Different Types of Home Inspection

Although it doesn't tell you everything, a normal home inspection gives you a thorough report about the house you want to buy.

You could require more inspections, depending on the house you're thinking about, its age, location, and condition.

Below we have mentioned different types of home inspection in terms of purpose, scope, specialty area, and time frame.

Before that, you should know enough about the primary home inspection. Otherwise, click on the article what is home inspection to find out.

1. Based on Purpose

Here are the various types of home inspection based on their purpose, meaning what results they bring to you.

Pre-Purchase Home Inspections

A pre-purchase home inspection is an expert and comprehensive assessment of a property's state carried out prior to the sale of the residence.

The entire house, inside and out, will be visually inspected by a certified inspector to find any current or possible concerns.

It aids in preventing unexpected expenses and pricey repairs after purchasing the home.

It also provides useful information to adjust the buying price according to the property's condition.

Pre-Listing Home Inspections

A pre-listing home inspection, commonly known as a seller's inspection, is an expert home inspector's examination of a property carried out prior to advertising your home for sale. It is almost the opposite of a buyer's pre-purchase examination.

During a buyer's inspection, the inspector will look over the property and find any issues that need to be fixed or maintained.

New Construction Home Inspections

A new construction home inspection is intended only for houses that are now under construction or have recently been finished, in contrast to pre-purchase and pre-listing inspections, which concentrate on existing homes.

A fresh construction inspection assists in confirming that the builder has adhered to building codes and appropriate construction methods.

It can provide the customer piece of mind by pointing out any problems that might not be immediately seen.

Annual Maintenance Inspections

Annual maintenance inspections are thorough visual assessments of a property carried out annually.

They are also occasionally referred to as preventative maintenance inspections or routine building inspections.

It offers advantages such as being cost-effective and avoiding avoidable difficulties to identify minor problems before they become larger ones requiring fixes.

Specialty Inspections

As the name implies, specialty inspections are in-depth analyses of a property that concentrate on certain regions or possible problems.

Specialty house inspections go deeper into specific issues, as opposed to conventional home inspections, which provide a basic summary of the property's condition.

There are several common types of specialty inspections, including roof, chimney, pool and spa, septic system, mold, termite, and radon.

2. Based on Scope

Below are the two different types of home inspection based on their scope.

Comprehensive Whole-House Inspections

The most extensive and detailed assessment of a property's condition that is available is a full whole-house inspection.

It incorporates a greater variety of components and could include extra specialized examinations, going beyond a typical house inspection.

The foundation will be inspected by the inspector for any indications of instability, such as settling or cracks. The structural soundness of the floors, roof, and walls will also be evaluated.

Specific Component Inspections

Unlike thorough whole-house inspections, specific component inspections concentrate on a single system or component inside a property.

They offer a thorough analysis of that particular part in order to spot any issues or gauge its general state of repair.

A specific component examination can identify the issue and offer recommendations for repairs if you suspect a problem with a specific system in your house, such as a leaking roof or faulty electrical wiring.

If you need more information about plumbing inspection, click on the plumbing inspection article to find out.

3. Based on Specialty Areas

Another category for different types of inspection is based on specialty areas, such as structural inspection, electrical inspection, plumbing inspection, etc.

Structural Inspections

Particular attention is paid to the integrity and safety of a building's load-bearing components during structural inspections.

A structural inspection is a thorough assessment carried out by a qualified structural engineer, as opposed to a normal home inspection that examines a variety of features of a property.

Electrical Inspections

Comprehensive assessments of a property's electrical system are carried out by licensed and certified electricians during electrical inspections.

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They evaluate the wiring, outlets, panels, and other electrical components for both safety and usefulness.

One of the main causes of house fires is faulty electrical wiring. Electrical fires and other safety issues may be avoided by having an electrical inspection, which can spot possible dangers such as obsolete wiring, overloaded circuits, and poor grounding.

Plumbing Inspections

Plumbing inspections entail a careful analysis of the drainage and water supply systems of a property.

A certified plumber evaluates the state, performance, and security of valves, fixtures, pipelines, and other plumbing parts.

Plumbing inspections should be done on a regular basis (every two to three years) to help find little problems before they become larger ones that require expensive repairs.

HVAC Inspections

A comprehensive assessment of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in your house is part of an HVAC inspection.

To make sure your HVAC system runs safely and effectively, a certified expert will evaluate its state, functionality, and efficiency.

Frequent inspections can find little problems that may be lowering the efficiency of your system and resulting in decreased energy costs.

For more information about HVAC inspection, click here.

Roof Inspections

A registered roofing contractor or a competent roof inspector will carefully examine the roof system of your home during a roof inspection.

These examinations evaluate the state of the roof, spot any possible issues, and guarantee that it is operating correctly to shield your house from the weather.

