What Are The Most Common Home Inspection Problems
The 10 most-common home inspection problems Problem #1: Rundown roofing. Asphalt shingle roofs last 15 to 20 years. Problem #2: Drainage issues. Problem #3: Faulty foundation. Problem #4: Plumbing problems. Problem #5: Pest infestations. Problem #6: Hidden mold. Problem #7: Failing heating systems. Problem#8: Electrical wiring.
Which Drones Do Home Inspectors Use
Home inspectors use various drones to conduct roof inspections. Still, the drones that home inspectors use must meet precise criteria for use in home inspections.
Any drone used for roof inspections must be stable, easily controllable, capable of capturing and recording 4K video footage and at least 12-megapixel photographs, a long battery life, and it must be portable and programmable on some level.
For this reason, some of the most commonly used drones among home inspectors include:
Several other drones on the market reach the above specifications. However, these are some of the leading drones in the industry that are used for this purpose.
Using A Drone Is Much Less Expensive
A home inspector who utilizes a drone is likely to charge much less than an inspector who manually performs the inspection.
Roof inspections without a drone take a long time, require multiple inspectors, heavy equipment such as ladders or scaffolding, and these inspections are dangerous.
These factors make a manual roof inspection an expensive exercise. The inspector will charge for more time and labor, more staff members, a larger vehicle, more equipment, and more insurance to cover everything in the event of an accident.
Using a drone effectively cancels out many of these expenses. One inspector can do a roof inspection that is performed using a drone. They do not need any other equipment or ladders. They do not require a large vehicle to get the equipment there, and the inspector themselves is in no danger whatsoever while performing the inspection.
Performing a roof inspection with a drone is far more cost-effective and efficient than performing a manual inspection.
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Using A Drone Is Much Safer
A manual roof inspection is a potentially hazardous endeavor. Moving around on a rooftop presents many dangers, and there are home inspectors who have been severely hurt while performing roof inspections.
Using a drone to perform the inspection effectively eliminates the danger of roof inspections.
Flying a drone over the house to survey and inspect the roof allows the inspector to remain safely on the ground.
How Long Does A Home Inspection Take
The length of the inspection will likely depend on the size of the home and surrounding land. Expect it will take at least a couple of hours, as the inspector has to look into each area of the home, climb on the roof and test the HVAC system, every electric outlet and the plumbing.
Its vital for you to attend the inspection so you can get a real-time look at what the inspector discovers. Although all of the inspectors findings will be in the report anyway, a first-hand look at the structural or electrical issues in a home will help you determine how serious they are and whether to bring them up to the seller.
Buyers agents often attend the inspection as well, giving you another perspective on how serious any discovered problems might be, and what course of action to take after the inspector issues the report.
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How Much Does A Drone Roof Inspection Cost
Drones are very effective tools for conducting roof inspections. We have established many uses for a drone in this application, but how much does a drone roof inspection cost? Is it more expensive to the client than a manual inspection?
A drone roof inspection may cost anywhere from $75 to a few thousand dollars, depending on how big the house is, how long the inspection takes, and additional services such as infrared scans, 3D modeling, and orthomosaic mapping. The average cost is between $75 $600.
The cost of a drone roof inspection is based on various factors. These factors include the area of the inspected roof, the distance the inspector has to travel to get to the house, and any additional services that the inspection may require or the client requests.
The most inexpensive aspect of the inspection is the drone flight itself. For this reason, a basic inspection with no reviewed footage or additional services may cost as little as $50 for a small house, as the flight time may be less than 20 minutes.
For larger houses, the flight time will be longer, and this will increase the cost. Large homes may cost as much as $400 to inspect with a drone.
Additional services such as 3D mapping and infrared scans will cost extra, and how sophisticated these services determine the inspections overall price.
A sophisticated 3D digital rendering of the roof of a large house along with an infrared scan may even cost a few thousand dollars to complete.
If They Dont Go Up How Do They Inspect
Inspection from the ground using binoculars is very effective. The type and condition of the roof surface can largely be seen from the ground. A good pair of binoculars helps inspectors get a close look at details, such as the flashing around chimneys and the use of chimney crickets.
Inspecting the roof from a ladder is another effective way to judge its condition. Gutters, the life expectancy of the roof, number of layers, and condition and location of fasteners can all be seen from a ladder. Number of layers can also be assessed by examining the shingles on the rake edge. One of the newest and increasingly popular methods for inspecting a roof is by drone.
