All set to buy a new house? Read checklist of common problems for homebuyer to look out for before investing in home/property.

20 Common Problems Home Buyers Should Look Out For

Whenever you decide to buy your dream house, you need to keep a lot of things in mind. It is a lump sum investment. Some of you out there would be using all your life’s savings in buying your house. Any kind of casual behaviour is not acceptable in the process of choosing your house. Lots of considerations are to be made and points- checked while finalizing the home like the locality, the builder/owner, affordability, legal matters, age of the property, quality of construction, etc. Besides, you must also keep your eyes open for a number of home-related problems like the condition of the walls, roofs, ceilings, floor, doors and windows, fittings, electrical, plumbing and so on; once you start living in the house these will bother you the most.

Here are a 20 problems that you should be careful about while buying a house.

Examine the property closely - the overall condition, from outside to inside and ground floor to the roof.

1. Construction Issues

Examine the property closely – the overall condition – from outside to inside, from ground floor to the roof. Does the integrity look compromised? Though it is a professional’s job to analyse even you can form an idea by just looking at it. What is the condition of the walls? Are there any cracks in them? Check the roof – do you see any cracks in it? Are the railings standing strong? Are there enough outlets on the roof? Do you see any broken pipes from outside? Make a checklist and go ticking as you examine the property diligently.

The house should have proper airflow and ventilation in every single room including the kitchen, bathroom and the storeroom.

2. Ventilation Problems

The house should have proper airflow and ventilation in every single room including the kitchen, bathroom and the storeroom. The house remains fresh and there is less growth of moisture inside the house; hence, lesser microbial growth and a healthier and happier family.

Make sure that adequate sunlight enters the house, as it is important for keeping your house fresh.

3. Sunlight

Make sure that adequate sunlight enters the house. Sunlight is extremely important for keeping the atmosphere of the house fresh. It kills bacteria and other microbes naturally and prevents stale smell in your house. It also keeps the house warm during the winter and is good for the growth of plants in your garden.

4. Water Resources

Make sure the house has proper water resources. Water is indispensable to any household. Earlier hand-dug Wells were the primary water source but now proper drilled wells and government water supply lines serve as primary water resources. These should be available at the house you purchase or else there will be difficulty in getting clean water at your residence.

When you go to check out a home make sure you look for its plumbing system. Check that all the plumbing lines are in good condition.

5. Plumbing Problems

While you go to check out a home make sure you look for its plumbing system. They are hidden sites inside the house but are an important and integral part of a comfortable home. Old households with old pipe systems can cause problems. There might be a leakage in the plumbing lines or it might have rust on it. Check that all the plumbing lines are in good condition and there is proper flow of water. And if it is a new home, you can check out some plumbing mistakes.

There should be sufficient drainage on the property you purchase otherwise that can cause stagnation of water leading to serious issues.

6. Drainage Problems

The drainage system of the house should be in proper condition. In case of damage to the drainage system, mould infestation and water clogging can take place. There should be sufficient drainage on the property you purchase or else that can cause stagnation of water leading to serious issues like breeding pests, vegetation growth and stale smell in and around the house. Drainage repair costs should be estimated along with the price of the house.

A poorly maintained or damaged roof/ terrace can lead to future problems including water seepage.

7. Roof / Terrace Problems

They is most important aspects and components of a house. A poorly maintained or damaged roof/ terrace can lead to future problems including water seepage. Roof repairs are expensive and should be estimated along with the price of purchasing the house. Make sure that the roof has proper drainage of rainwater and has no seepage problems. Water does not leak through it or in future you can have serious problems like damping issues, crumbling paint, vegetation growth, pest issues, etc. inside the household.

Check the floor slope to avoid stagnancy of water.

8. Flooring and Slope

Old houses mostly have cement or marble flooring. If you consider keeping it, check the floor and wall joints, the overall grouting condition and if any cracks are visible on the floor or not. New properties with tiled flooring too may have these problems. So, check that and consider getting them replaced or repaired soon. Sloping is something that often escapes our eyes and senses. Be careful or else, standing water may bother you in the future. Read Understand the problems due to incorrect slope in wet areas of your home.

Make sure that the wooden doors, windows and other wooden installations are in proper condition.

9. Wood Condition

Make sure that the wooden doors, windows and other wooden installations are in proper condition. In old houses, the wood is exposed to moisture for a long time. There may be rotting of wood which needs to be looked into. Wooden furniture and installations should be protected with proper paint and finish.

Gaps around the frame, loose hinges and latches, doors making a creaking sound, cracked glass in the window panes, rust in the iron grills are common issues in door and windows.

10. Door and Window Issues

There can be numerous of them – trust us! Gaps around the frame, loose hinges and latches, doors making a creaking sound, cracked glass in the window panes, rust in the iron grills – all these can make your stay in the house really troublesome with secondary problems like water seepage, damp etc arising in no time.

11. Fittings and Installations

No matter how small these components may appear, fittings and installations play a crucial role in holding all parts of your home intact. Also, they add a lot to the aesthetics. Check if all of them are in proper condition- non-rusted, strong and working- right from bathroom fittings to the doors and windows. Replacing the worn-out taps, faucets and shower heads with new ones and iron/wooden window frames with UPVC (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) materials1 will always go a long way in making your new home stronger and safer.

12. Electrical Safety

The house should have proper electrical connections and wiring. Watch out for any fault in the electrical circuit and faulty wiring in the electrical panels. Make sure that there are no faults or else it can cause tripping or fire. These are potentially hazardous. In case of faults in the electrical system, estimate the price of the repairs along with the price of the house.

13. Environmental Issues

Older homes may have lead-based paints, toxic moulds, asbestos in them. Any of these are harmful to your health.

Older homes may have lead-based paints, toxic moulds, asbestos in them. Any of these are harmful to your health. Since there were no restrictions in the past old buildings still continue to have these toxic materials in them but these should be avoided while buying a home. Asbestos and lead paints are extremely harmful and can cause serious health issues like respiratory damage.

Make sure the house has not been affected by termites and other pests.

14. Pest Problems

Make sure the house has not been affected by termites. Termite infestation is a very common problem in our country which can pose a major threat to the furniture in the house. To avoid this problem, make sure that you check with the current seller that the house is free of termite and other pests and also if pest control is needed and what should be the frequency of it. Check the corners of the house, the garden area and the doors for termite with visual signs.

Buyers should look for a proper parking area and space inside the house.

15. Availability of Parking Space

Buyers should look for a proper parking area and space inside the house. Parking areas are extremely important and indispensable. It ensures that your vehicles are kept safely. Most of the time, buyers are extremely engrossed with the house interiors that they forget to take a look at the parking area. This should not be done or else later there will be issues with parking your car.

Now, the above points are all specific problems that are very common and we have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. While you should be vigilant about these, you can’t afford to ignore other important matters like:

16. Area

Do a little research on the area – low-lying or not because you may face water-logging problem in that case during the monsoon. Areas with too much hardness in groundwater tend to have houses with ugly, yellowish stains on fittings and surfaces. Know these facts and make your decision.

17. The Neighbourhood

Make sure the house is in a neighbourhood which is safe to live in and there are no criminal activities going on in and around. Most importantly, people are warm and welcoming and understand each other’s requirements and necessities. Buy a house from where there are no communication problems. Main roads, transportation and market are available. The locality should preferably have departmental or grocery stores and easy access to the market, hospital and educational institutes.

Pre-handover home inspection is always a preffered factor for buying.

18. Builder/developer or owner

If the property you are buying is a house or a resale flat then try to deal directly with the owner. If it is a new flat then check your builder’s track record and make sure he has got RERA approval for the project. You should also insist on a pre-handover home inspection as that will further put all your concerns to rest.

Ask for the documents which show clearly that the current owner has the legal rights of the land and the house.

19. Legal Issues

Make sure that the house abides by every legal right. Ask for the documents which show clearly that the current owner has the legal rights of the land and the house. Ensure that the property is not mortgaged to any bank / lender. Try to find out about the locality and the current owner of the house from the neighbours.

