Lakeland, Florida Home Inspector

If you’re wondering whether or not a pre-listing inspection is worth the cost, since the buyer will usually want to get their own inspection anyway, there are several advantages to consider. By learning the condition of your home before putting it on the market, you can make the repairs needed to increase the value of your home and attract confident buyers. A pre-listing inspection also reduces the risk of unpleasant surprises that can come up during what would have otherwise been a smooth transaction. If you want to increase buyer confidence, decrease stress, and ensure that you get the most for your home, a pre-listing home inspection is a great choice.

A wind mitigation inspection is a type of home inspection in Florida that focuses on features of the home that can help prevent serious structural damage due to high winds from hurricanes and other storms. The elements of your home that an inspector will focus on during a wind mitigation inspection are water barriers, roof-to-foundation anchoring, and storm windows.

The average cost of a home inspection in Florida is $302, with a typical range of $254-$374. For a very small home, you might pay as little as $124, while a very large home may cost as much as $1,000+ for an inspection. As with any other purchase, you get what you pay for. So if you hire a cheap, inexperienced home inspector and they miss a major issue, you could end up paying a lot more in the long run.

Pools and spas are expensive to maintain, so if you’re buying a house that comes with one you’ll want to make sure you understand the condition of it before closing the deal. Although this type of inspection is an additional cost to the already expensive price of buying a home, it can save you thousands of dollars in the long run and could even be used to renegotiate a lower price on the home if the inspector finds considerable damage. Even if the pool/spa inspection comes back perfect and everything is in proper working order, you’ll have the peace of mind that your family can enjoy it safely and you don’t need to worry about any costly repairs in the near future.

If you are purchasing an older home in the state of Florida, a four-point inspection is usually required to qualify for homeowner’s insurance. A four-point inspection focuses on these 4 areas of the home:

1. Roof
2. Plumbing
3. HVAC
4. Electrical

Home inspectors follow a checklist of the main components that are needed for every home to function properly and safely. These are some of the uniform inclusions certified inspectors check out:

• Structure of the property – specifically its foundation (checks sticking windows, sloping floors, leaning or cracked walls, etc.)
• Safety in terms of fire alarms, electrical and stairs
• Drainage systems and water leakage
• Condition of the property perimeter. Specifically grading and erosion
• The general condition of floors, ceilings, and walls
• Cooling and heating systems
• Electrical systems
• Plumbing systems
• Roofing, gutters, and vent system
• Electrical outlets
• Attics and basements/crawlspaces
• Interior plumbing (checks water temperatures, toilets, sinks, and bathtubs/showers)
• Light fixtures (if they’re in working order)
• Major built-in appliances (dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, range, washer, and dryer)

In a standard, general home inspection, you can’t expect everything to be covered. Home inspections are not technically exhaustive, and they often don’t cover cosmetic concerns. It’s a visual inspection so if the issue is hidden, it might not be found. This is especially true if the home is occupied, as personal items are not moved.

An irrigation inspection is a full inspection of a home’s sprinkler system and the components that make it up. Since the majority of a sprinkler system is located underground, your inspector will not be digging up the yard to look at the underground components. Since Florida has year-round warm weather, many homes have irrigation systems that are always running – which can take a toll on the system. So it is important to get an irrigation inspection before purchasing a home to make sure that it is still in good condition and your yard will stay lush and healthy year-round!

A home inspection comes shortly after you get an offer accepted. This is an independent 3rd party that you hire to inspect the home’s major systems and components. A home appraisal comes once you are past the home inspection and loan acceptance phases. Your lender outsources this to determine the value of the home, as compared to recent sales. This gives them the confidence to provide you with the loan at the current valuation. At the end of the day, you shouldn’t really be comparing home inspections vs. appraisals. They are both essential to make sure your investment is a solid one.