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New Home Buyers: Get a Home Inspection Repair Estimate Before You Buy!

Why Do You Need a Home Inspection?

Buying a home is one of the most important decisions you can make during your lifetime. Then, having picked out the home of your dreams, you need to be certain its construction is sound.

The best investment you can make is to call for a home inspection before finalizing the deal. For a small cost, you will receive a detailed report of any defects in the home. This report could save you tens of thousands of dollars.

The home inspection report is also an important tool – and “insurance policy” – to assist you when you negotiate a price or budget for remodeling. You take that report to a trusted remodeling contractor to advise you about construction issues, remodeling and budgeting.

What to Do Post-Inspection

Let’s say the inspector has completed the inspection of the home and given you the report. If the defects are not a deal-breaker and you are still interested in buying the house, this home inspection report needs to be  brought into negotiations with the seller.

At this point, some buyers may be tempted to leave the responsibility for fixing defects to the seller. However, the seller may appoint the cheapest contractor to get the job done. The worst thing would be if the seller gets a “cash only” job done so, should you buy the house, you have no trail for following up any problems that could arise from that work. It would be far better for you, as the buyer, to negotiate a reduction in the purchase price and have quality work done by an accredited contractor of your choice.

If you decide to go this route, your experienced and proven home remodeling contractor will go over the report with you and provide a home inspection repair estimate for all work to be done. The inspection service may even recommend some contractors.

The On-Site Evaluation Process

After arriving at the house, in a matter of a couple of hours, the contractor should have reviewed the inspection report and checked all the issues listed. Sometimes during an on-site evaluation, your contractor may notice some issues that the home inspector missed.

A good contractor will understand the importance of meeting your escrow deadlines and will provide you with a home inspection repair estimate in a timely manner. You can then discuss making an offer with your realtor with all the details at your fingertips.

There is a charge for remodeling contractors to review a home inspection report on site and provide an estimate for the repairs. However,  the best contractors will refund those charges should they be contracted to perform a certain percentage of the listed work.

Just know that, when considering buying a home, you are never alone in the decision-making process. Home inspectors, remodeling contractors and realtors can be your allies to help you buy the home you love at the price you want.

“Romney Tripp started construction in 1977 and formed RWT Design & Construction in 1992, eventually setting up the shop in Burbank. From the mid 1980’s Romney has been working on building recording studios as well as…” Read more.

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