20. The Recent Value of the House

Do not underestimate the future possibility of reselling this house you buy. Something might happen which may lead you to buy another house or shift to a new place. In such a situation you might need to sell your current house. The value of a property keeps on increasing with time if it is in a good locality. You should sell the house at a profitable rate, so take that into consideration while purchasing.

While buying a house make sure that you invest in a property with no or least problems. It is a crucial investment in your life and along with being affordable, it should fulfil all your requirements. Do not overlook any small problem. To avoid future complications, make a checklist and make sure you do not miss out even the minutest of issues. It is advisable to take the help of a professional service like home inspection which will cover the visual examination of all accessible areas of a home/property using modern technology and specialized tools, is designed to describe the condition of the basic elements, identifies and reports issues with the suggested solution. Otherwise, there will always remain a chance of overlooking a couple of problems which will become bigger later and add to your overall cost.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.fenesta.com/interior-design/7-advantages-of-installing-upvc-doors-and-windows/

Looking for a permanent solution to issues like leakage, dampness, electrical faults in your home/property - Opt for Home inspection services.

Solution to Property Defects in India – Home Inspection Services

It is a monumental task to have a home in India. To maintain one is even more cumbersome. The quality of home that one has is often subject to wear and tear. The quality of materials, in a old property, will obviously be worse for the effects of time on it. In fact, some properties have hidden construction-stage issues that tend to surface later appearing as new problems. How to deal with them?

A) While buying a new house, get it checked by the professionals.

B) If you are living in a house for years, get it checked by the professionals!

Yes, there cannot be any other way to assure the quality of a home. Home inspection services are now a reality in India. You must avail of them to put an end to your home quality-related worries.

Home Inspectors perform the much-needed in-depth inspection of the places where one lives or works.

No Short Cut Please!

It is harder done than said. The idea of ‘jugaad’ is so popular that one avoids doing the necessary thing for one’s home also. One likes to save money & effort; and feel like resorting to conventional, low-cost or obvious solutions. For example, if the paint is seen peeling off the wall, instead of checking why it is happening, one tends to put fresh paint on that area only or go for a wallpaper. Worse, damp is seen in the ceiling of the ground floor; one simply puts white cement on the floor-wall joints of the bathroom/toilet on the first floor. These solutions only delay the inevitable and are superficial to the point that they are misleading.

If periodical maintenance or health check-up of any property is not carried out or problems are overlooked, then deterioration will occur and the issues will spread. It will adversely affect both the human health and property life. Taking care of the elements of any property will not only ensure smooth functioning but will also provide these elements a longer and healthy life.

A home/property is a sum of all elements that are part of it. However, there is a tendency to ignore the unit in totality and think of each defective element as a separate thing that in turn will solve the entire issue of property maintenance. In the long term, it will be nothing but one Band-Aid to a body suffering numerous blows. The body needs more than random single-use fix-ups.

Home Inspectors perform the much-needed in-depth inspection of the places where one lives or works. Sometimes, as in the case of a pandemic, both work and home merge into one place. The need to improve the quality of the home increases, as audio-visual representations (prepared for work) from home, get shared more in professional and personal contexts.

What is covered under a Home Inspection?

What all come under the purview of Home Inspection?

A home inspection is characterised by the following main features:

  • Examining basic elements like the type of material used in walls, floor, ceiling, staircase, etc
  • Assessing the current condition of the property
  • Analysing the safety of the elements that one has to deal with on a daily basis
  • Finding the source of an existing problem
  • Suggesting long term solutions to eliminate the problems that have arisen or may arise
Different types of properties inspected by MACJ - Home inspection company.

The types of properties inspected are:

  • New, Existing, Old, Heritage
  • Home
  • Big Residential Projects
  • Commercial:
    • Offices
    • Schools
    • Hospitals and other healthcare buildings
    • Shopping malls and multiplexes
    • Standalone retail stores
    • Factories
    • Warehouses, etc etc
The Inspection typically involves non-invasive, visual examination of all accessible areas of the property.

Inspection typically involves non-invasive, visual examination of all accessible areas including:

  • The rooms – living and dining room, bedroom, study room, storeroom
  • Kitchen, Bathroom/toilet
  • Attached areas e.g., Balcony, roof, lobby
  • Attached structures – stairs, steps, handrails, ramp etc
  • Elements in each area – floor, ceiling, walls, doors, windows, plumbing, electrical
  • Add-on components – cabinets, counters, furniture pieces, faucets, sinks and basins, etc

In a nutshell, home inspection represented a complete value-chain with full integration.

One often forgets or rather takes for granted how many elements there are in each room and how interconnected they are. Home inspectors with their advanced tools provide the big picture of what is happening. More pressingly, how well the future would play out. The walls have to bear the load of the house – literally. It is not a question of just looking good, but also how durable it is for future generations. Otherwise, your home will start ageing fast and become uninhabitable within a few years.

So you should use the home inspection services to put your doubts at rest. How your house or office should be from a utilitarian angle should be left to the professionals. They have the technology, experience, tools and solutions and also the know-how to use them.

Benefits & advantages of opting for Home Inspection Services.

Benefits of Home Inspection

Numerous – one being assessing the durability of the property components, as already stated above. Besides, other advantages of opting for home inspection services are:

  • Minimizing risks of accidents which may cause due to electrical or construction defects in the building
  • Getting freedom from dampness and gifting your family a microbe-free environment
  • Increasing the life of your beloved home
  • A pre-handover inspection while buying a property ensures your investment is worth it
  • Getting a realistic idea of the value of the property before selling
  • Finding salient and hidden defects of the home saves you from future repair and maintenance cost

And this is just a macro view. You really have to look at ‘home inspection’ as a service from different angles – a homeowner, a commercial property owner, a person buying a new house, a person intending to sell his old house, a person willing to renovate a heritage property, a builder/developer, an interior designer, a realtor and so on – to understand its scope and varied advantages. It is, in the true sense, a boon of a concept in the world of real estate.

You cannot keep on neglecting where you spend so much time and moreover where your name is attached. Having a home inspection might be inconvenient for that one day where you would have to be around when the inspector comes. It would surely save you a lot of potential losses and harassment in the future.

We often think that buying anything that looks shiny from outside or selling something that is defective is effective problem-solving. But this kind of approach is piecemeal and not holistic. We need to acknowledge the basic nature of our house and how much can it take in. A home inspection will be the means of getting that message across. You do not need to fret needlessly or be confused about the resources at hand.

Home Inspection Services is a Sunshine Industry which has a solution for Property Quality Issues.

Home Inspection Services in India: A Sunshine Industry Putting an End To Property Quality Issues

It is an exciting new phase in India’s real estate history. Home inspection as an industry has come and is growing, and how! Outside India, it is already an established industry. There are professional home inspection services in most of the major locations of the country. They ensure that you have a comprehensive health check-up for your home and still do not have to pay through your nose. After all, with the hard-earned money, no one wants to fall trap to the ‘penny-wise pound-foolish malady.’

Know about the major factors that are driving the growth of Home Inspection in India.

What are the major factors that are driving the growth of Home Inspection in India?

a. Changing homebuyer sentiment

Today’s home buyers are a much aware lot than before. They want to be doubly assured of the quality of the home/property they are putting their money in – whether it is a gadget or a property. Moreover, with the real estate prices escalating they want to protect what they already have in their hand. With this, awareness regarding healthy living is also increasing. People prefer to buy and live in a house that will nurture their health and not ruin it over the years. For that, they are not shying away from paying some extra money for a service that has long-term value.

b. Launch of the Real Estate Regulation & Development Act (RERA, India), 20161

This milestone Act provides for a five years free-of-cost guarantee from structural / workmanship defect or any other quality or provision of services or any other obligations of promoter as per the agreement for sale from the date of handing over possession. It shall be the duty of promoter to rectify such defects without further charge. In the event of promoter’s failure to rectify such defects within such time, the aggrieved allottees shall be entitled to receive appropriate compensation in the manner as provided under this Act.

