Signs you should walk away after a home inspection

Getting a home inspection is an essential and crucial part of buying a home. This part of the process can help protect you from purchasing a property that has expensive, hidden defects and issues. Although home inspections are not mandatory, many prospective home buyers chose to have their potential homes inspected.

Your home inspector will check interior and exterior elements like the HVAC system, the foundation, interior plumbing, electrical systems, and many other components of the home. But what happens if the potential home you’re looking at doesn’t quite live up to your expectations? Can you just walk away?

Can You Walk Away From a Home After an Inspection?

The answer is yes! There is no hard and fast rule for when you can walk away from home after an inspection. In fact, it’s actually one of the most common times to walk away when a home is under contract. Since buyers don’t always know what’s inside of a home or the parts that make up the home until after the inspection is complete. This is why home inspections are very strongly recommended, it helps identify possible problems and gives the buyer’s peace of mind when making one of life’s biggest purchases.

Now whether you walk away or continue on with your purchase will depend on how much you truly want the home and how willing you are to make the repairs yourself if the seller isn’t willing to negotiate or agree to repairs.

What are some signs you should walk away from a home after an inspection?

There are many reasons a home can fail a home inspection, but below are some of the biggest reasons to consider walking away.

Foundation

The foundation of a house holds up the home and is in integral part of its’ structure. Making sure there are no structural issues and that the foundation is intact is a critical component. If there are issues with the foundation, this can be a costly repair depending on the severity of the issue. If this is something that you don’t have the budget for or don’t want the stress, it may be a good idea to walk away.

Electrical Issues/ Damage

If your home inspector finds faulty electrical wiring, electrical system or damage to it, this can pose a problem. From 2015-2019 about 47,000 home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction were reported. The electrical system in a house can cause fires and if you need to replace certain panels this can be costly.

Water Damage

One of the most common issues uncovered during home inspections is water damage. While this isn’t always a major issue (like signs of flooding), it can be a sign there are other additional factors and problems at play.

Sewer Problems

Similar to electrical issues, sewer problems can be expensive to repair. They are more common in older homes, where the sewer line can become compromised or corroded with time. While the majority of sewer problems are usually repairable, they are very large, laborious undertakings that can take time.

Integra Inspection Services is the leading provider of home inspection services throughout Calgary. Our commitment to our clients is evident by our honest and thorough Calgary home inspections. Our service is available for residential buildings, including homes, townhouses, and condos. Whether you are a buyer, seller, or a realtor, we conduct complete home inspections to determine if your property has any structural flaws and to prevent future costly repairs. Our Calgary home inspections include infrared thermal imagine on every inspection for an accurate, detailed inspection. For all of your home inspection or commercial property assessment needs, we can help. Schedule your inspection with Integra Inspection Services.

Why Home Inspections Matter: Where does radon come from?

Radon can enter a home in any place it can find an opening where the house is in contact with the ground, which is concerning to many homeowners in Calgary. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive noble gas that is found in the soil. In our previous blogs, we’ve discussed what can cause radon in a house and what a safe radon level is. Home inspections are a great way to find out your radon levels, but some may still be wondering where radon actually comes from.

In this article, we’ll be exploring where radon comes from and the best way to mediate this harmful gas.

What is radon?

To recap quickly, radon is an invisible gas that forms in the crust of the earth. It rises from the ground and can get trapped in structures like your home or commercial buildings. Exposure to high levels of radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Radon can get trapped in your home through cracks in the foundation walls or floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, support posts, window easements, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside the wall.

Where does radon gas come from?

Radon is constantly being generated by the radium in rocks, soil and water. Materials that are made from these rocks and soil, which can include some building materials, can contain radon too. Now the important part to keep in mind when it comes to radon in your home is that the concentration of radon is dependent on the type of soil your home is built on. Things such as cracks, opening and other penetrations in your home’s foundation will allow a pathway for radon to enter your home. The ventilation and air flow patterns in your home will be an important factor that affects how much radon can be pulled into different areas within your home.

Radon can also be dissolved into ground water and can be introduced into the air through aeration of well water during its use in things such as washing machines, showers, and other appliances like this. But generally, this aeration component is relatively small when compared to the amount of radon that can enter the home from the soil.

In Conclusion

No matter the age, type of construction or where your home is located, all homes in Canada do have radon in them. The only way to be sure of radon level in your home is to have it tested. The best way to prevent and help mediate the hazardous effects of radon is to get your home inspected.

Your Ultimate Final Walk Through Checkout Checklist

What is a final walk through?

Although a final walk through isn’t a home inspection, they’re just as important. A final walk through gives home buyers a final chance to inspect the house before the official closing. The purpose of a walk through is to ensure that the property is in the exact same condition in which you agreed to purchase it. This includes all agreed on repairs and any other conditions you had agreed to.

Most often final walk throughs are completed by the home buyers and their real estate agent, together they will walk through the house room by room. But you can also bring along another person in the form of a home inspector to ensure the home you’re closing on is in a good condition and if any extra repair may be necessary. Home inspectors can help you identify other potential issues you may not be aware of since they have a checklist made for home inspections. The last walk through is extremely important and is the last chance to ensure the property is in a good condition and that the seller has complied with all agreements for the sale.

Final Walkthrough: A Checklist Of What To Look For

Look to ensure all agreed repairs have been completed
Make sure the seller’s belongings are no longer present and they completely moved out
Double check all lock, windows and doors
Look over all appliances

These are the basic 4 steps you need to take when doing your final walk through, this will ensure that the seller has met all the conditions and expectations you initially set. If something isn’t completed or to your satisfaction, you have every right to voice your concerns to the seller before closing on the home.

It’s important to voice any concerns you have before you move into the home, once the sale has been closed and you move in it will most likely be too late to bring up any issues you may have found. It can seem overwhelming so it’s important to prepare a through checklist of things to look for beforehand

During your final walk through, take time and bring a list of what repairs you agreed on and check them off as you walk through the house room by room. While in each room make sure to check the sealing on the windows to ensure they close and unlock/lock easily, and that there are no holes or issues If you notice something seems a little “wonky” jot it down on your list so you remember to bring it up later on. Ensure that all the doors close tightly and that they lock securely as well.

Final walk throughs deserve a thorough inspection

Finally, it’s important to remember that this is a major purchase and your final walk through deserves plenty of diligence on your part. Walking through the home with both your real estate agent and a home inspector can help guarantee that your new home won’t come with any extra unwelcome surprises.