Identifying Home Inspection Defects can Save you Money

During the course of conducting inspections some common Home Inspection Defects keeping appearing. The most important areas which maybe of interest to potential home buyers are Electrical, Plumbing and Structural issues. Visit the linked sites which include pictures of some of the more common deficiencies.

A Home Inspector can protect your investment

The Alliston Home Inspector has the Training and Knowledge to identify material defects in a home and protect your investment.

Many of these common defects that can be found during home inspection often can indicate a larger problem. Any electrical, plumbing or structural renovations or modifications will most always require a Building Permit. Buying a home that has been renovated without a Building Permit can cost a potential buyer unforeseen costs down the road.

The picture on the right shows an improperly installed electrical cable entering an electrical panel. There is no connector where cable enters panel and the insulation has not been removed inside panel. This is a material defect and would be noted in the inspection report.

The areas of a home that are covered by a Typical Home Inspection are identified in the Standards of Practice. This detailed list also identifies items that are not part of the Home Inspection.

Commonly home inspectors are asked to qualify what constitutes a defect and what does not. While many home inspectors do their best to lend some logical perspective to home buyers regarding property conditions, they are not obligated to separate discovered conditions into rated categories of significance.

Home inspectors are obligated only to report the condition of a property, not to determine for the buyer or for the agents involved what the buyer should or should not be concerned about. Logic would of course imply that all substandard conditions reported by the inspector should be of concern.

According to InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice for Performing a General Home Inspection, inspectors are required to identify and report material defects of the visible and accessible structure, systems and components of a residential property. At the outset, it’s worth noting that some inspectors are confused by the meaning of “material.” In this use, “material” is an adjective that refers to something of significant importance, rather than a tangible part of the home.

The dictionary defines the adjective “material” as “relevant and consequential,” and it is this definition that applies to Residential Standard 1.2:

1.2. A material defect is a specific issue with a system or component of a residential property that may have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property, or that poses an unreasonable risk to people. The fact that a system or component is near, at or beyond the end of its normal useful life is not, in itself, a material defect.

A material defect is a defect which is both observed and deemed material in nature by the individual inspector.

Home inspection defects are typically identified by the Home Inspector relying on his experience and knowledge.

It is the inspector’s own experience and judgment that enable him/her to make the ultimate decision to call out a defect as material, which is why there is no specific photo or lengthy checklist that can teach or tell the inspector what constitutes one

If you are thinking of not having a home inspection then I would suggest you read article on Importance of Home Inspections

There is more than one type of Home Inspection. Read about the different Types of Inspections

Electrical Deficiencies including pictures Don't Buy a Money Pit

Plumbing Deficiencies including pictures

Structural Deficiencies including pictures

Understanding Home Inspection basics can lead to a better understanding of the condition of the home you are buying.