The Government of India2 has been serious about implementing this Act3 to the best of interest of the consumers, that is, the homebuyers. It is applicable PAN – India.

c. Real Estate Developers have also come to realise the important of a construction phase / pre-delivery check-up / inspection of the properties they are building. Senior management cannot always monitor construction & quality. Third party Home / Property Inspection Services ensures reduced dependency on contractors / floor managers, workers, assures quality and adds value to their project and credibility. Leading developers of metro cities have now started using the services of home inspectors / third party property auditors for the residential projects they are developing. India largest online property advisory services company MagicBricks.com has tied up with leading home inspection companies of India and started offering Home / Property Inspection Services under their platform – https://www.magicbricks.com/propertyservices/property-inspection-services4

d. Incorporation of the Home Inspection Association of India

The founder members of the leading names in the home inspection industry such as MACJ – A Buyers Choice Home Inspections, E-Ghar, Checkmyprop, HomeInspektor, Meazurement, etc came forward to form this association5 with the objective to have a common platform of growth, development and regulation of this new industry in India. They are also in touch with various RERA / Government authorities to enable incorporating third party inspection services under the RERA.

Home Inspection with a gamut of employment opportunities is here to stay and flourish. You may be unsure about opting for this new service now. This is a common tendency of any market towards any new service or product. But trust us, it already is a multi-billion US Dollars established industry in the USA, it will only spell benefits for your property. Most of us are unaware of the qualities that our home is endowed with. With the help of a professional home inspection team, unleash these qualities, say goodbye to problems like seepage/leakage, damp, improper earthing, etc and enhance the health and safety of your home manifold.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.zricks.com/Updates/Why-you-need-Professional-Home-Inspection-Services-in-India/4014
2. https://realty.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/regulatory/govt-sets-up-central-advisory-council-for-effective-rera-implementation/62073929
3. http://mohua.gov.in/cms/rera.php
4. https://www.magicbricks.com/propertyservices/property-inspection-services
5. http://hiai.in/

Inspect before Renovate: How & Why

  • Essential things that need to be checked prior to Renovation work
    1. Leaky Pipes & Faulty Plumbing
    2. Signs of Moisture
    3. Presence of Cracks
    4. Broken or Damaged Tiles
    5. Waterproofing of the Terrace
    6. Pest / Termite Infestation
    7. Sealing all Gaps in Home
    8. Electrical & Safety Checkup
  • Why You Should Get a Home Inspection Before Renovation?

Many homeowners choose to renovate their home or office to give it a whole new look or simply to give more value to their property by enhancing its interior. To improve the home’s value, fix a safety issue, adding a room for fulfilling requirements are other few reasons to renovate home. Depending on an individual homeowner, the reasons may vary.

While a renovation1 may be the best solution for your household, this does not mean it is a task you should take on lightly. Renovating your home can provide your family with the space you need and the beautiful home you want, but it requires careful planning and organization. Before renovating your home or beginning any work which will alter the structure/element, there are some important things which you must consider.

Before deciding the time and budget to renovate your house, a thorough inspection of all the areas of your home is a must. It would be better to evaluate or understand the existing conditions before renovation. Without knowing it, making changes can create problem and will add an extra cost if any mistakes happen.

Here the essential elements you will need to inspect before you start the exciting part of renovating your home.

Essential things that need to be Checked or Inspected prior to Renovation work

1. Leaky Pipes & Faulty Plumbing

Leaky pipes not only cause damage to your home, but can prove expensive as well in the long run. Faulty plumbing includes loose fittings or improper installation which also will cause leakage problems. You will need to inspect leaky pipes and check plumbing issues before going through the process of renovating your home, otherwise you may have to stop renovation or redo them in order to access the pipes. This can lead to wastage of time & money.

2. Signs of Moisture

For a homeowner, moisture is one of the most common and annoying problems you can face. Moisture / Dampness in buildings is a major factor that contributes to mould growth, unhealthy buildings, and poor indoor air quality. It is one of the most important agents of building deterioration. It is crucial to check out signs of moisture early and also repair them before renovation. Dark patches, peeling off or other paint deterioration, damp and musty odour, visible water stains or discolouration are few signs of moisture for home.

3. Presence of Cracks

Presence of Crack on external or internal wall surfaces may be a sign that there is some problem. An occurrence of the building cracks is often a subject of concern as it can cause further problems like moisture intrusion and weakening the structural integrity of your home if left unnoticed.

4. Broken or Damaged Tiles

Over time, the tiles can become chipped, cracked, broken, or loose. This not only affects the aesthetics of the room but allows moisture to accumulate behind them that will affect the associated areas and add a repair cost.

5. Waterproofing of the Terrace

No matter where you live – in an apartment, a single or multi-storey home, water can cause extensive damage to your home, especially areas that are below the roof in case of damaged waterproofing.

6. Pest / Termite Infestation

If your area already has pests, such as rats, ants or termites etc, then conducting an inspection to find the source before your renovation would be a wise decision. This is because it will uncover any areas of your home that are damaged, prevent further infestation, and stop the spread of it. This is beneficial to check before renovation because you can replace or repair any areas of your home that is causing an infestation.

7. Sealing all Gaps in Home

It is important to check out and seal all unwanted gaps (window frame-wall joints, tile joints, kitchen / bathroom gratings, etc) in homes with proper sealant or grout depending on the requirement and condition. It is important to seal the gaps to avoid moisture intrusion which will result in further damage to the home/property.

8. Electrical & Safety Checkup

Another important point to consider when renovating the house is checking the electrical wirings: load balancing, wire gauge, uninsulated wires & other related parameter; switch boards; safety concerns due to improper location of electrical outlets etc. Ensuring electrical safety at home is significant before beginning renovation.

To inspect above-mentioned points, it is always better to opt for Home/Property inspection which will provide a report of the current condition of basic elements with related issues along with long term solutions. This will be quite helpful while planning renovation or remodeling work.

Many of us are not aware of the main reasons why Home inspection should be opted for, before renovation. Let’s learn about it:

Why You Should Get a Home Inspection Before Renovation?

A home inspection before the renovation is done to identify any issues before the restoration begins. Renovations are an exciting way to re-decorate your home, but it can also become very challenging which requires proper planning and expert’s advice. Here are some important reasons below:

  • Prevents you from Potential problems: Getting a professional home inspection done to look for potential issues and probably prevent it from happening during your renovation is vital. A Home inspection will reveal hidden hazards and issues like safety hazard, concealed leakage, etc. With help of an inspection report, you can prevent future problems and hassles. Without home inspection, you can end up losing time & money and property damage during the home renovation.
  • Better Plan for Renovation: When you know about the issues in your existing home, you can then fix and address those issues at the right time. And when you know to fix in the beginning, things get done better, faster, economically and easier. Thereby you can plan better and easily for renovation work.
  • Guide the Right way: Home inspection will tell you what needs to be corrected first in your home/property. This will ensure that your money is spent in the right place. After getting repair done, you can get your house renovated in the right way.
  • Improves the property value: If you are renovating to sell the house at a good amount, then a home inspection may give you a lot more information than just renovation-related. This will help maximize the value, as you will re-condition your house in a way that will please the potential buyers. A home inspection will improve value by giving buyers peace of mind that comes from knowing the fact that the home they are buying is a safe and healthy home.

Conclusion

A Home inspection Report allows you to get a thorough understanding of the current state of your property, how to proceed if there are faults discovered. Also, Home inspection professionals can guide you about what a renovation will need. It is important to assess the condition of your home with a professional home inspector to determine if there are significant underlying problems that must be addressed before or during your renovation work.

Reference links used:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renovation

Check your Home’s Health – A Checklist

It is often said that “home is not a place, it is a feeling.” Owning a house is the ultimate dream of most people as it gives a secure feeling to an individual.

