What is Home inspection?
A home inspection, according to Wikipedia, is a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home, often in connection with the sale of that home. Home inspections are usually conducted by a home inspector who has the expertise and certifications to perform such inspections. The inspector prepares and delivers to the client a written report of findings. The client then uses the knowledge gained to make informed decisions about their pending real estate purchase.
In most of the developed countries across world, there are various professional associations for home inspectors that provide education, training, and networking opportunities.
Health check-up for you, home inspection for your property
A home inspection can possibly help you to determine the condition your home is in. As we get a health checkup from time to time to understand our health condition, it is pretty much the same for your home too. Each professional home inspection performs in-depth health checkup of the home.
As your health check-up reveals whether you have diabetes and whether you need to be cautious about sugar intake, home inspection identifies any issues or defects in the components or elements of the property such as high moisture content, seepage/ leakage, dampness, or problem in the electrical circuit, etc. Areas that need improvement or immediate attention are brought under the radar of home inspection. Though you yourself can make out from the self-explanatory report, home inspection experts are always happy to help. Remember, you get scanned pictures of the issues identified in your home, just like you get X-Ray or CT Scan report of your body.
Home inspection in India
The concept of home inspection in India is in its infancy. There has been a proliferation of companies that have started offering the service, predominantly in Tier-1 cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai, etc. To help bring about a broader understanding among the general public and market the concept a few Home Inspection companies have come together and formed the Home Inspection Association of India.
Vast majority of home owners are not aware of the concept of Home Inspection in India. But the fact is in most cases, that home would be their single most expensive purchase in their lifetime.
After RERA came into effect, the efficacy and potency of Home Inspection companies has increased tremendously. Vast majority of the people who own homes or are potential home buyers do not know what Home Inspection is and such a service even exists.
What is professional home inspection and what does it cover?
The home inspection coverage is of a W-I-D-E variety. The whole of your home’s interior, exterior, systems, and components can be under the magnifying glass of the inspection services.
A home inspection is a visual examination of the home’s major structure, systems and components including the roof, exterior, basement or stilt, foundation and structure, heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, fireplace, insulation and ventilation, doors, windows, and interior of a residential property. Home inspectors look for system and major component defects and deficiencies, improper building practices, those items that require extensive repairs, items that are general maintenance issues, and some fire and safety issues. A general home inspection is not designed to identify building code violations, although some deficiencies identified may also be code violations.
One salient feature that Home Inspectors perform in India is checking the Carpet Area of the apartment. This is important because that is the most expensive unit of the apartment, since the home buyer pays the builder per square foot of apartment.
Most of these Home Inspection services conduct NDT (non-destructive tests) of the property, in some cases based on customer requirement tests that require core-cutting etc are also performed.
Off late ‘Thermal Imaging Inspection’ using an infrared camera can provide inspectors with information on home energy loss, heat gain/loss through the exterior walls and roof, moisture leaks, and improper electrical system conditions that are typically not visible to the naked eye. Thermal imaging is not considered part of a General Home Inspection because it exceeds the scope of inspection Standards of Practice.
Fundamental rights of a Home Buyer
Acceding to HIA (Home Inspection Association of India) the fundamental rights of all home owners are,-
- Right to information about the progress of the house
- Right to delivery of the house on time
- Right to compensation if any delays depending on the agreement
- Right to good quality of the house
- Right to the house meeting the agreed specification
- Right to everything being legal with respect to the transaction
- Right to get all regulatory/statutory approvals for the house
- Right to a smooth handover of the house
- Right to get an home inspection done
- Right to redress
These should not be compromised. Make sure that you are not taken for a ride. Exercise all of the rights above.
Sample Home Inspection Check-list
Now to provide some idea about basic Home Inspection, a ‘Sample Checklist’ furnished below for ready reference.
Please Note : This ‘Sample Checklist’ needs to be customized as per individual Agreement of Sale, Marketing Brochure, Technical Specifications etc.
Specialty Home Inspection Tools & Technologies
Needless to mention that due to advancement of technologies, like other fields, Home Inspection also upgraded a lot. Today Home Inspectors are equipped with appropriate Inspection Locating/Identifying, Testing, Measuring and Diagnostic Equipment, which otherwise not possible only by visual inspection.
Few of these are,-
- Moisture Meter
- Digital Manometer
- Laser Thermometer
- Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera
- Ultrasonic Plumbing Leak Detector
- Digital Hygrometer
- Bore scope
- Electrical Circuit Analysis Tester
- Combustible Gas Detector etc.
Advanced level Home Inspection
To know and understand the purview of ‘Advanced-level Home Inspection’, ‘concepts’ about ‘Life, Health & Safety’ pertain to Finishing & ID (interior decoration) works’ in a ‘home’, should be cleared in mind. Interested readers may go through the respective Blog, referred below.
Home Inspection: Win – Win for all the Stake Holders
A professional home inspection provides all parties with a clear understanding of the physical condition of the home in order to make a well-informed decision – Home Buyers / Owners, Home Sellers, Builders / Developers, Real Estate Agents / Brokers, Interior Designers. It also benefits Home Loan Lenders, Home Insurance Companies, Central Government / State Governments, City Building Departments, etc.
Compiled & Written by: Avijit Datta [9874697360]
Disclaimer: All indicative images and few other references taken from internet and websites.
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