Question:
“I’ve got a dumb question for you. We’re planning to buy a home and will definitely have a contractor inspect it for us. I know no home is perfect. My question is, how do I know the difference between normal little things that we shouldn’t worry about versus things that are a problem? Will the contractor tell us?”
Answer:
I think this is a great question!
Before I answer, let me clarify one thing you said. While you could have a contractor inspect the home for you, most people get a professional home inspector, most of whom are not contractors.
As far as who will advise you on what’s a “big deal” so to speak, that could be the inspector and/or your Realtor.
Either way, here’s some general guidance. In approximate order, the more serious and most expensive repair items tend to be:
- Repair settlement/foundation issues
- New roof
- New sewer line (often 5-15K)
- Major termite repair
- Mold remediation
- Major electrical
- Major plumbing
Don’t worry so much about minor things that a handyman could take care of in a few hours.
Hope that helps!
