Buying my first home

[cajunrebel`]

Ok everyone, my wife and I are pulling the trigger on our first home after looking for nearly a year. We are waiting on word for financing and have signed a contract on a home we like in a good neighborhood. I work on a tug boat and won't be back home till Thursday, but the house needs to be throughly inspected. It is a 39 year old home so I will be checking the condition of eveyrthing. A bit or online research has lead me to check especially for aluminum wiring, foundation defects, structural defects, water damage, mold, pests termite damage (the house is currently under a termite treatment contract), plumbing issues and the pool needs to be throughly checked.
What can I expect to pay a pro to do a guaranteed inspection? I will be checking over a lot of it myself to help me rest easy, but I plan to pay an inspector to help with any counter offers I may need to make should problems be found.

 

[Richard Cranium]

You need to update your profile to include at least your state and if you feel comfortable your city also. Prices will be different in different area's of the country.

 

[cajunrebel`]

Fair point, I had forgotten that I never added it on this forum.
The home is in Slidell, Louisiana.

 

[Roberts210]

Slidell is next door to Naw'leans. You shouldn't have any problem finding a competent home inspector, but as to what they will change I can't say. Call around and ask. The ones I am familiar with carry a laptop and printer with them, and will print out their findings along with appropriate photos right after the inspection.

 

[cajunrebel`]

There are numerous ones in the Slidell/Northshore area. I am just curious as to how much of a hit my wallet will take for one.
Does anyone have any other potential problem areas I should look for? It is a single story house with a concrete foundation, concrete pool with a liner and it's on city water/sewer.

 

[Kaizen]

they have standard lists that they use so it will hit all the high points. what YOU need to look for is what they can't or an inexperienced one won't see.
inspector cannot report what he can't see. example a room smells musty but has just been redone. no mold or water showing. red flag for you to notice.
highly recommend watching as many holmes on homes shows as you can. you just need the first 15 of each. he shows what inspectors miss.
I got a 50 page report from my inspector listing any possible issues and fixes. I just found it in the basement after being here 20 years. funny how many things I found wrong that were not on his report.

 

[Moto]

What can I expect to pay a pro to do a guaranteed inspection?

Home inspectors are careful not to guarantee anything.

 

[cajunrebel`]

There are some I'm my area who have 90-130 day guarantees against problems they might have missed.

 

[Moto]

There are some I'm my area who have 90-130 day guarantees against problems they might have missed.

Wow, that's a significant liability to take on for work with a modest profit margin.

 

[red61cj5]

Home inspectors are careful not to guarantee anything.

Yea, I knew a couple in MD who bought an older home, had an inspector in, who told them everything was great, a few years later, one of their kids wasn't doing well in school, took her to the doc, and...lead exposure. House was full of it. Doc calls social services, who swoop in to threaten the bad parents who expose their children to such hazards. Inspector said oops, and pointed out that his contract had not mentioned lead testing. House had to be sold for lot value (under threat of prosecution by heroic social workers). Family bankrupt. Point being, inspections are great, and necessary, but he doesn't live there, so......

 

[shelteredV]

That's an awfully extreme case. Usually, an inspector, (at least around here) is very thorough and err on the side of caution. It is common to have an independent termite and rodent inspection done too. If there is a pool, have an independent pool company inspect it- not the company that maintains it, they will be bias. As others have said, use your nose, smells can tell you alot. Do you have Radon in that area?

 

[vavet]

There are good inspectors and there are not so good ones. We had a semi-retired general contractor inspect the first house we bought together. He was great, encouraged me to ask questions, showed me what he was looking for and why. The guy who inspected the next house was opposite. He handed me a sheet of instructions when he got there...which discouraged me from asking questions as it might distract him. I should've sent him away at that point, I found plenty of things in that house during our 9 years we lived there that he probably should've found...one anecdote- he said the water heater was on borrowed time, failure was imminent, and we should budget for replacement. This was in 2006. It failed earlier this year (still own that house, it's a rental for us now).
One piece of advice I read on a home inspector forum- if you find something wrong, document it, continue with your inspection, then go back to that same area and look for other things. Chances are if there was something wrong with the electrical, you didn't catch it because you were distracted by the pipe that had a slow, but obvious drip.
We made an offer on a house a couple years ago. The realtor wrote up the offer contract which included a provision to have a house inspection. I told her I wanted an additional clause that gave me the right to have a second inspection...just wanted that latitude if I didn't have a good feeling after the first inspection. It would also be interesting to see two independent inspections at (roughly) the same time. See what they agree on and what they don't. Ultimately, our offer was not accepted so I never had to exercise that.

Certain systems really should be inspected independently of the home inspector- the pool, chimneys, probaboy others I can't think of..

Good luck

 

[the GOAT]

I've sold and bought houses 10+ times... My experience with inspectors is they are a waste of time.

They usually point out enough minor things that you can use to negotiate some money back. Enough that the buyers feel good about paying the inspection fee.

