Why you need to get a plumbing inspection buying a new home
For most people, a home purchase is the most expensive investment they will have in their lives. As such, it only makes sense that you do whatever is necessary to ensure you are worth the money spent. Unfortunately, without considerable prior experience, you cannot inspect a home properly. Yes, you may be able to tell if there is trouble with the sewer pipes or if some mold is accumulating. But, this is hardly a substitute for a professional inspection.
You need to get a plumbing inspection before buying a new home, even if you know what the plumbing is like.
A standard home inspection might not be enough
Apart from plumbing, your home inspector must also check the roof and the flooring. They must inspect for vermin and ensure that the electrical wiring is in order. And they need to check out the HVAC system and ensure it runs properly. Therefore, even if they are pretty good at their job, it is not uncommon for home inspectors to miss something. In the case of plumbing, a slight oversight can be quite costly to repair. So, it is better to take the extra step in inspecting your plumbing.
You will know how much it will take to fix the problems
Knowing what plumbing issues are at hand is beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, you will be able to better negotiate the price of the home with the seller. They, as a rule, will try to underestimate the plumbing issue and pass it off as nothing significant. But here is where the input of an experienced plumbing inspector comes in handy. With it, you will know just how big the issue is. You will learn how much it costs to fix and how much trouble it will be to fix it. You can use these as powerful tools for negotiation and significantly reduce the price of the home.
It is much easier to plan your finances once you know your home’s condition.
Secondly, you’ll be able to plan your finances. If you buy a home and move locally to San Francisco, and that home needs renovation, you will likely have to make different financial plans. By knowing the issue, you can establish a timeline of payments and ensure that you will cover them. You can outline when the renovation will be done and when you can move in. Know that experts can give a hand with the local relocation so you can focus on the renovation. But it is up to you to ensure that your finances can support both.
The previous owner might be trying to hide something
A sizable issue with plumbing can be pretty expensive to fix properly. Therefore, sellers have a good financial incentive to patch up faulty plumbing and try to sell the home as if everything is good. An inexperienced inspector might not even notice the patchwork and will assume that everything is in good order. But, with a more thorough inspection, you will get a good idea of what has been done and what you will have to do in the future. Some plumbing patchwork only works for a year or two. And the last thing you need is to find out that you’ll have to replace the entire plumbing only after you’ve bought the house.
You can fix the issues before they become worse
One important thing to note about plumbing issues is that they get progressively worse as time goes on. What was once a relatively minor issue can worsen if you don’t attend to it. That is another reason to get a plumbing inspection before buying a new home. By doing so, you can fix any plumbing issues in their infancy and ensure that they don’t cause considerable damage. That is why water sensors can sometimes be well worth the investment. You can use such preventive measures to ensure that you don’t experience issues in the future.
Minor issues can become quite big if only given enough time.
Doing so is worth the money
Depending on your home size, a plumbing inspection will cost around $200. Considering all the benefits that you get from it, we would say that $200 is well worth it. By getting it, you will save yourself from an ill-advised home purchase. And you’ll save yourself from having to fix costly plumbing issues. In our book, $200 is well worth avoiding those two expenses as they can cost a small fortune. Mind you, if your home is big and requires a more extensive inspection, it can cost $500 or more. But, you are saving yourself from considerable trouble even at that price.
Conclusion
By now, it should be evident that you must get a plumbing inspection before buying a new home. Doing so will ensure whether a home is worth the bother. In some situations, the plumbing issues can be so excessive that purchasing a home would be a waste unless you are a professional plumber. A plumbing inspection will outline everything you need to get fixed if you buy a home. From more minor issues that require immediate attention to keep small. To larger renovation projects that require long-term planning. Don’t forget that you can and should use these issues as a negotiation tool and hopefully bring the price of the home down.
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