How Do I Do My Own Home Inspection

If you're wondering, "How do I do my own home inspection?" you should first realize that a self inspection can be a helpful tool, but should not replace a professional inspection for sellers or buyers.

Inspect before you buy.

Home inspections are conducted for a variety of reasons:

• A homeowner wants to put a home on the market for sale, and wants an inspection beforehand to discover any potential issues that may arise in order to make the repairs and potentially shorten the time spent waiting for closing.
• A home buyer wants to buy a home and wants an inspection in order to discover any potential problems with the house that may not be visible before actually taking ownership of the home.
• A homeowner wants to make improvements to a home, but needs to make sure that the home is structurally sound and that there are no other improvements or repairs that should take precedence over the desired improvements.
• A homeowner wants to refinance a mortgage loan or get an equity loan and the lender requires a home inspection prior to disbursing the funds.

In the majority of instances, a professional home inspection is either required or highly recommended. There are certain things that may not be caught with an untrained eye, such as a cracked foundation or the presence of termites, and this is why a professional home inspector should be commissioned whenever there is a need for an official home inspection.

If you want to do a pre-inspection yourself, or don't need a professional home inspection, you can inspect your home yourself to discover any repairs that need to be made. It is important to remember that your self-inspection should augment a professional inspection as opposed to replacing one.

Here are the steps to take to conduct your own home inspection:

Arm yourself with a comprehensive home inspection checklist. The checklist will guide you through the items you need to inspect and is much better than simply walking through the house and glancing at everything.

By following a prewritten inspection checklist you will be able to stay on task and concentrate on the items that deserve your attention the most. Record your findings! Do not trust your memory to record everything that you notice during your self-inspection.

You should choose a day to inspect the house when you will have full access to every part of the home, including the exterior. Do not choose a day when your efforts will be hampered by rain, or if you are inspecting the home you want to purchase, select a day when the current homeowners are willing to grant you full access to both the interior and exterior of the home.

As you work through the checklist, take photos with a camera so you can later reference any issues that need to be repaired by referring to an actual photo. A digital camera will work best because you can immediately review the photo to make sure the image conveys the damage that needs to be repaired.

While a self home inspection is not a replacement for a professional inspection, it can be a helpful tool to assist you in deciding whether to put your home on the market or whether you should purchase a home or not.

Combine the inspection you conduct with the inspection of a professional inspector to ensure you have all the information you need in order to make an educated decision regarding the home you inspect. You should additionally keep in mind that while a professional inspection is a must, there is no reason why you should not conduct your own inspection using a prewritten checklist. You may be able to find out what you need to know before spending the money necessary for a professional inspector visit.

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