitchen sink that give you running water, pipes under your bathroom sink that give you running water, pipes that connect the toilet, and the pipes you don't see that are within the bathroom walls that give you running water for showers/baths. That is all fixed by the Plumber. With that being said, plumbing issues are what you may know of. Clogging the pipes by putting stuff that is not meant to be flushed such as hair, textured paper, small items, and whatever else you can imagine that can't be flushed. To get a greater idea, open your bathroom or kitchen sink, and take a look at the pipes. You see the shape of the pipe connecting to the drain... it is an irregular shape and it is that way to manage the water pressure. if you throw chunks of stuff in that pipe it has to travel through that mid-point and is liable to get clogged like afternoon traffic on the highway during rush hour.

Clogged Drain

What Inside A Clogged Drain Looks Like

Let there be light!!! ... or not. Are your light switches working? Is your light bulb connected to the breaker? Do you have outlets in each room? If these issues are present, you have an Electrical issue.

When you think electrical, think wires. For your wifi to work, it needs to connect to that input/output cable. This is a major part of making a home livable and is the most influential part of the home building process. Developers interact with the placement and installation of the electrical wires and outlets. This is typically done before the house is completely built. So while these are important for contractors and investors to know, it still provides valuable insight for those living in the home. What insight is that? The knowledge of knowing what the problem is, where it is, and how to explain to your electrician what the problem is. You can try to jumpstart the current by turning off the electrical current at the breaker box and then turning it back on. If the problem persists you should contact an electrician immediately. Investors, before you purchase a home you should check for electrical issues, or be sure to have your house inspector inspect the home. Your home inspector will be sure to point these issues out as they are certified, and have the knowledge to spot issues that are oblivious to the untrained eye.

Signs of Electrical Damage

Signs of Electrical Installation

These 5 major things once addressed, will ensure that you don't fail your home inspection. With this knowledge, you have the guidance necessary to maintain your home, protect your investment, and pass home inspections! Never fail a home inspection again or ever at all. If you're a seller in the real estate industry, you know what to fix before you put your home on the market. With all your ducks in order, you can have an easier, smoother closing. This knowledge will save you time, effort, money, and the stress that comes with selling or maintaining a home. You're welcome!

Leave a comment