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My go-to home inspector here in Fairfield County is Malcolm Ford of Inspect the Best. Inspectors like Malcolm are one of the best investments you can make when buying a home. Their work can save you so many headaches and so much money.
I asked Malcolm to tell me the top three items that need to
be inspected when buying a home. Here’s the wisdom he shared:
1. Pay attention to
water. Control of water outside the home is 60-70 percent of the entire care
package for the house. Make sure there is a good roof cover, that chimney and
flashings are in good condition, and that gutter downspouts are extended at
least 10 feet away from the home.
Check the grade around the house to make certain there is not
water flowing from a hill or slope without some way to control or move it
around the house.
2. Make sure you
don’t have a buried oil tank in the yard. This is especially an issue with
older homes. You don’t want to be stuck with a home that has a leaking tank. If
you find there is a tank, make sure it was abandoned correctly by reviewing the
paperwork and ensuring that the contractor did his job.
Tell-tale signs of a tank include truncated pipes or perhaps
fill pipes sticking out of the ground. This can be expensive to repair if there
is leakage and you have a lot of soil to move.
3. The electrical
system is critical above all. You need to ensure everything electrical is
safe and in working order. Check the condition of the main panel box and any
subpanels. Make sure there is no entry for water – or pests such as mice – and that
everything is wired correctly.
Then check outlets, making certain that fault interrupters
are installed throughout the house, particularly in bathrooms, kitchens,
laundry, and exterior outlets in a garage or workshop. If anything goes wrong, you
want the power to be shut off immediately.
Make sure your
inspector reviews these potential problems when your house is inspected.