Home inspectors simply need to make sure their report on the roof is accurate and clear, and theyll have no need to walk a roofeven if they think the homeowner is expecting it.
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If you like the idea of searching out problems to make sure home buyers are aware of what theyre purchasing, consider becoming a home inspector. Even if you have a fear of heights, you can do this. Check out our home inspection education offerings here.
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What Does A Home Inspector Look For In A Roof
Scope of the Inspection The inspector will check exterior components including roofing, flashing, chimneys, gutters, downspouts, wall surfaces, windows, doors, the foundation and the grading around it. For safety and insurance reasons, the home inspector would not typically climb up on a roof covered with snow or ice.
How To Find A Home Inspector
Before you buy a home, make sure you get it inspected first. You can find an inspector through the American Society of Home Inspectors or by asking your real estate agent or community members for recommendations. ASHI has a Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice that members abide by when conducting inspections, which may help you in finding out a qualified home inspector for your needs. You can also search the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.
Even if you already own a home, an inspector can help you identify any problems that may arise to avoid costly repairs or dire situations. It can also help if youre selling your home and want to make any appropriate updates before putting it on the market.
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Signs A Specialist Is Needed
Some areas or conditions might need further examination, often by a pro with specialized equipment. Here are two standout areas:
We May Not Have Much More Training Than You Do
Nearly one third of all U.S. states have no certification or training programs in place for housing inspectors. Those that do often have very lax requirements for home inspectors, and often require only a basic application and written exam . This means that a so-called home inspector may have just about as much experience as you do at evaluating the condition of a house.
Steer clear of these inexperienced inspectors and look for professionals certified by a trusted organization within the home inspection industry. The American Society of Home Inspectors requires applicants to inspect at least 250 houses in order to earn membership, while the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors has similarly stringent requirements .
Even inspectors who don’t belong to these organizations may be highly qualified. To weed out the inexperienced candidates, ask each inspector about his or her previous experience with residential home inspections.
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Is A Roof Inspection The Same As A Roof Certification
The two are not the same, but they are similar in that they are both used to ascertain a roofs value and condition.
With a roof certification, the inspector is looking at more than just a roofs condition. The inspector will still determine the roofs value and lifespan but also looking at the following:
- Age of the roof
- Number of layers on a roof
- Square footage of the roof
- Type of roofing materials used
- Pitch of the roof
- Quality of previous repairs
This means that when you get a roof inspection report from a certified roof inspector, youre getting a number that you can use to plan and prepare for future repair costs. With an inspection, the report isnt as detailed or as specific.
Why Inspectors Don’t Climb Roofs
Q. I find it hard to understand why home inspectors refuse to walk on concrete tile roofs. I know handymen, cable guys, chimney sweeps, and others who walk on tile roofs all the time and never break a single tile. But home inspectors routinely wimp-out on tile roof inspections, choosing to inspect from the ground, sometimes using binoculars. In my opinion, inspectors who do this are shortchanging their customers. To put it bluntly, there is no way to perform an adequate inspection of roofing tiles from the ground. To do a competent inspection, it is necessary to walk on the roof. What is your opinion on this?
Brad
A. You raise some valid issues about tile roof inspections, but clarification is needed on a few points. It is true that the best roof inspections include a walk on the roof. It is also true that roof tiles don’t break easily underfoot. Nevertheless, nearly all home inspectors refuse to walk on tile roofs, and here is the reason why:
The majority of tile roofs have one or more broken tiles. In most cases, these are not visible from the ground and are unknown to homeowners. When a home inspector walks on a tile roof that is believed to have no broken tiles and then reports that some broken tiles were observed, the inspector can then be blamed for breaking those tiles in the course of the inspection. This has actually happened to a number of inspectors and is the reason that nearly all home inspectors use other inspection methods for tile roofing.
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Walking On Roofs And Other Imprudent Activities
One of the prevailing myths, i.e. anecdotal bullshit stories, in my profession is that all inspectors are either required to or at least certainly should walk upon all roof surfaces during inspections. Nothing could be further from the truth. These sorts of stories are perpetuated by real estate salespeople agents and brokers and oftentimes by know-nothing inspectors themselves. Lets look at the facts.
Mounting a roof is a dangerous activity that should never be taken lightly. This sort of activity should only be undertaken when absolutely required, such as in the case of a roofer performing an installation or a roof repair. How dangerous is it? Enough so that OSHA does not allow it without a significant amount of training and the use of very pricey approved personal protective equipment . Stiff fines are imposed on scofflaws by OSHA.
