{"id":10077,"date":"2019-03-28T19:45:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-29T02:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=10077"},"modified":"2026-04-06T06:46:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T13:46:59","slug":"home-maintenance-inspection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/home-maintenance-inspection\/","title":{"rendered":"Selling the House Later? Opt for a Home Maintenance Inspection Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone who\u2019s been a homeowner for 5 minutes can attest that there\u2019s always something to fix around the house. That\u2019s why it\u2019s recommended to set aside 1%-4% of your home\u2019s value<\/a> (depending on how old it is) for maintenance every year.<\/p>\n

Maintenance budgeting will help you take a \u201cthese things happen\u201d attitude every time you write a check to a repair service. But natural wear and tear on a house can sneak up on you\u2014even if you\u2019re regularly responding to \u201cfires\u201d like a noticeable plumbing leak or appliance breakdown.<\/p>\n

\u201cA house doesn\u2019t have a \u2018check engine\u2019 light,\u201d says Frank Lesh<\/a>, executive director of the American Society of Home Inspectors. \u201cSo oftentimes, people just don\u2019t know what\u2019s wrong with their home\u201d\u2014a scary thought considering early detection is your best defense against costly surprises as a homeowner.<\/p>\n

There is, however, a reliable way to test your home\u2019s health, if you\u2019re willing to be proactive: They\u2019re called home maintenance inspections<\/b>, and you can think of them like routine doctor\u2019s appointments that help you catch the high cholesterol long before the risk of heart attack.<\/p>\n

Sound like a smart move? There\u2019s more where that came from\u2014let\u2019s dig in!<\/p>\n

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Source: (Pavel Gulea\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First, what is a home maintenance inspection?<\/h2>\n

\u201cHomes need periodic maintenance,\u201d says Brent Crum, a team leader at the award-winning home inspection company Pillar to Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially with older houses, systems become obsolete\u2014plumbing and electrical have come a long way in the past 20 years. Homes settle. Things break. Rodents can get inside and cause problems.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Similar to a home inspection<\/a> that a buyer orders before closing, home maintenance inspections are a thorough examination of every major system and component of your house performed by a licensed home inspector<\/a> with advanced technical knowledge in residential properties.<\/p>\n

Maintenance inspections can also be tailored to focus on any particular problems you\u2019ve noticed as a homeowner or would like the inspector to pay special attention to.<\/p>\n

For clarity\u2019s sake, it\u2019s helpful to define the three types of inspections you could encounter as a homeowner:<\/p>\n

Home maintenance inspection<\/b>:
\nInspections ordered by a current homeowner for their own home, with the intent of discovering any major problems or repairs they need to guarantee the safety and value of their home.<\/p>\n

Pre-listing home inspection:<\/b>
\nInspections ordered by a current homeowner for their own home, but with the intent of preparing their home to list for sale.<\/p>\n

Buyer\u2019s home inspection<\/b>:
\nInspections ordered by a potential home buyer with the intent of uncovering any defects or necessary repairs to the house and obtain an examination of the home\u2019s overall condition prior to purchase.<\/p>\n

During a home maintenance inspection<\/b>, a licensed inspector will spend two to three hours (depending on the size of your home) to perform a visual inspection of a property\u2019s main components, including:<\/p>\n