Emotion often affects the home buyer and makes it hard to imagine any problems with their new home. Every year lacs of homebuyers in India take possession of their property without knowing actual issues or defects. But they focus more on locations, rates, facilities, size, etc. before purchasing a home or apartment.

If you have bought a new / used re-sale home or apartment, home inspection becomes very important. A Home inspection ensures everything in the house is functioning properly and identifies needed repairs. Inspection is a significant way to become aware of the areas of the house that can act as a hazard or create problems in the future and also suggest solutions for specific issues. The Home inspection is an essential part that ensures a healthy home for your family.

The homeowner gets benefited from a 360 degree home inspection in the long run. The areas in your home or apartment comprise of Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Living and dining, Kitchens, Balcony, etc. The 7 basic elements in all the areas comprise of a wall, ceiling, floor, door, window, plumbing, and electrical. The checklist of a home inspection is vast and detailed. Let us explain you element-wise checklist of home inspection for Indian home/property in brief for better understanding.

1. Walls

Walls are often ignored by homeowners. Wall is a continuous vertical member used to sometimes transmit load from beam to floor. It plays a significant role in a home. Having Wall Inspection done addresses you errors or issues before they become major problem.Essential points which are checked and generally observed on the wall:

  • Cracks on the wall: Fluctuation in moisture and temperature causes constant expansion and shrinkage of concrete.Various types of cracks in building mostly take place during or after construction.The cracks in building may be structural cracks1 or non-structural cracks depending on its nature. Read The causes of cracks in your house.
  • Defects depending on finish:  As there are different finishes at a different stage of construction. Defects can vary depending on the stage of inspection.  Different finishes can be plaster, putty and paint.
    • General defects on plastered surface are crazing, separation crack at joints, efflorescence and hollowness on plastered surface, Flaking & peeling off plaster, loose plaster, undulation etc.
    • General defects at putty finished wall are Surface damages,undulation,uneven, popping, peeling etc.
    • General defects at paint finished wall are uneven finish,undulation,popping, peeling, discolouration etc.
  • Dampness or Moisture on Wall: Flaking, popping, peeling, discolouration etc are visual signs of moisture. To get it rectified, it is important to detect the source of dampness and moisture through advanced technology. If not treated at the right time, this will lead to further deterioration.

Apart from this, waterproofing is checked in wet areas depending on the stage of inspection.

2. Ceiling

A ceiling is an overhead interior surface of a room or compartment. It can be made of RCC or masonry finish or can be a false ceiling. The Checklist varies depending on the type of material. Unevenness, undulation, crack, and other surface damages are commonly checked in most types. Similar to walls, visual signs of moisture or water stains are checked too in ceiling. Identifying the root cause of stain or other forms of moisture is the important step in dealing with it.

3. Flooring

When you enter your house, flooring is the first element you feel. Flooring adds to beauty of the room. There are various types of flooring materials – tiles, marble, mosaic, Neat cement flooring etc.  Considering very common flooring(tile) , our checklist includes: Checking Hollowness on tile, cracked/broken tile, gap at tile joints, skirting fitted or not, slope at wet areas, etc. These points have their separate significance to check. Like it is necessary to check any hollow tiles present in flooring or dado. If there is any,then it can crack or get damaged on regular use. This can lead to seepage or other moisture-related problems. Similarly, gap at tiles and the incorrect slope will lead to seepage and other deterioration. So, to avoid the major cost and have hassle-free homes & living, it is very essential to check floors properly.

4. Doors

Doors play a significant role in the security of your homes. A door is a gateway and keeping that gateway strong and secure is a key factor in maintaining good home safety & security. Cracks at the frame, the gap between frame and wall, presence of borer or termite, firmness & stability, operation & functioning, alignment, other visual checks etc. are the main pointers in the checklist.  The door is properly inspected for damaged, missing, and uneven fittings.

5. Windows

Windows are very important element for efficiency, security and appeal of your home. Apart from this, Windows provide our homes with light, warmth, and ventilation. Windows connect your home to the outer world. It is very essential to inspect your windows before you move in. Main pointers in the checklist: gap around windows frame, window installation, operation & function issue, window sill height, drip mould at chajja, etc. If there is a gap around window frame (may be due to sealant deterioration or sealant not provided), air seeping in and out of these gaps affects the energy efficiency of your home and also allows the moisture to enter inside the house which can cause severe damage to the property in future. Similarly, Chajja without drip mould may seem like a minor thing but it can let rainwater to enter home and can cause seepage problems and create hassles.

6. Electrical and Fixtures

A proper electric system functioning is an important factor for healthy and safe homes. An electrical inspection implies to detailed inspection of the electrical connections, wiring and basic electrical fixtures installed in your home. Electrical Safety is our first priority during inspection. Key parameters (checklist of our inspection) include:

  • A thorough inspection of the electrical wiring system which includes detailed wiring connection & Wire Gauge.
  • Inspection of each and every switch / socket boards – Operation and wiring.
  • Position of installation of the electrical fan, light points, switch & socket boards.
  • Ensuring a home free of electrical shock & electrical accident, and better service life of electrical equipment along with electrical safety
  • Checking the functionality of RCCB2/MCB3, inadequate wire provision, improper earthling, loose connection, etc.

Apart from this need-based DB / MCB charting (Value-added service that comes with every inspection giving you the exact location of the load distribution from each MCB).

7. Plumbing and fixtures

A plumbing inspection is an important part of the entire inspection process. A professional inspection can save home buyers from future inconvenience and expenses. Taking care of your home’s plumbing system is essential to keeping the clean water flowing in and flushing your home’s waste out. Few pointers of the checklist are – Checking leaky faucets & pipes, blockage in the drain, water pressure, plumbing trap condition, the gap around drain outlet, water draining properly through outlet etc.

Nobody wants to enter a home to encounter leakage, seepage, damps, and other problems regarding moisture.  You can also Check out 7 Plumbing Mistakes in Your New Home.

Apart from the above brief checklist of basic elements, identifying unsafe areas of a home is also important. We can also inspect exterior common areas like lobby area, roof etc. and fire safety depending on the requirement.

Conclusion

With the help of this content, our motive was to create awareness about the brief checklist of the home inspection process. Home inspection can show the true picture of your home/property. It minimizes the risk of your investment by showing you all the shortcomings, so that you get it repaired before it converts into a big problem. Hence, get your home/property inspected to have a safe and healthy home.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.paintdoctor.co.za/structural-cracks/
2. https://cselectric.co.in/blog/residual-current-circuit-breaker-rccb/
3. https://www.electrical4u.com/miniature-circuit-breaker-or-mcb/

Ensuring Safe Home inspections

The Coronavirus pandemicis still going on. Millions of people globally have been caught in the grip of this virus and many have lost their lives. Now everyone is scared about themselves and their family’s safety. No one wants outsiders to enter in their homes.

Pandemics, call for preparedness and not panic.

Considering the safety of our clients and team, we follow certain protocols which will remove doubt regarding well being & hygiene of your family. Considering the worry of our customers to get their home inspected in this pandemic, here is how we work keeping in mind the safety & hygiene for our customers as our priority:

1. Safe travel to the site

We give importance to commuting to the inspection site. In this pandemic, we strictly restrict the use of mass public transport by our team.They use bike or company driven car.

2. Wearing Safety equipment

Our inspection team wears need based safety equipment – Face mask, face shield, hand gloves, shoe covers, etc. We wear disposable, fresh & sanitized set of safety equipment at the site before beginning the inspection.

3. Accessing Common areas of the site

Our team follows safety measures while accessing common areas of a building (lift, staircase etc) by avoiding support of a handrail during usage of stairs. And safely operating lift by one person of the team that too with help of tissue paper which is disposed after usage.

4. Use of Hand sanitizer

Hand sanitizers are generously used by our team during the home inspection process, also before wearing and removing safety equipment. They will always follow hand hygiene to avoid the spread of virus and germs.

5. Using inspection tools safely

All home inspection tools used only with gloves donned. Besides, they are being cleaned regularly.