But they usually get referrals from realtors. So they have an incentive to not scare the buyers enough to back out of the contract. If they did that then they wouldn't get too many referrals.

I do my own inspections and can pretty much find something wrong with every house to ask for five percent back. Usually get it pretty close to that back.

Test for radon...easy fix for $500 in materials or less but can get the seller to contribute $2500 or more. Radon in water is more expensive to treat and has high annual filter expenses.

I'd stay away from any house with lead unless you want to do the removal yourself. Even then I'd still stay away.

Asbestos is usually fairly contained but make the seller have it professionally removed before sale. I've heard most mortgages require this now.p

Good luck, exciting times!

 

[RVDan]

An inspection can be as cheap as $300 and as expensive as $1500 depending how far they're allowed to go.

Do you want it tested for asbestos and lead? That will obviously cost more because it's somewhat destructive to take samples, all the areas it was dug out have to be repaired and the samples have to go to a third party.

 

[matt_i]

40 year old home is around 1975. So I think I'd have the lead inspection done.

I would highly recommend to keep going with the same termite bond company, even if there's a "new owner fee" to keep them. They have to do regular inspections as they provide and service what amounts to an insurance policy for termite damage. The downside of switching companies is nobody trusts any other company so the new company will have to come in and drill the slab like swiss cheese to re-treat the soil. Messy. Happened to a co-worker.

I've had a mixed bag of private inspectors buying and selling 5 different houses. Even the best ones I experienced missed something. The cheesy ones pointed out about 53 minor superficial things like a missing piece of duct tape so their list was long and it seemed like they were working very hard. That person I mentioned, working for the seller, gave me a lot of work to punch out, but missed a big piece of rotted decking where the roof was weeping...

So, I would do my own inspection, look at details like inside the electrical panel, look at soffits and the underside of windows, check out the approx age of the roof, age of water heater, and age of furnace/ac. Those last 3 have limited lifespans, and could be a point of unexpected spending if not assessed.

 

[justanengineer]

Regardless if you hire it done or not, do your own inspection and dig. I like to take dozens of pictures of everything possible during the process, digital images are dirt cheap and you WILL see something that you didnt notice in person while reviewing pics over beers later. Aside from obvious issues, take note of the age of appliances/HVAC/roofs and research the age of remodels, repairs, etc through the permit office or by simply asking the owner or neighbors. JMO but I dont trust appliances or roofs to last long that are more than a decade old unless I oversaw the work and history since - many homeowners are dam hard on appliances, buy mid-grade or cheap ****/hire cheap work, and many contractors miss/cheap out on important "minor" details.

Not knocking you but quite realistically, IMHO since you've already signed a contract you've already lost most of your bargaining power. Your own inspection should be done before making an offer and the offer should reflect contingencies, plan for the worst and hope for the best. 10 year old appliances, furnaces/HVAC, and roofs arent worth what 1-2 year old ones are and IME often fail in <5 years, so they shouldnt get the same offer. If youre bidding on a $400k home it might not be important, on a $150k house that $10-20k can be huge, esp when money's tight otherwise. FWIW, I've been there and lost that, its how I learn.

Best of luck either way.

 

[Git]

I would look for an inspector that has been certified by one of the national organizations

https://www.nachi.org/find-an-inspector

 

[cajunrebel`]

The roof was redone last year. Well the shingles atleast. I do have a concern with an area of the soffit that appears to have a wave running down its length. I will be inspecting that area closely.
I am not familiar with radon contamination. So I am not sure what, where, or how to look for it.
There is a specific clause in the contract that allows for renegotiations based on the findings of the inspection that I am allowed to perform within 14 days of signing the contract.
There was also a clause that all testing be nondestructive. So I cannot take scrapings to test for lead paint. There was a signed disclosure specifically addressing lead that said there was none used in the house.
I am certainly going to have a pool company do an inspection. My parents had a worst case scenario pool failure when I was a child. A fiberglass pool, 42 long, 14 wide, and 8 deep. Had a faulty pvc elbow break over the winter under the concrete surrounding the pool. When we took off the cover there was a large bow in the side of the pool. My Dad busted the concrete and was performing the repairs, when on the oposite side of the pool, 20 ft of concrete collapsed and fell through the side of the pool. Turns out crawfish had burrowed through the sand that supports the fiberglass insert on that side and rain water had eroded it away, basically leaving a sinkhole. We worked on that pool for months. We removed the liner, fixed the damage, dug out the hole, built the retaining wall and had the liner set back in the hole. But the work of putting sand back around it never got finished due to a major illness. Now my mother has a pond full of frogs and snake that cost over $20k.
I will check the age on the hvac equipment for sure. I haven't had good luck with that stuff lasting.
Also the dishwasher does not work and the contract said it would be repaired or replaced before we close on the house. The wife wants to replace the stove even though it seems to work perfectly as well.

