Home Inspections in Minnesota; What does it consist of and what is to be expected?

Home Inspections in Minnesota; What does it consist of and what is to be expected?

Just think you just discovered your dream house, you meet with your realtor and put in an offer. Now, you are waiting countless days, then you get the phone call you've been waiting on, and you hear your realtor tell you the great news…”Your offer was accepted!”.

Beaming from ear to ear with the biggest smile you could have ever made, you eagerly start packing, and before you know it you are in your dream house and everything is perfect!

However, your dream home starts to show cracks in the foundations, the roof is leaking during a thunderstorm, and during the bitter cold winters of Minnesota, you feel every howling wind through the drafts of your windows. “How could this be?” you begin to ask yourself, “This is supposed to be my dream home, not my worst nightmare!”

Then it dawns on you, you never got the home inspection done! You were too eager to move in, and you waved the inspection, because you just could not wait! Only to be sitting on the couch, with layers of blankets, listening to the drops of water hitting the pots throughout the house, and wondering why you just didn’t get the home inspection…

Here at Otter Home Inspection, we understand that finding that perfect home is a dream for everyone who looks to be a homeowner. This is why typically a home inspection is done after you signed the agreement to purchase and before the final closing. Home buyers usually make the closing contingent upon the results of what inspectors find in the home. Remember, home inspectors look for defects of the home and report them, we do not tell you if the home is good (pass) or bad (fail).

At Otter Home Inspection, our inspectors will be looking for easy access throughout the property. Obviously, we do not expect the house to be spotless, but if there are any areas of clutter that impede access to areas or systems; it will raise a red flag. As an example, a cluttered space under a sink could be hiding signs of water damage which could be from a leaking pipe. Perhaps there is mold or mildew growing, but due to the clutter, it really does prevent us from providing a thorough examination.

Our inspectors thoroughly inspect the exterior and interior of a home. Starting from the top to the bottom, outside to inside of the house. Here is what we place emphasis on: the roof, attic, basement, foundations, furnace rooms, walls, plumbing and electrical systems, heating and cooling systems. Other systems we include in the interior of the home are (if present): garbage disposals, range hoods, bathroom ventilation fans, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors will also be checked and making sure they are operating correctly.

Now I am sure you are wondering: how long does the home inspection take and how much is it going to cost? Well, it solely depends on the size of the house, the age, as well as the condition of the home. Also, if there is any additional ancillary services (like radon, sewer, mold, or well inspections just to mention a few). On average, a typical home inspection takes anywhere from 2-3 hours to thoroughly walk through with no additional ancillary services. The cost can vary. That will be determined with one of our representatives and/or you are going to include additional services.

Now, we do encourage the home buyer to be present. This is not a requirement, but it does help us at Otter Home Inspection to be able to educate the client during the walk through, as well as answer some questions they may have in regards to the home of what we find. Keep in mind, no house is perfect. There will be defects. Oftentimes it is minor defects, but not to scare the home buyer, but to simply educate the home buyer. Again, be mindful that as home inspectors, we will not tell you if the home passed or failed the inspection, but primarily provide information about the home by reporting the defects.

There you have it. What does a home inspection consist of and what is to be expected? Follow us on social media for additional highlights of what Otter Home Inspection can do for you!