Home buyers in Acworth often review the costs involved in their home purchase and sometimes make decisions to eliminate items to keep those costs down. One item might be the home inspection, especially if purchasing a new home. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be a costly mistake. Unlike a motor vehicle, Georgia does not provide a lemon law for new home purchases, although a few states do. That said, it is your responsibility to ensure when buying a home in Acworth that the home is in good condition, or the condition you expect it to be in, without hidden problems.
Georgia does not currently require home inspectors to be licensed. Here are some things to consider asking when hiring a home inspector:
- What is included in their inspection?
- Do they provide a written report listing their findings with photography evidence?
- What limits do they place on liability for their own negligence?
- Do they carry liability or errors and omissions insurance?
- What are their credentials and experience in the industry?
- How current are their inspection techniques and equipment?
- Have you checked their references online and off?
- Do they encourage you and your real estate agent to attend an inspection, and schedule the inspection so this is possible?
- Are they a member of any nationally recognized home inspection associations and certified through them, i.e., NAHI, ASHI, NACHI or Georgia association such as GAHI?
What’s included in a home inspection in Acworth?
A general home inspection does not include specific items that require a specialist to examine, so you need to understand the different types of home items that should be inspected and that may require an additional inspection by a specialist including:
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- Asbestos
- Chimney
- Easements and Encroachments
- Electrical
- Foundation
- Heating and Air Conditioning
- Lead-Based Paint
- Lot Size and Boundaries
- Mold
- Permits and Zoning
- Plumbing
- Pool and Spa
- Radon or Methane Gas
- Roof Inspection
- Sewer or Septic System Inspection
- Soil Stability
- Square Footage
- Well
- Wood Destroying Pests
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Depending on the age and location of your home, you may need to hire more than one home inspector. A general home inspector should advise you if any additional inspections are required and why. As the home buyer, you should contract with the home inspector directly and ensure that they are capable of providing the services you require. The Georgia Association of Home Inspectors provides information on their Standards of Practice which will help you understand what their members are required, and not required, to include in a home inspection. You can also search their membership for a home inspector.
This may all seem overwhelming, but that is why you have professionals helping you the home buying process including your real estate agent, home inspector, mortgage company, and more. Your real estate agent can help you navigate.