If you are buying a home in the Richmond Virginia area, one of the contingencies you most likely will have is an inspection contingency, allowing you a period of time to do any and all inspections. Even if you are buying the home as is & not asking the seller to do any repairs, you may probably also be doing a home inspection of the house you will be buying. Always remember that Virginia is still a Buyer Beware state! Here is the most common inspections my buyers have done over the years.
WHOLE HOUSE INSPECTION
The whole house inspection will cover pretty much all aspects of the house. The inspector will look at the entire house top to bottom, but they won’t move furniture or appliances & can’t see behind walls. After he is done, he will discuss his findings with you, then provide a report with pictures of the defects found in the house as well as pictures & an estimated cost to cure those defects, which can then be used when you are requesting repairs or a credit from the seller.
RADON INSPECTION
Radon is an odorless gas that can cause lung cancer. The EPA has put out a great website (click here to go to their website) that tells you more about radon. Many buyers now are choosing to do a radon inspection. For additional information on radon and testing, the website from a local radon inspection company offers great information!
CHIMNEY INSPECTION
Many sellers in the Richmond area are now selling the fireplaces, flues & chimneys in as is condition – meaning that they will do no repairs AND the buyer will not be able to terminate their contract based on the condition of these things. A whole house inspector will do an inspection of the chimney but it will not be anywhere near as thorough as a chimney inspection done by a licensed chimney company.
ROOF INSPECTION
Some buyers choose to have a roofer come out and inspect the roof on the house they are purchasing. Most buyers I have worked with have done this when the roof appears to be at the end of it’s useful life.
HVAC INSPECTION
If a whole house inspector finds that the system is older and/or not functioning properly, they most likely will note that there is an issue with the system, but they probably won’t be able to say just what is causing the issue, what it will take to fix the issue and what the cost to repair/replace the system will be. An HVAC inspection by a licensed HVAC inspector will give more detail on just what will be needed.
WELL AND SEPTIC INSPECTION
If you are buying a home in a more rural area, then you are probably going to be on well and/or septic. The well provides your drinking water, the septic system takes waste from your home. You definitely want these to be in good working order. So what is involved in a well inspection?
For the well test, a well testing company will come and take a sample of your drinking water and send to a lab. The lab will test the water to make sure that it is free from things like coliform and E Coli bacteria, which would make the drinking water unsafe to use.
If you are buying a home that is on a septic system, you probably should know a little bit about how the system itself works. A great website here tells you how the system works. Because of how the septic system works, you will want to get a septic inspection that includes opening up the distribution box and having the the lines evaluated – making sure there are no cracks in the box, that the system is draining properly and there are no tree roots in the system.
TERMITE INSPECTION
Termites tend to be an issue in the Richmond area – our weather seems to be great for termites and other wood destroying insects such as powder post beetles and carpenter ants. Termites can cause a fair amount of damage to a house quickly if left untreated. In Richmond, the seller will normally provide a termite report, but it is really a good idea to have the home inspected yearly!
As you can see, there are a number of inspections that you may end up doing as part of your due diligence on the home you are buying. Many buyers in today’s market are giving up a lot of things in the contract in order to win a bidding war – I never recommend giving up on your home inspection, even if you are buying the home as is! A home inspection reveals the true picture of the home you are buying – both it’s perks and it’s pitfalls!
If you are thinking of purchasing a home in Richmond – or you just have a question - don’t hesitate to contact me!
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The information above was provided byBarbara Reagan. I can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at . I have helped people with their real estate needs throughout the Richmond area for over 25 years! I am a full time Realtor who covers the entire Richmond, Virginia area including the city of Richmond, Chesterfield County (including Midlothian, Bon Air, North Chesterfield and Moseley) as well as Henrico County (including Short Pump).