Municipal building inspection departments strictly prohibit their field inspectors from climbing on roofs. Most, if not all, home builders specifically instruct third-party inspectors to keep off the roofs during their inspections. All of the major home inspector organization clearly state that inspectors must not walk on roofs.
Even most roofing companies do not actually walk on roofs while performing inspections for hail and wind damage. They rely upon satellite imaging in order to protect their employees. The same is true of insurance adjusters.
Here are a few examples of what I am talking about here:
Your House May Not Be Up To Code
Generally, home inspectors are not responsible for checking the home for code compliance . This means that old, out-of-date conditions or renovations done by the previous owner may not meet modern building code standards for your area.
Buying a home that’s not up to code leaves you vulnerable to both safety and financial risks. It means that your family won’t benefit from all the latest safety standards and technologies, including things like modern wiring or home sprinklers. It also leaves you footing the bill for code compliance on renovation or repair work. For example, if you decide to add a home addition in the future, you’ll likely be required to bring the house up to code first. For big issues like wiring and plumbing, these costs could easily run into the thousands.
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Who Pays For A Home Inspection
When purchasing a home, the buyer chooses the home inspector and pays for the inspection. Although theyre not generally required, home inspections are recommended.
As the buyer, you can make your purchase offer contingent on the results of the inspection. This contingency allows you to back out of the sale if the inspection turns up major issues and you can’t negotiate with the seller to fix the problems or adjust the price to cover the cost of repairs.
In today’s fiercely competitive housing market, some buyers are waiving the home inspection contingency and agreeing to buy homes as-is. But even if you waive the right to back out of the deal, Hahn still recommends getting a home inspection so you know what you’re getting into and can plan and budget for repairs accordingly.
Buying a newly constructed home? You might wonder why you need a home inspection. After all, the house is brand new what could be wrong?
But new homes aren’t always perfect. Hahn has found defects such as broken roof trusses or mechanical equipment that wasn’t installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications. New homes are inspected by county building officials, but county inspectors may visit 20 or more homes in a day, while a home inspector spends three or four hours at each property, Hahn says.
At the bare minimum, he recommends that buyers of newly constructed homes get them inspected before the builder warranty expires.
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If Its Too Dangerous Skip It
Regardless of what youre inspecting, its important to always put your safety first. While most standards of practice require inspectors to inspect and describe roofing materials, they do not require inspectors to walk every roof surface. Instead, inspectors can choose the method of inspection and the vantage point, based on the individual circumstances.
I know you want to do your best for your client, but youve got to think about your safety, your family, and everything else, Bartley said. If you feel just a little bit like somethings off or somethings not right, dont do it. Dont let your pride get in the way of your safety.
According to Todd Newman of AmeriSpec of Louisville in Kentucky, its important to not let your pride or experience get in the way of taking necessary precautions.
Roof inspections can get dangerous when someone is skipping important safety steps or not paying attention to weather, rain, or their physical limitations, Newman said. Sometimes, inspectors egos and their desire to prove to the world that they climbed a dangerous roof becomes .
Not all roofs are safe to walk on. Roofs that are wet, icy, mossy, or steep are roofs you should probably skip. Certain roofing materials, like metal or terracotta, may pose to great a risk to you or the property . Roofs too high to safely access are not advisable to walk. Weathersuch as high winds, storms, and heatcan also pose potentially too great a danger to get on a ladder and a roof.
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Roof Inspections And Home Inspectors
Roof inspections pose a significant threat to home inspectors. Bartley broke his radius bone in his arm, comminuted his wrist, and broke several carpals in his hand. His injuries put him out of work for eight weeks, and even when he returned, he had to rely on his uninjured arm as the other continued to heal. Nevertheless, Bartley considers himself fortunate. One bad fall from a ladder or roof could end in disability or death.
While its easy to consider yourself too good at your job to have such an accident, it can happen to anyone. In his article Ladder Safety for the ASHI Reporter, Rick Bunzel explained why assuming youre impervious to falls is naive.
Most of us believe well never have an accident during an inspection. However, think back over the past months about how many close calls you had. How many times did the ladder jump around while you were going into the attic? Or the ladder shift when you stepped back onto it? Bunzel wrote.
Thankfully, falling from your ladder or a roof while on the job is avoidable. There are ways for you to manage your risk against harm. In this article, we discuss some precautions and resources to overcome fall hazards you may encounter during inspections.