6. Monitoring health of our team

None of our inspectors or other team will work when they have a fever, cough or shortness of breath. We ensure monitoring of their temperature and health for the safety and well being of our customers and team.

7. Following Social Distance Norm

Our team follows social distancing norms – interacting with a customer at a safe distance. If the home’s occupants are in the home, the occupants are advised to stay in a centralized / separate location during the inspection and not follow the inspector around. Under no circumstance should the occupants be within 6 feet of the inspector. We encourage work from home and direct to site culture for increased safety.

8. Safer report exchange and payment option

Being a company that uses technology, the inspection report is exchanged digitally (via email) and our payment process is online mode also depending on the requirement of our customer. This option is for the customers who are sceptical about the point of contact during current time as physical reports or currency notes can spread infection.

Apart from the above, all inspectors are available by phone or video call after the inspection for follow up discussions / queries on our inspection report. Our team maintains cleanliness and hygiene during the entire inspection process. By working together, we can continue providing outstanding home inspections while better protecting our clients, team, home’s occupants and others.

MACJ – A Buyer’s Choice Home Inspections, a pioneering Professional Home Inspection Services in India is trying to set high standards for the Indian home / property inspection industry – on how to respond to the current situation. We would also like to tell you that the mentioned safety protocols are being followed for all types of our inspection services at this current time. The health and safety of our customers and team are our first priority. Besides, we always try to ensure proper health and safety of your family and home/property by detecting issues and providing solution for specific issues. A Home inspection is significant and essential to ensure a healthy & safe home.

What Makes Home Inspection An Essential Part Of Living?

Home is not just brick and mortar. It is where our soul finds peace. It is the place which makes us happy, secured and comfortable in a world of billion people. But as we grow and change the bits and pieces of our life we often tend to ignore things that ensure the longevity of this abode of peace. We are either busy mending its exterior or beautifying its interior. We simply do not look deeper. Majority of the people in India are not familiar with the idea of the home inspection. Ask your neighbour Malhotra Ji, he will tell you about everything from buying a property to getting the best electrician in the area. But ‘home inspection?’ – Well, you can almost visualize the clueless expression on his face.

Inspection of the home is a service area that needs to be explored in our country for better living, prosperity and growth. Even if people are aware of the theoretical part of the home inspection they have hardly travelled the road in reality. This article will help you to gain insight into home inspection and push you towards a path you will never regret.

What is a home inspection?

Professional home inspection is a process through which condition of your home or property is examined thoroughly by certified home inspectors. All accessible areas of your home, for example, wall, ceiling, floor, doors, windows, plumbing & electrical systems and alike are examined to identify the existing or possible issues /damages and give long term solutions.

In simple terms, home inspection means the Health and safety Check Up of your Home or Property. To understand its area, elements, coverage, 3D of issues; read So What exactly is Home Inspection?

What is the significance of home inspection?

Most common problems in Indian homes are damp, leakages, excess amount of moisture as also electrical accidents, fire and safety hazards. Damp is a major cause of worry, as the reason being that India has a humid climate which affects a property be it old or new. Besides, faults or issues in the building also tend to become problematic with years. Hence, it is essential to have the right kind of technology that keeps you ahead in your home game. Here is why a home inspection is a boon in your life.

Saves your property and family

Inspection is a great way to become aware of the areas of the house that can act as a hazard or create problems in the future and also suggest solution for it. Let us give you examples – There is a negligible crack in the wall near your window. You notice it, ignore it for some time or plan to postpone it till the next painting session. What follows next? – A damp patch, an obvious sign of seepage, and swelling of the wall paint. Worse happens when dots of fungi start appearing on the damp patch.

Now let’s talk health.

Don’t we really know that germs flourish in damp conditions? Dampness on the wall not only spoil the look of your home but impacts the health of your family too. But we are happy to take anti-allergic pills and use inhalers regularly thinking there is no choice. Why not take a definitive step now and get to the root of the problem with the help of home inspection.

Find salient and hidden defects of the home

No home is perfect. Your home can also be the safe haven of one or many hidden defects. As you already know that every house has seven basic elements (walls, ceiling, floor, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical). These elements can conceal issues which can create serious threat in the proper functioning and safety of your home. So protect your home from masked hazards.

Save you from future repair and maintenance costs

With the help of home inspection,you will get aware of issues and solution. Getting issues rectified on time can save you from further associated problems.

Issues pointed out by the home inspector should be considered because something as small as a leaking pipe could turn into a bigger problem later.It is better to fix a problem when it is small than to wait and let it become a bigger problem.Repair and maintenance costs go up all the time. Also add to that the cost of material also keeps increasing all the time. Last but not the least, the amount of inconvenience caused by a repair work is also a factor.

Hence, in long run it will save future repair & maintenance cost as well as give you a peace of mind.

Makes life better

When our house is falling apart or when we don’t feel comfortable in it, the standard and the spirit of living a good life evaporates. Our surrounding acts as a promoter of a healthy mind. A home inspection is one such initiative that opens doors of possibilities and allows us to fix the errors and have a better home along with life.

Keeps accidents at bay

Accidents are unpredictable events. But what about getting the opportunity of identifying areas that can cause an accident? Wouldn’t you like to take serious actions and extinguish the possibility of an accident? If it’s yes then home inspection is what you need right now.

Basically, Home inspection detects the unsafe areas of home. Safety is one of the key aspects that a home inspector focuses on during an inspection. It is the need of the hour to have a safer home.

So, only a homeowner needs a home inspection, right?

Wrong. You need a home inspection if you are a home or property buyer, home seller, interior designer, real estate developer or real estate consultant or are in any relatable profession. A home inspection can be beneficial for you in a number of ways. Even your office / shop / school / showroom, etc needs a thorough property inspection.

What is the process of a home inspection?

A home inspection is not only about home inspectors arriving at your door checking the house and walking out. It is a procedure that is followed step by step by trained professionals. Let us understand it very briefly.

It can be best explained in 4 phrases:

  • Areas: All the areas of your home e.g., bedroom, bathroom, living area, dining area, kitchen, balcony, loft, terrace, servant quarter, etc are inspected.
  • Elements: All the 7 elements (wall, ceiling, floor, door, window, plumbing, electrical) of each area as all any additional element is checked.
  • What is Inspected? The condition of the house and other important details is looked into. These include types of materials used, finishing& installation, operation & functionality.Last but not the least, safety aspects are also reviewed.
  • 3D of Issues: The process of inspection results in:
    • Detection of the issues / problems
    • Describing the issues.
    • Directing the solution to each issue / problem.

The working procedure of the inspectors may vary from the company to company and their policies but the central idea of creating a safe and secured shelter remains the same.

Watch the video to get a clearer idea:

Now, that you know about home inspection and its numerous benefits, it will be easier for you to formulate better decisions when it comes to your space. Always remember time, choices and decision matters. So watch your steps and support constructive and comprehensive approaches that will help you to keep your home healthy and safe.

Why Home Inspection Cannot be Guaranteed?

Your kid falls sick (stomach-ache and fever). You take her to the doctor. The doctor prescribes medicines and assures her speedy recovery and staying fit in the forthcoming days only if certain do’s and don’ts are followed to the tee. You come back home hoping that your kid will be fine and she does recover in an expected manner. But some days later, she again falls sick and you discover it was all because of her unhygienic practice of eating lunch without washing her hands, particularly in school. So, the point is, do you get angry at your doctor that she couldn’t guarantee a disease-free, painless future for your child? No. Right? The same thing applies to a service as evidence-based as home inspection.

The team of professionals visiting your home will check each & every corner of it. Based on the current condition of the property and their understanding of the subject will provide you with a detailed report. It may be so they find your home having little or no issues at all. The report may not indicate at any immediate danger also. But will that guarantee a problem-free future for your home? The answer is ‘No’. You may still have problems arising in your home in coming future. That will not make the inspection you had recently any less effective or a failed one.

