Investing in a home is likely the largest purchase you’ll ever make. Before signing your name on the dotted line, you must understand the property’s true condition. Hidden defects could cost tens of thousands down the road. Your first line of defense? Scheduling a professional St. Louis home inspection.
Home inspections allow buyers to make informed decisions by uncovering problems lurking behind walls, underneath flooring, and on rooftops. Let’s explore what you can expect when you get a home inspection in St. Louis.
Why St. Louis Home Inspections Matter
Older homes especially hide all sorts of secrets. Without demolition, there’s no way to assess critical structural components or mechanical systems. An inspector serves as your private investigator, methodically searching for clues to a home’s faults. Their inspection and report become your crystal ball, predicting future repairs and headaches in store if you purchase a money pit.
A St. Louis home inspection provides expert insight into property conditions and identifies any repairs needed. Armed with this information, buyers can then make reasonable demands for fixes from the sellers before purchasing.
Inspections also help buyers determine:
- If unexpected repairs are deal breakers
- The asking price should be reduced to account for major flaws
- Specialists should be called in for further evaluation of problems
- An existing home warranty adequately covers defects discovered
When you consider how much money and heartache thorough inspections can save, the few hundred dollars spent seems a smart investment.
What’s Checked During a St. Louis Home Inspection
Home inspections involve far more than eyeballing aesthetics like staging and decor. Certified inspectors meticulously scrutinize the property’s structural integrity, function, and safety.
Key areas inspected include:
- Roof, flashings, drainage
- Attic structure and insulation
- Walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors
- Foundation for cracks or shifting
- Basement/crawlspace moisture and beams
- Electrical panels, wiring and fixtures
- HVAC and plumbing systems
- Water heaters, wells, pipes and pools
- Garage doors and openers
- Potential safety hazards
In other words, they examine virtually everything, including stuff hidden behind air ducts and insulation. Inspectors poke, prod, take measurements, and use high-tech tools to diagnose problems.
They also check records to uncover permits pulled to ensure work was properly done. And they can tell if something seems fishy about repairs covering larger issues. When buyers understand defects concealed and the costs to fix them, they gain strong negotiating power.
What Special Tools Do Home Inspectors Use?
Home inspectors deploy an array of special gadgets when hunting for home defects. It’s almost like an episode of CSI! Here are some examples:
- Thermal imaging cameras detect pockets of moisture intrusion, energy loss, and more behind walls and under floors impossible to see otherwise.
- Carbon monoxide detectors sniff out dangerous gas leaks from furnaces, water heaters, and other appliances that could be slowly poisoning occupants.
- Moisture meters pinpoint excess moisture in walls ideal for mold growth, wood rot, pests, and more.
- Mirrors and flashlights illuminate dark, cramped spaces like attics and crawlspaces.
- Ladders provide roof access to closely scrutinize their condition.
- Plumbing cameras probe drain pipes and sewer lines to assess leaks or clogs.
Don’t be surprised when inspectors whip out iPads, digital moisture readers, USB electrical outlet testers, and other high-tech diagnostic gadgets!
What Exactly Happens During the Inspection?
Home inspections generally last two to three hours on average for typical single-family homes. Jumbo homes can take longer. The process usually goes like this:
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Exterior assessment:
Inspectors work systematically around the property’s exterior evaluating siding, windows, roof, foundation, drainage, paint, trim, and more. They use ladders to scrutinize rooflines and high areas.
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Interior review:
Starting with the attic then main living spaces, basement, and crawlspaces, inspectors closely evaluate ceilings, walls, floors, doors/windows, electrical fixtures, appliances, HVAC equipment, and plumbing components testing functions.
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Systems testing:
Electrical, HVAC, water, and waste systems get checked for proper operations and unusual sounds or smells that could indicate problems. Inspectors examine safety mechanisms like smoke and CO detectors too.
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Photographic evidence:
Inspectors take copious photos documenting issues found, from cracks in concrete to faulty electrical panels or water damage. These illustrate concerns in their reports.
It’s common for inspectors to find surprises from serious foundation cracks hidden under carpets to termite damage concealed behind plaster walls. Their job is peeling back the onion exposing the home’s true condition.
Peeking Inside the Home Inspection Report
The heart of home inspections is the detailed inspection report generated. Skilled St. Louis inspectors take all their photographs, notes, measurements, research, and findings to create customized reports for clients. It typically takes several additional hours after the physical inspection to compile thorough accounts.
Expect your home inspection reports to contain:
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Summary:
Lists major positives and areas of concern discovered overall.
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Detailed findings:
Itemizes issues large and small by location in the home and system/area impacted.
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Severity ratings:
Categorizes problems from safety hazards to minor flaws.
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Photographs:
Captures visual evidence of damages and defects noted.
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Action Items:
Provide repair instructions and solutions for defects along with cost estimates.
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Recommendations:
Advises if additional expert assessments are warranted for problems uncovered.
Armed with documentation of a home’s defects, buyers gain leverage negotiating repairs or lowered asking prices to account for unexpected flaws.
Common Problems Found in St. Louis Homes
Due to its fickle weather, an array of old housing stock, and the presence of problematic soils, St. Louis homes often harbor defects needing remedy before or shortly after purchase. Some of the most common issues home inspectors uncover around town include:
- Roof damage
- Rotting wood siding and trim
- Basement/crawlspace moisture
- Crumbling foundations
- Faulty HVAC systems
- Plumbing leaks
- Electrical issues
- Fire code violations
Inspectors also keep sharp eyes out for past water damage, wood boring insect infestations, radon gas, asbestos materials, Chinese drywall, and other problems needing correction. Newer homes also frequently suffer significant defects due to fast, shoddy construction practices.
Why Trust Only Certified Home Inspectors?
With an asset as valuable as your future home on the line, it’s risky business to trust anyone other than a certified professional home inspector to thoroughly scrutinize a property before purchase.
Unlike your savvy father-in-law or a contractor buddy, licensed home inspectors possess extensive technical building system knowledge most folks lack. Their keen eye spots obscure problems missed by the average Joe. They also have all the right tools — literally — to poke into nooks the typical person can’t access.
As objective third parties, professional home inspectors advocate only for their client’s best interests too. They have no ties to property agents or sellers that could influence their loyalty.
The Bottom Line
St. Louis home inspections allow buyers to make fully informed, eyes-wide-open decisions about homes they’re considering. Yes, even seasoned real estate investors order them! No other process lets you glimpse behind walls at concealed defects that could become budget-busting repairs.
For just a few hundred dollars, a home inspection shields you from unwittingly overpaying for or buying undisclosed property headaches sellers are desperate to offload. Instead of dreaming about granite counters and hardwood floors, keep your eyes wide open about a home’s faults. Let a thorough St. Louis home inspection report protect you tomorrow by revealing a house’s secrets today.