From The Ground Up Inspections: February 2017

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

What Is and Is Not Included in a Home Inspection Report

When purchasing a home, surely a home inspection can be a magnificent part of the overall purchasing process. A home inspection provides potential buyers with informative data, insight and a heads up on any costly problems that may be present in a home prior to signing any type of a purchase agreement. From electrical systems, HVAC systems, water heaters and plumbing to smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, mold, asbestos, and lead paint issues, home inspectors put together a thorough home inspection report outlining any potential problems.

Potential homeowners find they have a good deal more confidence in their buy when a house appears to be in good shape and surely many a potential home buyer tends to feel more confident when they are attempting to purchase a newer home. However, it is important to understand that even a newer home can, and many times does, present with problems that only the home inspection can find.

If you are purchasing an older home that has been around for quite some time, then surely there are apt to be a variety of problems that come along with the home. At From the Ground Up Inspections we pride ourselves on our top of the line home inspections and on our highly visible presence in the marketplace. Having been billed as the number one home inspection company in all of Murfreesboro and the surrounding areas, we take tremendous pride in our reputation and our quality home inspection services. We go over all major systems in the home and give primary focus to all those items on our home inspection checklist. We welcome potential buyers to walk right along with us as we perform our inspection and to witness each stage of our inspection process.

Though home inspections provide insight into a number of major components of a house, there are a variety of things that we, as inspectors, do not specifically check for. For instance, inspectors do not check to make certain that all the floors in every room of the house are level and square. In addition, though we check all the pipes throughout the house, unless the backyard of your ‘dream’ home is filled with sewage, we do not inspect septic tank systems. Our inspectors will recommend that if you are buying a home with a septic system you have it evaluated and inspected by a septic system contractor who specializes in the maintenance and repair of home septic systems.

Further, we will view a home’s roof from the ground, but we do not climb up onto a rooftop to perform a complete, up close inspection of the roof shingles and the rest of its components. We highly suggest that potential buyers have a roofing contractor come in and provide them with a thorough inspection report of the roof before buying. Some homes, even the newer built homes, can very well present with issues such as missing shingles or a poor gutter system that can prove to be costly down the road, which is why we always recommend bringing in a roofing contractor prior to your buy.

Finally, typical home inspections do not include reporting on various landscaping elements such as trees, the health of the lawn, the land soils, or any other landscaping that typically requires a good deal of work and equipment to maintain.

Here at From the Ground Up Inspections we want all our clients, old and new, to understand the home inspection checklist we adhere to and to be aware of those items that are not included in a professional home inspection report. We do, however, make recommendations to potential buyers when possible and can even suggest appropriate contractors or specialists that can assist with their further inspection needs.

If you are in the market for a new home and are looking for a professional, highly trained and highly skilled home inspection company then look no further than the friendly and experienced inspectors here at From the Ground Up Inspections. Contact us today. We look forward to serving you with your home purchase.

Contact From the Ground Up Inspections
From the Ground Up Home Inspections always performs a thorough Home inspection, will clearly communicate their findings to you, along with providing you with a detailed report. For all your Middle Tennessee home inspection needs, From the Ground Up Inspections offers professional experience you can count on. To learn more about our services, prices or to schedule an appointment, contact From the Ground Up Inspections at (615) 351-1922. We look forward to helping you!

For info on special offers & updates, click here: http://www.homeinspectionsmurfreesborotn.com/

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

What You need to Know About Buying a House Built in the 70’s

Home buyers are often hit with disappointments and even fears when they get a home inspection report that has lots of things you were simply not expecting. When this occurs, many buyers will instantly back out of purchasing a specific home. Many times the items listed in the report are not severe in nature but are the result of buying an older home. With that said, the professionals here at From the Ground Up Inspections want to provide clients with some of the important information you need to know when contemplating buying a house built in the 70’s. We have put together this informative piece not to alarm potential buyers, but rather to educate people on some of the things they may find in their inspection report when buying a house built in the 70’s.

What to Expect

Houses that were built in the 70’s typically have modern components, but obviously they are aged. Though heating and electrical systems are comprised of all the necessary safety and health components, they are apt to be somewhat faulty due to their age. Whether forced air heating, grounded electrical systems, ABS drain lines or insulation just to name a few, there are apt to be some repairs or replacements that will be needed. This is not to say that a house built in the 70’s is not healthy and safe, but rather they may present with some problems based upon their age. Three important issues that are apt to turn up in your inspection report for your ‘70’s home include issues with lead paint, aluminum wiring and asbestos.

During the 70’s there was a shortage of copper that was typically used for house wiring. With this shortage the industry turned to the next best material conductor – aluminum, which, at the time, was in abundance, performed well and was less costly than the copper was. However, over a short span of time, electrical fires became common in those homes with the aluminum wiring. It was determined that the aluminum itself was not solely responsible for the fires, but rather the chemical reaction that occurs when you connect dissimilar metals together. When performing a home inspection, the inspectors here at From the Ground Up Inspections will check for aluminum wiring and should we find any issues will recommend that a licensed electrician come in and evaluate and upgrade the system as needed in order to alleviate any fire hazards.

A second major concern when purchasing a house built in the 70’s is that of asbestos. Though asbestos back then was used as a fire retardant and also performed well as an insulating material, especially on the heating system, it was soon discovered that some types of asbestos were carcinogenic and were no longer permitted in homes. Our highly skilled and experienced inspectors here at From the Ground Up Inspections are fully aware of materials that contain asbestos. While we cannot confirm that asbestos is present by simply looking at it, we will typically suggest that a potential buyer have it tested by a qualified lab.

Finally, a third important concern potential buyers should have is that of lead paint. Lead was a primary component in house paints back in the 70’s. However, it was determined that the lead paint could be addictive and was, therefore, banned in the late 70’s.

A final thought from our team here at From the Ground Up Inspections. When buying a house built in the 70’s recognize that the house was built well over 45 years ago, so the chances that some items in the home will be worn out are obvious. Whether inspecting roofing, heating and cooling systems, plumbing fixtures, appliances, or window hardware to name a few, our experienced inspectors will recommend repair or replacement on any of these components where appropriate. We are all about our clients and certainly about their well-being and safety, which is why we have been recognized as one of the best all round home inspection companies in all the region.

Our final bit of advice to potential home buyers– when buying an older home be realistic, open-minded and practical, but most of all enjoy the experience – it doesn’t come along every day.

For info on special offers & updates, click here: http://www.homeinspectionsmurfreesborotn.com/