From beach front shacks to the most opulent new construction in the Hill Section of Manhattan Beach, the hiring of a “Home Inspection” professional is an important step in your purchase process.

Assuming that you’ve just successfully negotiated the purchase of a South Bay home, you’ve probably got somewhere around 17 days to complete your investigations regarding your new home. One of these investigations is the Home Inspection. Typically, the results of the home inspection will lead you to ask the seller to correct or change found issues. In effect, this is a mini-negotiation between buyer and seller and can cause the cancellation of the deal if both parties don’t see eye-to-eye. 

I feel pretty safe in saying that there’s never been a home sold that is 100% perfect. There’s always something that is missed, neglected or overlooked that needs to be corrected prior to the close of escrow. The issue at hand is who is going to pay for the work—buyer or seller?

The home inspector’s job

The inspection process always finds faults with a house. Depending on the inspector and how they explain the seriousness of the found issues to their clients, they can easily kill a deal. Even in homes that have a perfect A+ inspection, little items are found. Remember, a home inspector’s job is to find problems, and they will! It’s your job as the buyer to evaluate the issues, determine if you want them repaired, or if you can live with them as-is. 

Typical items that show up in most inspections:

Hairline stucco cracks

Moisture found under sinks (small leaks)

Water heaters are rarely strapped correctly to meet earthquake safety standards 

Water heaters not installed with flexible piping for earthquake safety

Water heater drain lines not installed, no pan under water heater 

Doors not latching correctly

Issues with the furnace (won’t come on, display damaged, old filter) 

Issues related to the electrical panel (switches not marked correctly, panel too small for the house)

Power outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms not correctly wired for safety around water 

Issues with the garage door not closing correctly 

Minor appliance issues (condensation found around refrigerator door)

Evidence of past water leaks or obvious dry wall repair work 

Cracks in cement paths and walkways 

Typically, the more a buyer feels they over paid for a home the more items they will ask to be repaired. Conversely, the more a seller feels the house has been given away, the less willing they will be to pay for corrections. 

Basic guidelines

To protect themselves from possible legal issues after the property has been sold, a seller should always correct problems that are detected related to safety. For example, a damaged heating system, leaking roof, issues with the electrical panel, water intrusion, etc., should be repaired by the seller. 

Who pays for what is all about motivation. If the seller wants the home sold, it’s in his best interest to consider crediting the buyer with funds to correct found issues. 

Issues that could raise a yellow flag and warrant further investigation:

Stucco cracks large enough for a nickel to fit into

Moist drywall around windows

Moisture stains anywhere in the house 

Furnace over 20 years old 

Roof over 25 years old 

Drain lines on older homes 

Unpermitted repairs and/or additions

Pooled water on roof-decks and balconies 

Cracked roof tiles 

Water heater over 10 years old 

Cracks in the foundation 

Excessive settling 

Musty, earthen smells in basements or other below grade rooms (the nose knows) 

Of course these are just examples of items an inspector might find. Every home is unique and will present itself with its own unique set of issues. Homes built after 1998 are generally built to the most current uniform building code standards, with local city codes taking precedence. 

What does it cost?

Typical fees are in the range of $350 to $500.

Last updated on January 24, 2012 by Blake Roberts