4 Reasons Why You Could Fail Your Home Inspection
When it comes to selling your home, you will need to undergo an inspection, which will review the details of your property, allowing the overall condition of your home to be evaluated. A few things could cause you to fail your home inspection; however, you can avoid these faults with proper planning.
1. Damaged Roof
If your roof is damaged, you are likely to fail your home inspection. Most likely, a potential buyer will not want to purchase a home with a failing roof. Things like broken, curled, or brittle shingles will need to be replaced. If you have leaks, you are going to want to recaulk around the pipes on your roof. Take care of your roof before your home inspection.
2. Drainage Issues
Drainage issues may not seem like that big of an issue, but improper grading can have serious consequences. Improper grading can result in foundation damage, basement water damage, and mildew. Therefore, before your inspection, add topsoil around the base of your home, and grade the soil so that it slopes away from the building. You should also make sure all of your gutters are in good condition and that the downspouts are directing the water from your home's foundation.
3. Foundation Issues
Issues with your foundation are almost sure to result in a failed home inspection. If you have cracks in the walls above your doorways, if the floors are sloping, or if you can see cracks in your home's outside foundation, those are all signs that your foundation has issues.
Foundation issues can cost thousands of dollars to fix, but you are unlikely to sell your home without a stable foundation. That is why you will want to get your foundation repaired before you have a home inspection. You will also want to fix any damage to your home that the foundation issues caused, from cracks to misaligned doors and windows.
4. Pest Infestation
No one wants to move into a new home and have to deal with termites or other types of pests. If you know you have a pest infestation in your home, you will need to have a pest control company deal with it. Home inspectors are good at finding signs of certain pests, such as termites, so you will want to treat them and fix the damage they caused before your home inspection.
When it comes to selling your home, once a buyer puts in an offer, they will likely require a home inspection. If you want to avoid failing the home inspection and losing out on the opportunity to sell your home, fix any major and minor issues with your home before putting it up for sale. Contact a home inspector to learn more.
