If you’re in the process of buying a home, there are three areas of that home that you should order additional inspections for if you notice or suspect any kind of damage:
1. Underground plumbing in older homes. Older homes tend to have sediment or foundational issues. Any kind of movement caused by these issues can cause breakage in the underground plumbing, and this can be extremely costly to fix. You might not even know something’s wrong for a long time.
2. Heating and air conditioning. A general home inspector will check this kind of thing, but they’ll only make a judgment based on the HVAC unit’s temperature output or if they see any exterior damage. They’re not licensed to open up that unit and actually check to see if there’s any damage inside or there’s anything that could cause issues down the road. If you notice any damage or you know that your future home’s HVAC unit is an older unit, it’s a good idea to call a licensed professional to inspect it.
“A pound of prevention beats a pound of cure.”
3. Stucco. To really know whether or not your home has any stucco issues, you have to do an intrusive test, which requires an inspector to drill into one of your home’s walls to identify any wood that’s been damaged by water intrusion. Some homeowners don’t like the sound of this, but the hole inspectors drill is only about the size of a pencil tip, and once they’re done, they immediately patch it up.
All of these extra inspections will cost you, but what you might pay for them pales in comparison to what you’ll pay if you have to repair any damage in these areas. As the old saying goes, “A pound of prevention beats a pound of cure.”
If you have any other questions about this topic or you have any other real estate needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.
