Why You Might Want to Ask to Accompany Your Building Inspector During an Inspection
If you're having a building inspection scheduled prior to a purchase, it might not occur to you to actually accompany the inspector, at least where it's safe for you to do so. An inspection always includes a final report submitted to you, so you may assume this will be all the information you need about a potential purchase. While that report may give you quite a bit of information about the condition of the building, you might consider actually accompanying the inspector during this time to get more personalized information. Note what is meant by that and what information they can offer during the inspection itself.
Have them point out what they're talking about
When you get a final report, it might note problems and fixes with certain valves, areas of contact for the foundation, and so on. You may not understand anything that the report is referring to and may need to rely on a contractor to interpret the inspector's notes and make those fixes. However, if you accompany an inspector during their inspection, you can ask exactly what they're talking about; they can note if they mean that there is a sinking foundation so that the wood frame of the building is touching the ground, or if those mismatched valves mean that you'll get hot water from the cold tap. This can give you a better idea of what fixes and repairs you can expect to face.
Ask them how bad it is
If a final report notes a number of problems with your building, you may assume it's not a sound purchase or that you'll be facing steep repair bills. This may not always be true, and a building inspector may be able to give you some ideas of the fixes needed. An inspector is not there to exaggerate problems or scare you into hiring a contractor for work that isn't urgently needed, so they can tell you if something can be fixed quickly and easily or if certain fixes actually affect the overall stability of a building's construction.
Note what they don't inspect
Never assume a building inspector will look at everything in a building, as they are concerned with areas that need to be built up to certain codes. This might not include looking for signs of a pest infestation, testing the exterior lights in the parking lot, and so on. If you accompany an inspector during the inspection, you can note more readily what is not included and have those things inspected separately if needed.
For more information, contact a company like Jeffrey Hills and Associates.