 

[steve308]

Begin Shopping for home insurance -------- Are you in a flood zone or wind pool area? I used to sell home owners insurance ---- Louisiana can be expensive! Be sure to get an HO-3 policy.

 

[cajunrebel`]

It's flow zone X. $425 per year. I am planning to convert my current USA renters policy into a home owners. They are usually good to me, but shopping around won't hurt.

On another note, anyone have a recommendation for an automatic gate closer? The gate is 10-12 ft wide and beside my house so 110v power is easily accessible. I am wanting a few wireless remotes for the vehicles, a keypad for the driveway, and maybe one for the garage so we don't have to walk around to open it. I have read that the mighty mule brand ones fail quickly. I can weld and fabricate mounts if necessary.

 

[MopardudeWI]

I just bought my current home a few months back and I paid $350 for one here in WI. I had never used one before but this house was quite a bit more pricey than the other I had owned. The guy was pretty thorough and fairly knowledgeable but at the end of the day he really didn't tell me anything I couldn't figure out on my own. Keep in mind everything he did find wrong was all pretty minor. Like someone else pointed out they don't guarantee anything they are just there to function test everything and point out things that could be an issue. I will say though for $350, I didn't think it was to expensive to have another pair of eyes look at the house when your dropping $***,*** on one if you know what I mean.

 

[cort]

A home inspector will tell you some good information about your prospective house, but most inspectors miss a lot. Houses are complex. It is impossible to get everything checked thoroughly in a half a day inspection. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you are getting a complete report for $X amount. If you are on this board, then you are either capable or interested in DIY. This board and you tube videos are often excellent resources for "how to" information. Good luck. Enjoy your new home. Get an inspection, but don't be fooled into thinking the inspection is comprehensive or accurate.

 

[pmiranda]

FYI: You're right on the edge of the end of the lead paint era. Test kits are cheap and easy to use. If you have popcorn ceilings or even some drywall compound can contain asbestos from that time period as well.

Our previous house was built in '74 and had no lead and only copper wiring but a fire-prone Pacific Electric electric panel we got replaced with a modern GE. We left the popcorn ceilings in place but sealed them in with fresh paint.

 

[marty_p]

Cajun, another Cajun here. Congrats on this big step, you two. I have bought several homes in the BR area and would be williing to chat with you about things I have seen, and could even point you to a few inspectors or check it out with you. PM me if you're interested.

My great friends own/run Lewis Trailer Sales off of Gause, and I have another friend there that does all kind of homework if you need.

-Marty

 

[Perfectstranger]

I agree most general inspectors don't really see much you can't see for your self. In Colorado their liability for missing anything is limited to their fee. Much better to hire trade professionals and have systems certified. No general home inspector here will even come close to certifiying any structural issues. Radon here is an issue and we can buy mail in test kits at the big home improvement stores, but the house must remain closed up tight for 24 hours.

 

[cajunrebel`]

Perfectstranger- that makes sense that they would offer a warranty that only covers their fee if something is wrong.
I have a guy who can come check out the hvac (in laws neighbor, good friend) and my brother in law is an electrician. I have a reputable local appliance guy to check out the installed appliances. The pool shouldn't be too hard to find someone to inspect and the house structure and plumbing I would leave to the certified inspector.
Of course I will be looking at all of this as well. I am a former military aviation mechanic by trade (F-16 Crew Chief on Blocks 25-52) so I have done more than a few in depth inspections.

 

[tomshep]

Read your contract in regards to your right to inspect. In TX, you can't just request an item be corrected. It must be backed up by a trade professional. That pretty much requires it to come from an inspector or tradesman.

Keep in mind you are under a time limit. Not knowing your contract, after that number of days expire you likely have bought that home in the current condition unless you have an agreement signed stating otherwise.

I would do a home inspection, wood destroying insect and pool to get started.

You are built before 1978, so I would expect lead. Depends on how it has been covered, if at all.

Tom

 

[cajunrebel`]

The negotiations on the first home fell through. There were disagreements between the sellers regarding legal ownership and desired price. We backed away from the deal.
We just put in a new bid on a home very close to the first homes location. There are a few minor discrepancies with the condition of the home that must be addressed for a VA loan, but total cost would likely be under $100 for repair of all 3 things.
My contract stipulates a 14 day inspection window and that the house must pass a VA inspection before we move forward with the sale.
This home is 40 years old so the likely hood of lead based paint is higher, but all the walls have been painted over more than once.

 

[billspit]

Most home inspectors do not test for lead or asbestos. You would need to hire a different inspector for that. A good one will use an XRF to test the paint in situ. To test of asbestos will require slightly destructive testing. The sprayed applied popcorn ceiling with asbestos should have been banned in the early 70s, but "asbestos free" at first was anything with less than 5% asbestos. They changed it later to be <1%. If you are looking at anything around the time, I would definitely require a couple of samples of an textured ceiling.