About Inspections

What is an inspection?

Strictly speaking, a home inspection is an unbiased, professional assessment of the condition of a house.  An inspection will usually take 2.5 to 3 hours to complete.  This time frame will vary, however, depending upon such factors as the size and condition of the house and the number of optional items inspected.

Contrary to the perception of many, an inspection is not a pass or fail situation.  In Texas, it is the evaluation of a house according to the standards mandated by the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC).  TREC standards are primarily based upon the current International Residential Code for One and Two Family Dwellings and the current National Electric Code.  These codes, which are not always popular, are really in place to protect the occupants of a house.  Generally, the codes are enacted after the occurrence of multiple incidents and evaluations.

The inspection report format presently used by TREC allows an inspector to choose from 4 categories for each item included in the report — Inspected, Not Inspected, Not Present and Deficient.  The last category, Deficient, tends to cause the most concern for people reading an inspection report.

Many times an item falling into the Deficient category simply does not meet today's building codes, standards or practices — though it likely met code requirements applicable at the time it was built.  Thus, due to changes in building codes since it was built, a house more than a few years old probably will have a number of items listed on an inspection report as Deficient.  As such, these items often tend to be less significant.

A qualified inspector will be able to guide you through the inspection report, explaining each item noted, its level of significance and how it may impact the condition of the house and/or your family.

Why get an inspection?

The home inspection industry is a relatively new concept in real estate.  It was developed to assist the buyer and the real estate agent in objectively evaluating a property before ownership, before the financial responsibility for repair and maintenance of the house passes to the buyer.

TREC has been proactive in protecting buyers through the use of seller's disclosures, the home inspection process, standards of practice for home inspectors and ethics standards for realtors.  In fact, Texas was the first state to implement a licensing requirement for real estate inspectors.

As stated previously, an inspection typically takes up to about 3 hours to complete. This is often more time than most buyers and their realtors spend viewing the house before deciding to make an offer on it.

Many of the items an inspector looks at during an inspection are normally outside the expertise and/or comfort level of both the buyer and realtor.  For example, how many people have a working knowledge of building codes?  How many have the equipment to measure the moisture level in walls or test the air conditioner?  How many want to be in the attic, under a pier and beam foundation or on the roof in July?

So, why get an inspection?  An inspection can provide peace of mind about a purchase.  It can identify potential financial and safety issues before the buyer and the buyer's family are in the position to be injured financially or physically by the purchase and occupation of the house.

Newly built houses should also be inspected.  Many times builders may not be aware their subcontractors did not complete their work within code guidelines.

In addition, sellers can also benefit by having their houses inspected prior to offering them for sale.  By identifying and repairing any outstanding issues early, they can often sell their properties faster — and sometimes for more money — by avoiding delays in or cancellation of purchase contracts.  See the recommendations of the U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for home inspections here.

Contrary to the perception of many, an inspection is not a pass or fail situation.