Every two to three years, a regular roof check may help spot little problems like loose flashing, missing shingles, or early wear and tear.

Do you need more information about roof inspection? If so, click on the roof inspection article.

Exterior Inspections

The primary objective of exterior inspections is to assess the state, functioning, and resilience to weather of the external elements of your home. Usually, these elements consist of:

• Siding
• Windows
• Doors
• Decks, patios, walks, and drives are less often used (based on the inspector's scope of work).

Trained inspectors visually analyze these components to find possible issues, estimate how long they will last, and make sure they are operating properly to shield your house from the weather.

Interior Inspections

An interior inspection is a thorough analysis of a property's interior, with an emphasis on the state, usefulness, and security of its many parts.

Trained inspectors physically evaluate these components to detect possible issues and make sure they are operating properly. These inspectors are usually house inspectors or inspectors with specialized knowledge.

Every few years, do an interior examination to assist spot little problems like loose floor tiles, leaking faucets, and broken electrical outlets.

Environmental Inspections

Environmental inspections are a wide range of evaluations carried out to make sure that environmental laws are being followed and to spot any environmental risks.

Usually, certified inspectors or environmental specialists conduct these checks on a variety of locations, such as:

• Industrial establishments
• Commercial real estate
• Residential properties (in certain situations)
• Projects for land development
• Farming activities

4. Based on Timeframe

The timeframe is another category that divides types of home inspections into three items:

Pre-Closing Inspections

Pre-closing inspections, sometimes called final walk-throughs, are an essential part of the home-buying process that happens just before the property closes.

This is your final opportunity to confirm that the property is in the same condition as when you signed the purchase agreement.

By confirming that the seller has made all agreed-upon repairs and the property is in the same condition as when you anticipated it at closing, this inspection gives you peace of mind.

Post-Closing Inspections

Post-close inspections take place following the completion of the closing process and your formal homeowner status, in contrast to pre-closing inspections, which take place before completing a house purchase.

Even though they are less frequent than pre-closing inspections, they may still be very beneficial to newly purchased homes.

A comprehensive pre-inspection may not reveal all hidden issues. These problems may be found early on by a post-closing inspection, which will enable you to take care of them before they worsen.

Periodic Inspections

As the name implies, periodic inspections are frequent assessments of a property's numerous systems or components.

The frequency of these intervals can vary based on the particular system, its expected lifetime, and any associated dangers. They might be as low as once a year or as high as once every five years.

Frequent inspections can assist in spotting little faults before they become larger ones that require expensive repairs. Over time, this can save you money.

For more information about the yearly inspection, click on the yearly home inspection article.

5. Based on Regulatory Requirements

Besides the time-based inspections, there are some examinations you need to get done based on regulatory requirements:

Inspections mandated by local building codes or regulations

Local building rules and regulations demand inspections, which are necessary evaluations carried out by certified inspectors to make sure a facility conforms to set safety and construction requirements.

Depending on local laws, these inspections take place at different phases of building and remodeling as well as occasionally even after a property is occupied.

The purpose of building codes is to guarantee the safety and structural soundness of structures, shielding inhabitants from potential dangers such as electrical failures, fires and collapses.

Inspections required by mortgage lenders or insurance companies

Although they don't do inspections directly, mortgage lenders and insurance providers sometimes need documentation of certain inspections in order to approve loans or to provide homeowners insurance.

6. Based on Client Needs

The last category of home inspections is done based on the client's needs:

Buyer's Inspections

A buyer's inspection, sometimes called a house inspection, is a non-intrusive visual assessment of a property carried out by a certified inspector that the prospective buyer hires prior to completing a home purchase.

It's an important phase in the home-buying process that makes sure you know everything there is to know about the property's state before making a sizable financial commitment.

Seller's Inspections

A seller's inspection is an optional examination carried out by a certified inspector hired by the seller before selling their property on the market.

It is also known as a pre-listing inspection or pre-inspection. It helps the seller by seeing possible problems early on and enabling them to take proactive measures to remedy them, unlike a buyer's inspection.

Investor's Inspections

An investor's inspection, commonly referred to as an inspection of investment property, is a condensed examination carried out by a certified inspector, especially for homes being bought as investments.

Investor inspections, in contrast to typical home inspections, concentrate on finding serious problems that could have a big influence on the property's value, rental revenue, or need for future repairs.

Tenant's Inspections

In this instance, the property is inspected by the landlord or a representative at their request. There are primarily two circumstances:

• Joint Move-In Inspection: Preferably, the landlord (or their agent) and the tenant should work together to conduct a joint move-in inspection.
• Periodic Inspections (Landlord Initiated): During the length of the lease, landlords usually reserve the right to carry out periodic inspections.

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Conclusion

All in all, there are many types of home inspections and you should completely know their purpose before you get them done.

In this article, we mentioned the 6 most important categories of home inspection with each one’s sub-category.