Following are the reasons why a property inspection is not guaranteed:

1. Natural calamities

Who on earth can predict an earthquake? Scientists all around the world are putting their best efforts into developing a system that can forecast an earthquake, but they are yet to build one. Imagine such a destructive phenomenon hitting your city soon after you have done an inspection of your home. You will be lucky if your home manages to stand upright, unaffected from the tremor but can you really guarantee for its zero damage? Cracks on the wall near the foundation are common in buildings where Richter scale readings are higher during an earthquake. And these can never be predicted in a home inspection.

Leave earthquake, even a ravaging storm can lash your town causing damages of small to big magnitude. Your glass windows can break; a big tree standing right next to your house can get uprooted and crash on your boundary wall causing it to come down; your balcony shade can blow away, and so on and so forth. Worse? After a heavy shower, the exterior paint1 of your house can become dull!

You cannot expect your home inspection report to predict all these things ever. The precaution it can suggest you is to repair an old part of the building or to replace a weak part with a strong one. You follow them and leave the rest of it to Nature God.

2. A Sudden renovation

Human taste gets upgraded with time. Trends tend to influence it in a big way. And what is a better place than one’s own home to manifest it! Yes, you got it right. We are talking about home renovation which is totally need-based (or home remodelling preference-based). In both the cases, you bring about major changes in your home and while doing so you may go wrong with some parts or processes. For example, you decide to replace the old tiles of your home with new, trendy ones. As your tile installer pulls the old tiles out, the waterproofing layer gets damaged accidentally.

Or, say, you gift yourself a new home theatre system for which you need to do an elaborate wall-mounting job. If something goes wrong during installation the concealed electrical wiring system of your house can get damaged. The same thing can happen during the installation of new bathroom fittings; there, you even run the risk of damaging your water pipeline. Result? – Seepage in the wall.

3. Repair work in the upper floor or adjacent flat

You get your flat inspected. And it passes the inspection with flying colours. The technicians do not indicate at any major problem looming large on your property. You are happy that your dream abode is healthy and then, all of a sudden, you start hearing a heavy sound with that intermittent shrill noise of drilling machine. To your utter surprise, you come to know that your upper floor neighbour has undertaken a renovation job! What do you? Nothing! – Because it is their flat and you really do not have any say in how they plan its repairs. But does that repair work affects your unit? Yes, it may. Any elaborate flooring repair can give rise to seepage like problems (that never existed before) in the ceiling of the lower floor.

The chance of such problematic, unexpected guests invading your home increases if the repair jobs are carried out in your adjacent flat. An unskillful drilling or plumbing repair there can make your home susceptible to cracks and seepage also. No home inspection service can warn you about such problems from before. The best way to avoid damage in these cases is going to your neighbour and requesting them to be careful about their repairing process.

4. Real-time basis and Lack of maintenance

Inspection is essentially a real-time procedure. A property is inspected at a given time under a given weather condition. This can vary after a certain time as the weather changes. Accordingly, observations made may also get changed.

One more important factor is maintenance. If you do not maintain your home properly or do not do the repair jobs as suggested by your inspection report it will not last long. Thereafter, problems will arise with every passing day, wrong usage, varying time and changing weather conditions.

5. Security breach

A professional home inspection checks for basic security issues in a home but to what level your property needs security depends on the premises and the locality where you live. For some houses, having a strong main door with an eyehole and proper locking system may be enough. For other properties, even having a CCTV at the main entrance may not be adequate. There might be a need for multiple CCTVs in every floor and sensors attached to the doors.

Times are changing. So, you better take top-level measures for your home because an inspection can never guarantee you zero breach of security.

Home inspection is a non-invasive and visual process. The professionals report what they see and what they understand from the current condition of the areas and elements. Moreover, the scope of the study is so big and they have to take so many factors – internal as well as external, into account and as well as it is real time based. Hence it is not possible to guarantee the soundness of everything over a long term. So, does that make inspection any less necessary? Well, yes, if you think seeing a doctor for the same disease within a short interval is illogical! Look at the bigger picture and you know why inspection is the best thing you can do for your home. For more information, write to info@macj.in.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.bergerpaints.com/products/exterior-wall-coatings/15/exterior-emulsions

Learn why to have Home Inspection before Interior Designing?

“So, you bought a new house? Congratulations! Now you will go for a chic interior designing.” – Sounds familiar? But, “Hey, you got a new house for yourself? Go hire a home inspection. Interior designing can wait” – admit it, you have never come across such a suggestion, and this is exactly where we need to change our mindset. A newly-built home, an old home lived or left vacant for years – nothing guarantees a property’s sound health. And if it is not in its pink of health you cannot make it look good externally. This is true for the house you have been living in for years, as well. If you want to give your beloved nest a makeover, you must get it checked by a home doctor first. Once the doctor (home inspector) says your home is perfect, health-wise, go ahead and deck it up! Only a healthy body can flaunt the best of styles, right?

Here are 6 reasons to opt for home inspection before interior designing making it more worthwhile:

1. No damp, no damage, no blame

Implementing home inspection at your home will easily identify areas where you have high dampness. It could be your roof or wall or places you least expected. With the appropriate measures suggested by professional home inspectors, damp removal will follow. Now when your chosen interior designers set forth for making your house more aesthetically appealing, they will find everything in its place.

Very commonly the blame of a broken tile, a chunk of plaster missing from the wall, and discoloration, etc are conferred upon the interior designers and the team working on it. This is not only unfair but also illogical. In fact, it is the interior designing team that faces the music after taking up the job. No solution to fix damp problems1 seem to work. No wallpaper or installation gets fixed on the wall in a secured manner. There is always a risk of shelves and cabinets falling off the wall due to its damaged texture. Simple Plaster of Paris and multiple coats of paint are wasted just to make a damp wall look proper. What is your situation then? You are like a fish out of water clueless about the end result and cost!

Inspecting your house will settle a specific quality baseline. So, once the designing work starts, no scope of blaming due to damage can arise.

2. No delay in deadline

Of course there is a strict deadline for any work and neither home inspection nor interior designing is any exception. Once interior designers are at work and one or another problem with your building arises, their work will be delayed. If the home inspection team identifies the problem areas beforehand, you can repair them on a priority basis also.

Always keep in mind that if your home has not been inspected earlier and the designers find a damp spot here, an electrical defect there, those things need to be repaired first and that will actually postpone the expected date of completion of the project. As a customer, you also have to cough up extra money. Moreover, it will be quite inconvenient for you as well living in a temporarily messed-up house. A home inspection before interior designing is thus helpful in sticking to the deadlines.

3. No baffling budget

Well, let’s face it. The interior designers are supposed to perform only what they have been assigned. Now, if you present them with a faulty home in desperate need of inspection and they have to repair more than designing, things will not remain the same. The budget will increase, quite obviously.

Had you asked for a home inspection prior to stepping into interior designing, you would have known what your home has in store for you. Don’t get surprised if the interior designers ask for more on finishing their work than what they had asked for at the start of the agreement. In short, you need to allow the designing team to stick to their core competency. Or else, bear the extra costs.

Going for interior designing post a successful home inspection is a wiser choice if you do not want a hole in your pocket or get your mind baffled by the final bill amount the designers present you with.

4. Waive off wastage and rework

When you put home inspection to work, you can identify seepage or dampness issues quite early. In this context, let us just remind you of a small thing. It doesn’t matter whether your home is brand new or quite old. Dampness and other issues like leakage in the open or concealed piping system, overhead tank, moisture intrusion from window frames can occur at any time. If you skip an inspection, the nuisances will come up later when you have already finished designing the interiors of your home. It will spoil the furniture, expensive fixtures in your bathroom, heavy wooden work on doors and partitions, appliances set up you have so long craved for – everything. Result? Rework. The interior designers have to start from scratch again and redo what they had already done earlier. Wastage will also follow.

