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What if I find problems after I move into my new home?
A home inspection is not a guarantee that problems won't develop after you move in. However if you believe that a problem was visible at the time of the inspection and should have been mentioned in the report, your first step should be to call and meet with the inspector to clarify the situation. Misunderstandings are often resolved in this manner. Remember that if we couldn't see it and there was no sign of the problem during the inspection, it might be a hidden defect.
If necessary, you might wish to consult with a local mediation service to help you settle any disagreement with the inspector. MD Inspect Plus inspectors carry Errors & Omissions liability insurance, and as such litigation should be considered a last resort. It is difficult, expensive, and by no means a sure method of recovery. Unless the repairs are required immediately for safety reasons (unsafe deck, fire in electrical panel), lack of service (no heat) or the damage will keep getting worse (leaking roof), the inspector should be able to see the problem before repairs start. Depending on the problem, the inspector may wish to bring in another inspector or a contractor to look at the problem also before it is repaired.
If the problem is a hidden defect, you should still contact the inspector since he might have contacts with contractors to get you a better price for the repairs and maybe even get the work done faster – remember the good contractors are normally booked weeks or months in advance. The inspector can also help document the problem incase you decide to pursue litigation against the previous owner. Again with this route, the previous owner will probably also want to bring in their own inspector/specialist so the repairs will have to wait until they can see the problem.
List of issues that are hidden defects
- Blocked sewer lines
- Vermiculite insulation in an attic (hidden under other insulation)
- Most internal chimney problems since inspectors don’t inspect chimneys (the report tells you to contact a chimney sweep however this normally only occurs after you move in)
- Furnace does not heat the house properly in the winter (furnace does not run is something the inspector should have observed).
- A/C does not come on in the spring (if the house was inspected in the winter)
- Deck/balconies in bad shape if the house was inspected in the winter and things were covered with snow
- Damaged driveway/walkways (if the house was inspected in the winter)
- With winter inspections, most roof issues are not visible
List of issues that the inspector should of reported however some of the issues were not possible to report on due to many issues such as no access to the component or it has deteriorated since the inspection:
- 20 year old hot water tank that stops working
- improperly installed oil tank that leaks (if not underground)
- water leak with visible signs of water on walls or ceilings
One way to limit the possible problems is to make sure a Vendor Declaration is completed by the Seller prior to you making an offer on the house. This declaration gives a detailed history of the building to the best of the Seller’s knowledge.
Some Sellers intentionally or unintentionally cover problems in their house by doing the following (which are things agents tell their clients to do to make the house look better for selling):
- The worst thing for a homeowner to do is to paint a house before selling since the painting covers stains and cracks are normally repaired prior to painting.
- Painting decks and balconies – if enough paint is applied, it can even hide rotten areas
- Install a Bain Magique or bathtub insert. Inserts are a quick fix and not cheap either. The insert is normally hiding something that has a problem.
- Caulk around all windows and doors. New caulking is great but how bad were the cracks before they fixed the caulking. What kind of water infiltration has occurred in the past.
A home inspection is not a guarantee that problems won't develop after you move in. However if you believe that a problem was visible at the time of the inspection and should have been mentioned in the report, your first step should be to call and meet with the inspector to clarify the situation. Misunderstandings are often resolved in this manner. Remember that if we couldn't see it and there was no sign of the problem during the inspection, it might be a hidden defect.
If necessary, you might wish to consult with a local mediation service to help you settle any disagreement with the inspector. MD Inspect Plus inspectors carry Errors & Omissions liability insurance, and as such litigation should be considered a last resort. It is difficult, expensive, and by no means a sure method of recovery. Unless the repairs are required immediately for safety reasons (unsafe deck, fire in electrical panel), lack of service (no heat) or the damage will keep getting worse (leaking roof), the inspector should be able to see the problem before repairs start. Depending on the problem, the inspector may wish to bring in another inspector or a contractor to look at the problem also before it is repaired.
If the problem is a hidden defect, you should still contact the inspector since he might have contacts with contractors to get you a better price for the repairs and maybe even get the work done faster – remember the good contractors are normally booked weeks or months in advance. The inspector can also help document the problem incase you decide to pursue litigation against the previous owner. Again with this route, the previous owner will probably also want to bring in their own inspector/specialist so the repairs will have to wait until they can see the problem.
List of issues that are hidden defects
- Blocked sewer lines
- Vermiculite insulation in an attic (hidden under other insulation)
- Most internal chimney problems since inspectors don’t inspect chimneys (the report tells you to contact a chimney sweep however this normally only occurs after you move in)
- Furnace does not heat the house properly in the winter (furnace does not run is something the inspector should have observed).
- A/C does not come on in the spring (if the house was inspected in the winter)
- Deck/balconies in bad shape if the house was inspected in the winter and things were covered with snow
- Damaged driveway/walkways (if the house was inspected in the winter)
- With winter inspections, most roof issues are not visible
List of issues that the inspector should of reported however some of the issues were not possible to report on due to many issues such as no access to the component or it has deteriorated since the inspection:
- 20 year old hot water tank that stops working
- improperly installed oil tank that leaks (if not underground)
- water leak with visible signs of water on walls or ceilings
One way to limit the possible problems is to make sure a Vendor Declaration is completed by the Seller prior to you making an offer on the house. This declaration gives a detailed history of the building to the best of the Seller’s knowledge.
Some Sellers intentionally or unintentionally cover problems in their house by doing the following (which are things agents tell their clients to do to make the house look better for selling):
- The worst thing for a homeowner to do is to paint a house before selling since the painting covers stains and cracks are normally repaired prior to painting.
- Painting decks and balconies – if enough paint is applied, it can even hide rotten areas
- Install a Bain Magique or bathtub insert. Inserts are a quick fix and not cheap either. The insert is normally hiding something that has a problem.
- Caulk around all windows and doors. New caulking is great but how bad were the cracks before they fixed the caulking. What kind of water infiltration has occurred in the past.