7 Common Deficiencies Found In A Home Inspection

It’s taken you months to find your perfect home, and in eagerness to put in an offer, you probably haven’t thought about the items that may fail your home inspection.  When you’ve fallen in love with a home, the last thing on your mind is what kind of issues may be lurking in it.

Let’s talk about the most common deficiencies that can slow down the transaction process.

Why look for things that fail a home inspection?

Although forking out the extra $300-$600 dollars during your home buying process isn’t favorable, home inspectors have saved buyers an average of $14,000 in the long run.  

The home inspection is a crucial foundation in purchasing a home.

7 Common Deficiencies In A Home Inspection

1. Issues with the foundation

A home inspector will look for issues with the foundation. Roughly, 60% of homes in the US are built on land with some clay, which has the potential to shift up to two inches per season. Shifting or cracking in the foundation could mean there are framing problems, roofing issues, doors and windows that will not close, and leaks in the basement or crawlspace.

2. Leaks

Typically to find leaks, inspectors have nifty tools that read thermal heat behind walls and under ceilings, however, the inspector will also look through the home to find signs of mold, water damage, or cracks around pipes. They’ll also look at the ceiling for water spots and cracks.

3. Mold

Black mold is what we commonly think of when someone mentions mold in a home. However, most don’t realize that exposure to any kind of mold could lead to a variety of health risks, like respiratory problems, headaches, skin irritation, and more.

Mold doesn’t always show itself in plain sight or even have that distinct musty smell.  It can be harder to locate which is why purchasing air sample tests are common with most home inspections.  Wherever there may be water-soaked materials or signs of a leak, there is the potential for mold growth.

4. Termite damage

In Oregon, Subterranean Termites are the most common invasive threats we see for structures.

They build dirt columns under the foundation, and outside the foundation, moving up into the structure of your home.  They will damage the wood through their natural life cycle impacting the structural integrity of the home.

5. Electrical problems

The most common electrical issues inspectors find are fraying insulation, DIY-wiring, mismatched wires, and overcurrent protection. Roughly 51,000 home fires are started by electrical problems every year, which is why home inspectors are so critical of the electrical system in a home.

6. Roofing materials and problems

Roofing problems are a huge topic and probably one of the most important components of a home.  If the roof is leaking, the house can be susceptible to a whole host of issues.  Typically, an inspector is looking to see what the age of the roof is if it’s been repaired or re-roofed correctly and if there are not any signs of water damage.

7. Building code violations

Most home inspectors are not experts in codes, however particular violations like building an addition without an egress window or faulty DIY electrical, improper venting, or decks that are fastened improperly.

Renovation is an excellent way to raise the value of a home, however, making sure it’s done right will be the most important factor.

The house has some concerning deficiencies: Now what?

Although learning the home you’re interested in has one or more of the issues listed above is a huge bummer, there are still options!

After a home inspection, you can negotiate repairs in an addendum, or even negotiate the cost if you’re willing to fix those issues (as long as they will pass the appraiser’s inspection). However, before submitting the request, contact a licensed contractor to give you estimates of what the repairs would cost so your requests are legit.