You can avoid all these things with home inspection prior to interior designing. Even if the designers recreate the same style for your home after putting down their previous work, there will be some issues with quality. Do not take risks with the design deliverables. Instead, call for a home inspection service today.

5. No damages during interior designing

An interior designing team is unlikely to know from where the concealed plumbing line or electricity line of your home is passing. So, they can install a design material or cladding at a place unknowingly damaging a part of it. Later on, you will have to face the consequences. A home inspection prior to interior designing can advise you on where not to install a decorative item or fixture. For example, on a wall adjacent to a wet area like the bathroom, it is meaningless to mount wallpaper. Sooner than later, it will start coming off due to seepage and dampness in the wall. An interior decorator would not be able to foresee this problem. It is only after a home inspection team points it out that you can tell your interior designer, “See, this is what my home inspection report card says. Let’s not plan any elaborate makeover for this part of the house.” This way, you can avoid further damage to that space and save money on something that will not last long.

6. Advantages for the interior designers

It is always easy to put the blame on others, isn’t it? If you are a part of the interior designing team you will more frequently come across accusations that your team has not given their best. Some months or days after you completed a project, you will receive complaints saying that the designs on the wall are coming off, the appliance set up has not been perfect, and so on and so forth. An unsatisfied customer actually leads to a loss of reference. They are not likely to recommend your service to others. It’s your business which will face problems though there might not be any fault of yours.

Insist your customer for a thorough home inspection before you start your work of designing in the house. This way you can avoid brand dilution as the faults will be identified well beforehand.

To know how a home inspection can help you in your interior designing project, click here.

Both home inspection and interior designing go hand in hand as they share the common objective of ensuring the following:

  • The functionality of your home and its components
  • Health and inherent beauty of the home
  • Safety and security of the inmates
  • Longevity of the property

So, go ahead and do up your dream home by professional interior designers BUT only after a thorough home inspection has been done. Do not let your home face even the slightest of nuisances. Also, update yourself and be aware of how to take care of your home and bid farewell to damp and other damages permanently. Here is a fact sheet that gives you all the trivia on home inspection – read more to make the best decision before investing in interior designing.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.houzz.in/magazine/how-to-prevent-and-treat-dampness-in-your-home-stsetivw-vs~114996043

How Home Inspection Can Improve Your Property Value?

Who doesn’t dream to own a home? In India, around 69% households in urban areas are found to be living in owned houses. In rural areas, this percentage is 95%. On an average, around 86% of households live in owned houses. A humble, two-storied house, a large bungalow, or a 2BHK flat in a housing society – they may vary in shapes and sizes. But, owning a home is largely common in Indian society.

In a lifetime, no purchase is as important and as big as buying a home. Buyers are exceptionally cautious about spending their hard-earned money as a huge amount of financial transaction is involved here. It is not enough if the house is only beautiful. A property with the facility of “ready-to-move-in” is mostly preferred. Options that involve less investment of money, time and effort top the list of preferences. Buyers need assurance that the house of their choice is in good shape. They do not want their investment to go into something that would need a repair here, a brush-up there every alternate day. If as a seller or developer you can give such an assurance then, automatically your credibility increases and you can quote a higher price for your property. A home inspection is just what you would need.

Before we explain to you the positive effect of home inspection on property value, here is what the service is all about – What is Home Inspection? Learn the Basics of It..

Benefits of a pre-sale home inspection

For a Homeowner/ Seller

1. Identify the repair needs before selling. Result – A more alluring property
It is very much true in real estate that the first impression makes the last impression. To make sure that your house is at the top of the priority list of your buyers, you have to make it “the best” in the market. A beautiful house is definitely enough to attract attention. But, it needs to be in perfect condition as well. How can you ensure that without inspecting it in the first place?

Getting a third party perspective, in this case, proves to be even more helpful because, after all, it was your home; you are unlikely to see any real defect in it. Professional home inspectors can identify the underlying problems with your home and also make out its potential in an unbiased manner. Additionally, attending the problems would add to the aesthetics which further enhances its appeal to the buyers.

A home inspection is likely to find out some common issues you might be experiencing the outcome of. Plumbing and fixture problems, electricity issues, problems of walls, floor, and roof, damage due to moisture intrusion, leakage in the roof, etc are common outcomes you get to know about after a successful home inspection. You would think – “but these are costly to repair!” You are right. But then, why would anyone want to buy a property with so many issues at a high cost? Automatically, the perceived value of your property gets lowered.

A home inspection gives you the scope to attend the problems and mend them in a time before you put your house up for sale.

With the tendency of buyers to incline more and more towards choosing “ready to move-in” properties, it is less likely they will care even a tad bit about repairing before moving in. So, if you leave the issues unattended, the number of potential buyers will automatically become less. Once you repair them, the aesthetics and ‘liveability’ quotient of your house increase manifold and you get more buyers.

Now as a seller, you may not have the required amount of time to attend all the issues the home inspection points out. No worries. Try fixing as many issues as you can. Fix the electrical problems, mend the leaky pipes, treat the roof, ceilings and walls for dampness, and replace the locks of doors and windows. These will improve your property condition a lot and deliver a feeling to the buyer that you do care about your house. Quick and easy selling with high selling price guaranteed.

2. Lesser chances of price negotiations. Quicker and smoother selling process
You will be amazed at the issues home inspection will point out to you, many of them you were completely in the dark about. You can attend them once you get the report within a few days.

If you leave it upon the buyers to call for home inspection, be prepared for 3 consequences, any of which would follow. The buyer might fix the issues, negotiations for lower selling price will come up or no deal will take place.

Pre-sales home inspection will eliminate any surprise elements for the buyers. You, the seller, know them beforehand. You can either fix them at your cost or disclose them to prospective buyers and reduce the selling price. But don’t make the mistake of hiding them, as truth will be revealed eventually.

Early disclosure of the problems would eliminate buyers’ suspicion. Price concession negotiations will not come up either. Altogether, you will have more selling power to you and the entire process will become faster.

3. Pre-listing home inspection helps generate more number of genuine leads
To list your house on property listing websites and marketplaces1, you need to log in as an ‘owner’, ‘agent’, or ‘builder’. After that, you have to fill up the online form there with complete details of the property and post its pictures. Upon verification, your listing is made visible to your prospective buyers.

Only a good property listing – complete with all the information and pictures showing various parts of the house helps you draw more eyeballs. So, to make your property picture-perfect, you must get a thorough home inspection done and clean and repair everything that looks shabby and damaged in it.

In a nutshell, if you are a seller, try to consider everything from a home buyer’s perspective. See with a buyer’s eyes and you will know the true value of your property.

To give you a clearer idea, here are our 5 reasons to get a home inspection before listing your property for sale.

For a Developer

1. Improved trustworthiness & better business
How often have you heard marketers saying “Don’t sell a product, sell trust?” In today’s scenario, this is the ultimate truth, especially in real estate. A developer or realtor who promises a home inspection before handover and gets that heard through proper channels and promotion earns additional points. His credibility increases manifold and he can set a higher price for the property he is intending to sell.

Buyers too feel safer to enter into deals with real estate brands that promise them better service and take care of their interest. Business growth and stronger customer relationships are a natural outcome.

Click here to know more for further details.

2. Home inspection and property value: How is a buyer benefitted?
Today’s home buyers are much aware and cautious about what they are buying. They bank on information and genuine reviews before making an investment decision. So, when a seller or developer gives them the assurance of a pre-sale home inspection, they feel safe about that deal. Because, home inspection for a buyer comes with a bunch of advantages:

  • It gives buyers a protection against the unknown hazards
  • A timely inspection and rectification of issues save their money and valuable time
  • Safeguards them with RERA2
  • Gives them health and safety assurance against moisture, damp, and electrical issues
  • Allows them to forecast future repair/ replacement costs
  • Educates them about prolonging the life of their property

Above everything else, a home inspection gives buyers peace of mind that comes from knowing the fact that the home they are buying has a solid foundation. It is not just a construction that looks good from outside. Its health has been checked and ‘Okayed’ by a team of experts. This very thought helps to increase the perceived value of the property in the buyer’s mind and the deal reaches its completion smoothly.

