The Official Miami Travel Site™
FREE MIAMI NEWS RECAP!
Stay on top of all the local news with our weekly newsletter. View a sample »

Stay Current Throughout The Week
RSS feeds The MB411 feed keeps you informed as news happens. SEE ALL FEEDS »
Best Deals on Miami Beach 411
»
Miami to Orlando Bus - $35
Transfers Between Miami & Orlando.
Free Wi-Fi & Snacks on the Coach.
»
Visit Key West, FL - Only $69
Cross the Overseas Highway.
See Old Key West - Only $69.
»
Ft. Lauderdale Airport Shuttles
Are You Going To Port of Miami?
We Offer a 10% Discount on Round Trip.
»
Miami Hotels - Amazing Rates!
MiamiBeach411.com Low Rates! Call a Hotel Expert. 1-800-573-6351.
Miami Tour Company

Experience all the sights and sounds of The Magic City on a sightseeing tour from our sister site, Miami Tour Company. Rated #1 on TripAdvisor by Consumers. Daily excursions include:

  1. The Original Miami Tour - departs at 10am from South Beach
  2. Everglades Eco Adventure - with free shuttle from your hotel

See more tours & day trips »

Home and Condo Inspectors Are Well Worth The Cost

Personally, I am wary of “Home Inspectors”.  It sounds like a racket, and what could they know that I don’t know?

In the past couple of days I placed an offer on a home. From a business standpoint the property needed a professional inspection.

A trusted professional recommended AmeriSpec Home Inspection Service, and without hesitation I called and set an appointment.

To my delight, my inspector was already at the property site when I arrived.

He introduced himself and told me he had already made a complete exterior inspection which had included him climbing upon the rooftop. 

We then began a slow methodical tour of the outside perimeter of the house.

He next showed me how and where all utilities were connected to the structure. During the walk around he made comments as to the quality of construction.

He also named most every tree in the yard and the importance of maintaining the trees so that the limbs would not impede upon the roof or the roots grow under the slab.

Next, he took me on a room by room tour of the house pointing out ventilation, quality of construction and checking any and all electrical and water devices as we went.  He went as far as unscrewing the metal from the fuse boxes to check which switches were connected to various areas of the house.

We continued to the garage and utility rooms and he made recommendations regarding storage and furnace maintenance
which I will adhere to.

We inspected the fireplace and chimney and he showed me a brick lined closet which will be ideal for wood storage.

Finishing in the kitchen, and with a heads up on the thermostats and some tips on saving energy, we completed the inspection.

Let me tell you how happy I am that I had a professional inspect this property. My I knew that a trained person had looked and told me that I was purchasing a well built quality house.  My understanding of the importance had shifted and I now realized:

a.  all home inspectors are not crooks
b.  a professional opinion is worth the price
c.  listening and learning pay a dividend

Home Inspection Checklist

A thorough home or condo inspection should evaluate many components including structural framing, physical components, electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning systems.

1) Attend the inspection and learn as much as you can about the property. Make sure to follow the home inspector, ask questions and take notes.

2) Look to see if the inspector is equipped with the necessary engineering tools including electrical testers, a fuel gas and carbon monoxide detector, moisture meter, ladder, inspection mirror, flashlight, and level.

3) The home inspector should determine the condition of the roof surface, the exterior facades, doors and windows. The land grading around the home should be examined, as well as the condition of decks, patios, porches, driveways and sidewalks.

4) In addition, the physical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning, and electrical systems should be thoroughly inspected and evaluated.

5) The physical condition of the interior of the home should be searched for problem signs. The engineer should determine if there are indications of past water damage in the attic or lower levels of the home and whether the home is susceptible to water intrusion in the future.

6) The inspector should look for materials that may be asbestos containing materials. The home inspection should also include checking for signs for wood destroying insects.

7) The inspection should evaluate all electrical and mechanical components of the home and look for aluminum electrical distribution wires, electrical systems that are not adequate for modern usage, lead and galvanized steel water supply pipes, aged and inefficient heating and air-conditioning systems.

8) When necessary, consider optional testing of underground storage tanks, testing for lead-based paint, testing drinking water for bacteria, testing for radon gas in air, and mold testing.

Depending on the property size, a standard home or condo inspection in Miami will cost approximately $500. You can expect to pay an additional $400 to test for mold.

If you are ready to purchase a property, do yourself a favor and find a liscensed home inspector. You can begin your search by calling this list of Home Inspection Companies in Miami.

By Jim Jump To Comments
See related stories in Real Estate, Personal Finance,
RSS feeds RSS |  Del.icio.us Bookmark Del.icio.us Bookmark |  Submit to Digg Submit to Digg |  Add to Y! My Web Yahoo! |  Email this story Email this

4 Responses to "Home and Condo Inspectors Are Well Worth The Cost"

    Michelle says:

    Hi Jim, very informative article.

    My one quetion is how can you be certain that the home inspector actually got on the roof? What if he arrived early so he could tell you he was on the roof? Perhaps he’s afraid of heights and does this all the time.

    Reply

    Posted on 06/28 at 8:38 AM
    Jim says:

    good question.  How I know he got on the roof was that he described the roof in detail.  He pointed out what type shingles were on each part of the roof; and, reported that a couple repairs had been made due to limbs from trees which had fallen.  He also had a ladder which would tend to establish “means”.

    Reply

    Posted on 06/28 at 8:44 AM
Toronto says:

The cost of a condo inspection will vary depending on what must be inspected. Many condo buyers put the cost of the condo inspection as the greatest priority. While a condo inspection cost can be a concern a greater concern should be if the condo inspection is being performed on all the elements you will be responsible for after you purchase the condo.Condo buyers are frequently told not to worry about common elements. Condo buyers who are not concerned about the condition of common elements frequently find out the hard way they were misinformed.The person selling you the condo has a goal in life. Usually that goal is to sell you the condo for the most amount of money possible. Others associated with the sale of the condo will only get paid if the deal goes through. Many bank appraisers feel pressure to “make the numbers work” in order to allow the bank to make the loan. Many property management companies are not concerned with the finances of individual unit owners.In the scope of the dollars spent buying a condo the cost of the condo inspection cost is minimal compared to the cost of a cheap inspection that does not fully inform you of the condtion of the unit and the common areas.

Reply

Posted on 01/17 at 3:39 AM
TL says:

Successful Real Estate Sales and Marketing is not routine… it is an acquired art. Negotiating an offer is far more than addressing numbers. It requires authoritative quantification and justification to all parties concerned. Whether you’re buying or selling, your home is probably your single, largest tax-free asset. Make a smart business decision.

Reply

Posted on 01/22 at 11:41 PM

Post a Comment

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.