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The real estate sales market has toned down dramatically since the
80’s, yet now in the late 90s there are clear signs of renewed home
buyer activity and care in the purchase of homes.
Home inspectors have reported a significant increase in the number
of pre-purchase inspections, according to the American Society of Home
Inspectors (ASHI), the most respected national organization of
independent home inspectors….
In homes 20 years and older, ASHI experts say that roof shingles,
electrical wiring, and surface water drainage systems are the items
most commonly cited on inspection reports as needing repair or
modification.
In new construction, inspectors frequently find water seepage into
basement/cellar or crawl space, inadequate attic ventilation, poor
roof construction, and substandard masonry and finish work.
In response to a growing awareness of the dangers posed by certain
substances, such as radon gas, asbestos fiber, and urea formaldehyde
foam insulation, many consumers are paying extra to have special tests
performed to make sure their new home doesn’t pose a health hazard
to them and their family. Although a standard ASHI home
inspection does not include environmental items, many home inspectors
offer environmental assessment as an optional service, or recommend
further evaluation.
What is the difference between a
home inspection and an engineering inspection? Which is
appropriate for the home buyer?
Considerable confusion surrounds this question, particularly since
in some areas, home inspections have been inadvertently referred to as
engineering inspections or evaluations, and engineers sometimes
perform home inspections. But the two, according to home
inspection and engineering authorities, are actually quite different.
Engineering evaluations are usually specialized by discipline (such
as chemical, structural, electrical) and involve exhaustive scientific
measurements and calculations for confirming the design of the
systems. Home inspections, on the other hand, tell buyers what
they really need to know: “what is the condition of the home
today?”. The home inspection, performed by a
professional engineer (P.E.) or a non-engineer professional inspector
does not involve engineering analysis of the original design, but
deals instead with the in-service operation or failure of a home’s
systems and components, as well as the type of maintenance that has
been and should be performed. It is based on established
criteria of performance and training specific to the home inspection
profession.
State agencies, which are typically responsible for regulating
professional activity, have not undertaken to license home inspectors,
except in Texas. Home buyers must therefore carefully review an
inspector’s background and credentials to determine if he has the
appropriate training and professional ethics to perform home
inspections.
This Homebuyers Tip was excerpted from:
Banker & Tradesman, May 1997
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