New Orleans Home Inspections

Home inspections

 

After you have an accepted offer on your New Orleans home, it’s time for home inspections. Home inspections are likely going to be the most stressful part of your home buying voyage.

With the right agent by your side, they can let you know what is pretty standard and easy to fix as opposed to some repairs that might be quite costly.

 

What home inspections do I need to get

 

What home inspections do you need to get? 

  1. General Home Inspections – These can run you anywhere from $300 (for a small condo) to $500 or more. Factors that affect how much you pay are how may HVAC units, raised or slab foundations, square footage, and how many units are in the house/building.
  2. Video Pipe Inspections- Video pipe inspections, IMO, are the most crucial. Being on moving/sinking ground, and we need to know if there are any cracks in those sewage and water lines. These inspections, depending on who you hire, will run from $200-$350.
  3. Termite Inspections – Most home inspectors can provide you with a termite inspection. The ones that cannot, you will hire someone else to come out for this. This inspection can run from $95-$250, depending on what termite inspector you hire. They are checking to see if you have any live termites, or any other wood-destroying insects, and for any previous damage. Termite inspectors cannot comment on if the damage is structural or not.

 

 

under house

 

What exactly are home inspections?

Home inspections are giving you a report card of the home. We are looking for major defects that were not disclosed and the homeowner likely doesn’t know about.

Your home inspector will get in the attic, test outlets, check the framing, evaluate the foundation, they also test the water heater – and the list goes on and on. They are looking for every little defect.

 

 

What deficiencies will likely show up in the home inspections? 

Commonly found items that come up in New Orleans home inspections:

  • old termite damage (almost every home has it)
  • a junction box doesn’t have a cover
  • the attic is missing bracing and/or collar ties
  • outlet not protected by a GFCI
  • clogged drain
  • not enough ventilation in the attic

 

Some of these are easier to fix than others. The reason we bring it up is, so you know you’re not alone. These are so common that we expect them at almost every house.

 

Repairs

 

Can I ask for repairs after home inspections?

Absolutely. After we receive the full report from your home inspector, we decide what to do next.

We might ask the sellers to make repairs. There are times we ask for a price reduction. Other times we ask for closing costs assistance in lieu of repairs. We may also decide that the issues that came up are not a big deal and just take the house without any repairs.

There are many ways to go about this. We will decide the best route for you.

 

 

Can a home inspector give me price quotes for any work that needs to be done?

Sometimes. But, it’s better if we get someone specializing in that field to come out and give us a quote.

As your real estate agents, we have a list of professionals that we work with who can provide us with quotes.

Even if your home inspector is a licensed contractor, they cannot perform the work for you. It’s considered a conflict of interest.

 

what they can't do

 

What can’t a home inspector can’t do:

  • see behind walls
  • move furniture
  • provide a structural report

 

Many times, clients get their inspection report and want to know about testing items that the inspector couldn’t get to. We can’t force a home seller to move their belongings and this is your only time to request repairs.

If you’re concerned about what’s hidden behind furniture, we still have the final walk-through before your closings. Within five days before closing, we will have an opportunity to perform a final walk-through of the house. If we discover any hidden damage, we can ask for repairs at that time.

 

 

Lagniappe Inspection Info

All inspection reports have the phrases “contact a professional to evaluate” or to check the house for hidden defects when it’s empty. Don’t let this alarm you. When we have our walk-through we will test the water, flush toilets, confirm repairs were made, and look for any damage that may have been covered.

 

 

Ready to start home shopping? Schedule a meeting with us now!

 

How to Buy a House in New Orleans

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