{"id":12184,"date":"2019-09-18T12:56:32","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T19:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=12184"},"modified":"2026-03-25T06:53:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:53:28","slug":"save-money-with-home-inspections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/save-money-with-home-inspections\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Skip That Home Inspection\u2014It Could Save You Money In The Long Run"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re buying a new home, you can expect lenders to require home appraisals, which assess the value of your home.<\/p>\n<p>A home inspection, on the other hand, is often optional. But getting one can save you big bucks in the future. A home inspection can also help confirm whether that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-to-do-when-you-find-dream-home\/\">dream home<\/a> is indeed the right fit for you and your family.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what you need to know about <a href=\"https:\/\/altohomeinspection.com\/what-is-a-quality-home-inspection\/\">home inspections<\/a>, and how they can save you money down the road:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12188\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12188\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic.jpg\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"A home that is inspected to save you money.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic-64x37.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic-128x73.jpg 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic-192x110.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic-432x247.jpg 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-attic-500x286.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12188\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Mike Petrucci\/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What\u2019s a home inspection?<\/h2>\n<p>In a nutshell, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeinspector.org\/for-consumers\/what-is-a-home-inspection\/\">a home inspection<\/a> will examine the physical structure and systems of a house,\u00a0 from the roof to its foundation, according to the American Society of Home Inspectors.<\/p>\n<p>The process can help zero in on the need for repairs or identify builder oversights, and help you understand what maintenance tasks will need to be completed in the near future.<\/p>\n<h3>What\u2019s covered and not covered in a home inspection?<\/h3>\n<p>Home inspections began in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, became standard practice for those looking for more assurances in the homebuying process.<\/p>\n<p>In all, <a href=\"https:\/\/homeinspectionprofessionals.com\/faqs\/\">a standard home inspector\u2019s report<\/a> will cover more than 1,600 points.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some of the general areas that are covered during a standard inspection:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Heating system<\/li>\n<li>Central air conditioning system<\/li>\n<li>Interior plumbing<\/li>\n<li>Electrical systems<\/li>\n<li>Roof<\/li>\n<li>Attic<\/li>\n<li>Visible insulation<\/li>\n<li>Walls<\/li>\n<li>Ceilings<\/li>\n<li>Floors<\/li>\n<li>Windows<\/li>\n<li>Doors<\/li>\n<li>Foundation<\/li>\n<li>Basement<\/li>\n<li>Structural components<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To get an even more comprehensive overview of what\u2019s included in a standard inspection, and what\u2019s not, you can check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeinspector.org\/files\/docs\/standards_updated3-4-2015.pdf\">American Society of Home Inspectors\u2019 standard practices<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a roof inspection includes examining the roof materials, drainage systems, flashings, skylights, and chimneys, but doesn\u2019t include an inspection of antennas or the interiors of chimneys that aren\u2019t readily accessible.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, the structural integrity of walls are included in an inspection, but an inspector is not tasked with examining how well the paint or wallpaper will hold up over time.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that a home inspection is intended to point out adverse conditions, not cosmetic shortcomings.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12186\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12186\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"A pest inspection in a home that will save you money.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1-64x37.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1-128x73.jpg 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1-192x110.jpg 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1-432x247.jpg 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-1-500x286.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12186\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Fevziie\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Consider specialty Inspections<\/h2>\n<p>Since a standard inspection doesn\u2019t cover everything, you can hire a specialty inspector to conduct:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Septic evaluations<\/li>\n<li>Sewer scopes<\/li>\n<li>Asbestos detection<\/li>\n<li>Air quality testing<\/li>\n<li>Inspection for termites or other pests that could destroy a home\u2019s structure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also, it\u2019s worth adding on inspections if you\u2019re looking to buy a home with a swimming pool or if there are additional structures on the property.<\/p>\n<h2>How can home inspections save you money?<\/h2>\n<p>The costs of buying a home, of course, go beyond the listing price (for example, here are some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/unexpected-closing-costs\/\">unexpected closing costs<\/a> to look out for).<\/p>\n<p>A home inspection can cost anywhere from $300 to $1,000, and they take about two to three hours, depending on the size and age of the home.<\/p>\n<p>But this is money well spent. A home inspection can identify potential money pits that could make your home a lot more expensive.<\/p>\n<p>For example, some big-ticket repairs could include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.angieslist.com\/articles\/how-much-does-roof-replacement-cost.htm\">needing a new roof<\/a> or a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.angieslist.com\/articles\/insider-s-price-guide-new-heating-and-cooling-system.htm\">new heating and cooling system<\/a>, projects that could both easily exceed $10,000.<\/p>\n<p>If a major repair is identified during the home inspection, a seller may agree to make the repairs.<\/p>\n<p><b>One final tip:<\/b> When you\u2019re looking to hire a home inspector, inquire about their credentials and look for accreditation with the National Institute for Building Inspectors, American Society of Home Inspectors, or the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.<\/p>\n<p>And make sure inspectors are bonded and insured and that they carry \u201cErrors and Omissions Insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Header Image Source: (mooremedia\/ Shutterstock)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A home inspection is often optional, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should skip it. Here\u2019s how you can avoid money pits with a quality home inspection.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":12189,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[428,646],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-inspections","category-making-offers"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Home Inspections Can Save You Money in the Long Run<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A home inspection is often optional, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should skip it. Here\u2019s how you can avoid money pits with a quality home inspection.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/save-money-with-home-inspections\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Don\u2019t Skip That Home Inspection\u2014It Could Save You Money In The Long Run\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A home inspection is often optional, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should skip it. Here\u2019s how you can avoid money pits with a quality home inspection.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/save-money-with-home-inspections\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-18T19:56:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-25T13:53:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/home-inspections-save-you-money-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Brittany Anas\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Brittany Anas\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How Home Inspections Can Save You Money in the Long Run","description":"A home inspection is often optional, but that doesn\u2019t mean you should skip it. 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