Inspecting The Foundation Of A Home
When you hire a home inspector to inspect a home you are buying one of the things he will be inspecting is the homes foundation. Here is an overview of what the inspector will be looking for.
The first thing the inspector will have to do is determine the type of foundation the home has. There are three types of foundations: the basement, crawl space, and concrete slab.
The basement is sometimes tricky to inspect and is dependent on if the basement is finished or not. The inspector will evaluate the condition of the floor and if there are any visible signs of moisture like staining of the concrete, cupping of the wood, or staining of the carpet.
Some of the other items that inspector will look at in the basement is the condition of any wood framing that is not covered by drywall. The inspector will also check out the electrical and plumbing components such as electrical panels, water heaters, sump pumps (if present), and the HVAC equipment
If the home has a crawl space, the inspector is not required to inspect it if the head space is less than 18 inches in height. If the inspector can not evaluate the crawl space due to height restrictions they are required to report it within the report.
The home inspector will be looking at several things while under the house. The main thing the inspector is trying to determine is if there is moisture present and is there any damage to the support system and floor structure. Some of the items the inspector will look at include: the piers, floor joists, outside sill plate, foundation wall, and any other items present like the plumbing, ductwork, and insulation.
When inspecting a concrete slab, the inspector will be limited in what he can look at, especially if the flooring has already been installed. On the exterior the inspector will be looking for cracks in the slab and if the land is graded away from the home correctly.
Closing Comments
Homes are built based on the grade of the land. It is not uncommon for homes to have two and sometimes all 3 foundation types as part of the construction. When you hire your inspector, give them as much information as possible about the foundation.
Filed under: Home Based Business