Why have an inspection?

A home inspection is important, arguably the most important step in the entire process because it could end up saving you thousands of dollars. During the inspection, a professional will look over the entire house to check that everything is working the way it needs to be from outlets working properly (not just working) to the condition of the roof and masonry of the building. They look into all the things that concern you even if you didn’t know they should concern you.

What do inspectors look for?

In short, just about everything. Depending on the type of home inspection you order the inspector will look for things like:

• The age and working condition of the appliances

• The age and working condition of the heating and AC

• If there are any leaks or signs of mold

• That the windows function properly

• Are there drainage issues

• If there are any signs of moisture

• Possible water damage

• The durability of the roof

• Cracks in the exterior

• Possible flooding in the basement

And the list can go on…

How long will this take?

The time it can take to have a home inspection done can vary from an hour to 5 hours depending on the size of the house and/or building. If you have a standard 2 bedroom condo in Chicago that can usually take anywhere from an hour to 1.5 hours. If you just purchased a 3 flat building for investment and need to have the entire building looked over, you can assume you’re going to be there for a while.

When should I have an inspection done?

The typical answer to this is after going under contract for the house, which is right when you “win” the bidding war and get the house (congratulations!) and before you go into attorney review. This will start off the attorney review process where anything that is found in the inspection will then be discussed and negotiated based on what the inspector finds.

How much does an inspection cost?

This answer too will depend on the size of the house but you can typically plan to budget $300-$500. Although $300 is not a little bit of money it is well worth the cost. Having a home inspection can save you thousands of dollars depending on what is found. Mold removal is not cheap nor is replacing a roof and once you find that out, that is what attorney review will negotiate whether it be a credit for any damages and repairs or this can provide you the opportunity to invest your time and money into a different property with fewer issues. Plus, how much is peace of mind really worth to you in this situation?

In conclusion:

Home inspectors are the unsung heroes of the home buying process. They don’t always get the amount of praise that they deserve. You can ask any realtor if they have a good home inspector and if they do they’ll sing their praises to you because we know how important they are. Maintaining a home is not cheap and we know we have to do everything we can to save our clients money and the best way to do that upfront is to have a home inspection from a good professional.