Common Issues

As much as we might wish that a house be perfect, no house is. Even the best-built and best-maintained houses will have a few small issues. Other times, houses will have significant issues. Generally issues will be grouped into 3 categories for the purpose of a home inspection or property inspection. Those items that are "maintenance issues", "repair/replace issues", or "safety issues". Each finding is assessed, documented in the home inspection report, and reviewed with the client. Some of the most common types of issues found include:

Improper Ground Grading and/or Drainage: This is the most common type of issue found with homes and properties. This can lead to foundation problems (cracks and decay) and water penetration into basements or crawl spaces. This is often addressed by regrading around the house, fixing gutters and/or downspouts, and providing drainage away from the foundation.

Electrical Wiring: There are several types of issues that fall in this category. Sometimes the electrical service coming from the street to the house is undersized. Often the issues are incorrect wiring in the house, incorrect breaker sizes, and improper wiring in electrical panels. More often than not, the issues are caused by non-licensed or non-qualified workers, and can be serious safety hazards.

Inadequate General Maintenance: Cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, and broken fixtures or appliances are common issues. Although some of these problems may seem more cosmetic than serious, they are often indicative of a general lack of care and upkeep.

Structural Issues: Generally (but not always) these are not serious, and are most commonly damage to foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, or window and door headers.  While these problems are more common in older homes they can certainly occur in newer homes, and even in new construction.