How To Pass A 4 Point Home Inspection
Getting a 4 point home inspection is not always the same for new home buyers and owners that are looking for a new insurance policy on an older home. Since the 4 point home inspection is meant just for insurance companies, we can determine that the insurance companies are looking to protect yours and their investment. How to pass a 4 point home inspection? Prepare ahead of time and evaluate all four areas of your home that the inspector will be looking at.
Let's take a look below at what a 4 point home inspection entails.
What Is A 4 Point Home Inspection
Roof, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical system are all checked during a 4 point home inspection. These are the main 4 areas of a home that typically come with the biggest cost for repairs.
Below are the parts of a 4 point inspection:
- Roof-typically looks at the type of roof, such as shingled, tiled, or metal. The age of the roof and the condition of the materials are inspected. Also, are there any leaks or missing materials such as shingles?
- Electrical System-inspector will record the type of wiring that is in the home. These are materials such as copper, aluminum, or knob and tube. The electrical panel brand and the condition of the electrical system is also inspected.
- Heating and Cooling-how old is the HVAC system? Does the home have central heat and air? Also, does the HVAC system leak or have damaged parts?
- Plumbing System-also looked at for the type of drain pipes used in the home. Is it copper, galvanized, CPVC, lead, polybutylene, or something else? Are there any leaks to the plumbing system and how old is the hot water heater?
What Can I Expect
Basically, if you are purchasing a home that is 20 years or older, the insurance companies will often request that the homeowner purchase a 4 point inspection. This is in order to receive coverage or renew an existing policy. Considering that most of us don't pay much attention to any items in the home unless it breaks, this is the easiest way for insurance companies to maintain their investments.
Typically, a full home inspection is conducted at the time of buying and selling a home. However, you should consider having a full home inspection done once a year. This is in order to protect your investment from any major damages.
Before purchasing a home, you’ll want to make sure that all aspects of the home are functioning properly, which can be confirmed with a full inspection. Once the home inspection is complete you can decide if there are too many repairs or if the home is in great working condition and right for you to purchase.
How Much Does It Cost
Four-point home inspections can save the homeowner money. The national average cost is $100 to $200 for a 4-point home inspection. If you are going to have a full home inspection done you are looking at $400 to $600 on average. Some home inspections can cost you up to $1000 for a full inspection depending on where you live.
Other Recommended Maintenance
The point is to pass the 4 point inspection. One way to keep up with the maintenance of the roof is to use a roof inspection checklist. This will help you to know what might be missing on the roof so you can fix it before your inspection.
Another area of maintenance is your HVAC system. You should get about 10-15 years from your HVAC unit before it needs replacing, depending on the maintenance you follow.
Lastly, there are often plumbing problems in older homes. You will want to make sure that the plumbing is not made with old materials and that there are no sewer issues. Having any of these problems can create an issue in passing a 4 point home inspection.
When Do I Call A Professional
Prior to a 4 point home inspection, you can call on a professionally licensed home inspector to come out and look at the health and safety of your home. If you can get a general idea of any damage to the roof, plumbing, electrical system, or HVAC unit and these repairs can be done ahead of time, you will be saving time and money.
Don't be afraid to call on your local home inspection team to conduct a full home inspection so that you are aware of any potential projects that a 4 point home inspection might not find. Your local home inspection team can also recommend the most reputable general contractors in your area.
Conclusion
When buying an older home you should always ask a lot of questions and complete a home inspection before investing. Find out what the insurance companies in the area will and will not cover on that home.
You don't want to find out after you purchased a 20-year-old home that you can't get flood insurance because the plumbing pipes are polybutylene. Call on Gray Home Inspections for a complete home inspection in Jacksonville, FL, and surrounding areas.