Knox Inspection Services, Inc.

Common  Home Buyer  Questions

How do I know if I need an Inspection of the home I'm about to buy?

We are waiting for the first good reason to not get a Home Inspection.  The most common reason we

have heard concerns the price.  “The Inspection costs too much”.  We consistently save the

Customer much more in potential repairs than the Inspection fee.  That is because most used homes

that are in generally good condition have minor problems that can add up to big money.  The Buyer

may remark “I would rather spend the money on fixing the house up than on an Inspection”.

The cost of one major component (furnace, air conditioner, hot water tank, oven, range, electric panel,

etc.) will show that reason to be wrong, (but then it’s too late).  The Inspection often reveals the

defects and problems that are obvious to an Inspector and "hidden" to a Home buyer.  Why does your

Mortgage lender, Appraiser, Realtor®, Insurance company, and FHA & VA recommend inspections?

Because they don’t want to be involved in a transaction with a problem.  Just take a moment to look at

the Realtor® Contract of Sale.  More than half of the printed form is devoted to Inspections.  Why?

Because good Inspections make good transactions.  It is just that simple.  Still undecided?

No.  The Realtor® Contract of Sale is an excellent document.  However, like any general form, it does

have limitations in a specific transaction.  The point is; write into the Inspection Agreement or give us

a written memorandum of your expectations in the home inspection.  Each of the various Inspections

we offer has different items that are included (or not included).  Some of the inspections are very

obvious in their coverage such as swimming pools, Radon Gas detection, Mold Spore testing, etc.

The Oklahoma Home Inspection and the Fixtures, Equipment and Systems Inspection (FES) are

general in their design and very different in their coverage.  Please read this Book and ask questions.

When do components of a home need to be replaced?

The roof surface statistically wears out at about the 15 year mark, making it no longer eligible for

Hazard insurance coverage or some Mortgage loans years before that age.  Average quality built-in

appliances begin to wear out at the 6 to 8 years, (with good care).  The gas furnace and hot water

tank will statistically last about 15 and 12 years respectively.  The air conditioner is rated to last 9 to

12 years.  If the home was built before 1978 it probably has some lead base paint.  If built near 1972 it

may have aluminum wiring for the 110 volt circuitry.  The age of the home as relates to visible cracks,

gaps and settlement is one indicator of past and sometimes future structural activity.  The age of the

home is too often a misleading indicator of the overall condition and predictable repairs.

What if my “dream home” has air ducts in the floor slab?

The ducts will require a Video Camera inspection to know if there is (or is not) a problem or damage.

Homes in which the yard area slopes toward the house or have generally flat sites usually have more

problems with water infiltration into basements, crawl spaces, or sub-slab air ducts.  We have heard

the buyer say, "the home I'm buying has a French Drain so the danger of water problems in the

basement, crawl space or sub-slab air ducts" is fixed”.  Many “French Drains” are installed by the

amateurs and are therefore seldom deep enough to function dependably.  Get documentation !

The house you are considering to purchase, is probably a very good home!  The Inspection will
confirm that fact or give you insight into what is necessary to make the house a place you can call
"your home".  We perform a very Basic Inspection all the way to the Maximum Inspection.

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