Common Defects

THE HOUSE HAS POOR DRAINAGE. This is the most common problem found during a home inspection. While it may seem like a landscaping issue, this condition can actually cause severe structural and foundation problems, and can even void your warranty. To improve drainage, you may have to install roof gutters & downspouts or an underground drainage system. In extreme cases, you may need to re-grade the lot to direct water away from the house. Be sure to have this inspected before you install expensive landscaping. Drainage problems are common both in older homes and in brand new houses.

THE HOUSE HAS FAULTY WIRING. Insufficient or out-of-date electrical systems are commonly found in older homes. This is a potentially hazardous defect and should not be taken lightly. Not only can it be unsafe, but you don’t want to plug your computer or other expensive electrical items into an ungrounded electrical socket. You may have to replace the entire electrical system, or at least part of it, to make the home safe and/or bring it up to code. In newer homes, defects often include amateur installations of electrical fixtures. Brand new houses often have code violations that weren't detected by the city inspector.

THE ROOF LEAKS. Roof damage may be caused by old or damaged shingles, or simply by improper installation. It’s cheap and relatively easy to repair shingles and small amounts of flashing. If the roof is old, however, you may have to replace the entire roof which is a much larger expense. Improper installation and even unfinished roofs are very common in brand new homes. It may take awhile, but leaks will eventually occur (after your warranty expires, no doubt!). Remember, the roof affects every other system in the house. If it leaks, you will also have damage elsewhere.

WATER AND AIR GET IN AROUND THE WINDOWS AND DOORS. This usually does not indicate a structural problem, rather poor caulking and weather stripping that require relatively simple and inexpensive repairs. However, if ignored, it can develop into a major problem and expense. Correcting this problem will not only lower your monthly utility bills, it will also decrease the workload and stress put on your home's air conditioning and/or heating unit.

THE ENTIRE HOUSE HAS BEEN POORLY MAINTAINED. Examples of poor maintenance include cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry, broken fixtures or shoddy wiring or plumbing. You can easily repaint a wall, replace a fixture or repair a brick wall, but makeshift electrical or plumbing situations are serious and potentially dangerous problems. They are also usually hidden and not apparent to the untrained eye.

Our inspectors routinely find these problems and many others in both new and old homes. Not only can they be expensive, but many defects can affect your family’s health and safety.