It is important to understand that a town home inspection can be very valuable to both the seller and the buyer of a town home. For obvious reasons the town home inspection is valuable to the buyer as the inspector will point out any serious defects in the town home as well as the overall condition of the town home before the town home is purchased.
A town home inspection is an evaluation of the visible and accessible systems and components of a town home such as the plumbing system, electrical system, roof, etc. Most importantly a town home inspection can usually detect any structural problems with a house. Structural concerns include the foundation, exterior wall system, interior load bearing walls, floor system and roof system. Problems with any of these items can result in substantial repair costs.
This inspection report can also be valuable to a seller. If a seller has a town home inspection preformed before they list the house, the seller will have a “heads up” on any defects in their town home. They may elect to fix some or all of defects so they will not become an issue to the new buyer prior to closing and most times the seller will get things repaired or replaced at a cost much lower than when the buyers look for repair credits before the closing.
The inspector will look at the grading and drainage issues causing water penetration into the house or from down spouts not properly angled away from the foundation that may cause moisture intrusion into the home. Also missing fascia boards (boards nailed across the ends of roof rafters at the eaves), missing or damaged eves and soffits. And don’t forget the plumbing, water heater and appliance vents, water pressure, electrical capacity, etc.
Your home inspector will also offer ancillary services to our customers while they are there including, FLIR Thermal imaging, Home Energy Audit, Mold Inspection and Termite Inspection.
If you think about it, you are paying someone to do a fairly comprehensive diagnostic test on the town home . To tell you all the things you are not trained to find. So I say, why not know about any defects and repair items BEFORE you buy or put the house up for sale.
In summary, if you are buying a town home, selling a town home or if you are investing in a town home, a town home inspection report by a licensed town home inspection company will open your eyes to any and all defects that could become an issue when you go to sell or flip the house.