Hence, the property value is definitely increased by home inspection. If you are planning a buy a new home or planning to put your home up for sale, do make sure you opt for the service or else you will get to face unwanted issues, a complete ‘un’-match for your dream abode. Call for it now and schedule a home inspection.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.makaan.com/rent-sell-property-online
2. https://www.bankbazaar.com/home-loan/rera-act.html

Office Inspection: For a Safer Workplace and Happier Team

Almost on every weekend you spend time fixing something or the other in your home, right? You make it safer, more secure, eliminate any chance of damp – in simpler words, you strive to make your home more ‘liveable.’ But have you ever wondered the same issues may also be present in commercial spaces as well? If work is worship for you, your office must be your temple. Unfortunately, we do not pay the same attention to the health of the building where we spend almost 9 hours daily, working, and completely skip office inspection – well, almost, in most cases! It is high time we became aware of the attention commercial properties need. It will cumulatively make our life in and outside our home much safer and beautiful.

Quite similar to home inspection, office inspection also covers a wide range of services. To get an idea of what all comes under the umbrella of this so-called ‘inspection,’ read this article on Diversity of Home Inspection.

Major services under office inspection

Maintaining health and safety at the workplace is of utmost importance. Hazards can take place due to plumbing issues, electrical issues, and leakage or damp problems. All of them need individual attention when it comes to inspection. In fact, none of these issues can be left for them to arise in the future. The concerned authority must be proactive about checking every facility at regular intervals so that the chances of faults and failures can be reduced and any downtime due to them can be avoided.

Following are the major service categories that ensure complete safety of an office building:

1. All-over inspection

Professional property inspectors conduct a non-invasive, visual examination of all the accessible areas of an office complex using modern technology and specialized tools and look for issues that require immediate but long term resolution. They even help to identify areas that may become problematic in the long run. After inspection, they generate software-driven reports (with relevant images) mentioning issues observed and deemed critical. Some of the major areas that come under the scanner include:

  • Exterior walls
    • Are there any cracks, efflorescence, or plants growing on the walls?
    • If the paint condition is good or not.
  • Basement/ driveways: Water stagnation, peripheral drainage blockage, etc.
  • Floor
    • Slope
    • Tiles – hollow tiles, joints grouting, dampness, slip resistance, etc.
  • Stairways: Condition of the handrails, height of the risers, slip resistance of the steps, lighting, etc.
  • Ladders, ramps, and guardrails
  • Roof: Covered or not, slope, drainage system, stagnant water, cracks, seepage problem, etc.
  • Plumbing system: The overall condition of the external as well as concealed piping system, leakage or blockage in the pipes, piping material, etc. Also Leakage or loose fittings in any component of the washrooms, tank, blockage in the basins, the functionality of the showers, etc.
  • Overall sanitation of the washrooms and pantry
  • Doors and windows
    • Locks and latches – Crucial for ensuring security
    • Sliding/ swinging door operability
    • Door and window frames – if there are any gaps in between them – pathways to water seepage
    • Proper opening and closure
  • Interior walls
    • Cracks
    • Paint condition – popping paint or other paint deterioration
    • Dampness/ seepage
    • Wall tiles
    • Wallpaper condition
  • Ceiling: Watery patches due to excessive condensation or leakage, paint condition, etc.
  • Electrical system: Concealed wiring, switches, plugging points, lights, and machines and appliances, safety issues, etc. Checking all these things come under electrical inspection which is further explained below.
  • Fire handling equipment
  • Furniture, material storage, and other equipment

An exhaustive list – isn’t it? Inspecting all these for issues, small or big, is crucial for maintaining basic working conditions in an office. Faults in any of these systems may otherwise lead to unexpected downtime and loss in productivity.

2. Damp Assessment and Inspection

Damp can deteriorate a complete building – be it the private property or commercial space. This can be a result of faulty roofing, low-quality building materials, lack of proper ventilation or plumbing issues. Leaky pipes and fixtures are also responsible for dampness. With a proper damp assessment and inspection, you will save not only the office building but also the occupants. Damp assessment will list down the issues found in the building and inspection will reveal the sources – all with the help of advanced thermal imaging technology & tools that the inspection professionals carry with them.

Damp issues if ignored can severely affect the health of the workers as well as the building. How? Read Moisture / Damp / Seepage – The Invisible Silent Killer: Unsuspecting Criminal.

3. Electrical Inspection

Imagine a day at work when suddenly the lights went out and the computer monitors in front of the employees went blank. Reason? Short circuit, maybe. Of course, you can always call an electrician and mend the wires after it happens. But what about the loss of money and time and data when an electrical problem makes its way in?

Imagine electrical issues of a more serious nature. A short circuit can be as big as a fire break-out also and you know the consequences of it, right? To avoid any such untoward phenomenon that may also cause casualties, you must invest in a timely electrical inspection for it is a preventive maintenance function that reduces labour and material cost while reducing the amount of reactivity to failures.

To learn more about the differences between preventive and predictive maintenance, click here1.

4. Checking fire safety

As already mentioned, a thorough inspection of the office building will invariably cover the aspect of fire safety. An office building is a commercial hub where many individuals come and work for long hours on a daily basis. So, there can be numerous risks of fire – some due to wrong habits like smoking in an enclosed area other than the designated zone, using ovens with LPG cylinder for cooking inside the canteen, and others due to electrical hazards.

In India, the National Building Code (NBC) published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the basic model code for building construction and fire safety2. For ensuring compliance under this code, commercial buildings need to use equipment/ installations that are duly certified under the BIS Certification Marks Scheme. Plus, they must also meet other quality requirements. An office inspection checks the fire safety controls and points out issues that may turn out to be hazardous in the long run. Some key areas that are looked at for ensuring fire safety include:

  • Smoking zones
  • Fire exits
  • Kitchen equipment
  • Malfunctioning appliances
  • Electrical sockets
  • Flickering lights
  • Fire safety equipment

Why office inspection so important?

It would not be exaggerating to say that office inspection is the ultimate necessary thing for your office. The inspection would eliminate a number of issues which would add to your cost and human health on a recurrent basis:

  • Safety hazards arising from faulty wiring system, non-functional switches, and unsafe working practices will be managed.
  • Unhealthy conditions inside the office, growth of fungi, microbes, and pests lead to a myriad health problems. Be it plumbing issue or faults in the designing, damp assessment and a thorough inspection would eliminate any such possibilities from the commercial space.
  • Excessive condensation problems in the building which may arise due to issues in AC installation/ maintenance and its continuous use can be checked.
  • Hazards may occur due to uneven distribution of electricity as many equipment and appliances run simultaneously in an office. With office inspection in place, all possibilities of such hazards will be eliminated.
  • If inspection points out civil issues, it will help the office authority financially also. Repairing can be done before they become severely damaged and replacement becomes the last option.
  • Though not direct, but indirectly it affects employee satisfaction also. With a safe workplace and an office regularly inspected, employees develop a feeling that the management and authority are concerned about their overall well-being. And you can never deny that satisfied employees would mean improved productivity, achievement of objectives, and increased profitability; can you?

So, there you are. Starting from the exterior environment to work stations, all come under office inspection. When qualified inspectors give your office a visit, they will point you out where attention needs to be given more. A proper office inspection covers the parking lot, storage areas, wet areas (kitchen/ bathroom units), amenities, elevators – in a word, the entire workplace.

Office inspection informs the management about the risks of any level – mild, severe or moderate. You can control the threat and continue your work-life peacefully. As much as you care about the work, give attention to the office also because it is where you spend nine hours of your day, five to six days a week. Office inspection will provide you with multiple benefits. Be proactive and reach out to a trusted home inspection service provider.

Reference links used:
1. https://www.onupkeep.com/learning/maintenance-types/preventive-predictive
2. https://www.isrmag.com/fire-safety-regulations-in-india/