Get the home inspector in and out of your home quickly!
Accommodating a home inspector can be uncomfortable; They’re a stranger in your home, taking photos in your personal space, and they have a long list of things items to inspect. Whether you work from home or not, you don’t want to be displaced or disrupted any longer than necessary. You want to allow them to do their job effectively and be in and out of your home quickly.
Unfortunately, it’s not really possible to rush a professional inspector through their responsibilities. What you can do is prepare your home in advance and enable a fast home inspection by removing obstacles. A little foresight and providing easy access to your home’s important systems can shave up to one full hour off of a typical home inspection!
If you have a home inspection coming up and you want to make it go faster, here are 8 things you can do:
Remove vehicles from the garage. Park any vehicles on the street or driveway.
Provide unobstructed access in the utility room. This is where the heating equipment, water heater, electrical panel, main water shutoff are often located and the inspector will appreciate clear and easy access. Remove stored items like luggage, holiday decorations, vacuums and litter boxes from your utility room.
Provide easy access to your electrical panel(s). Remove furniture, hung paintings and storage from in front of your electrical panel. This makes the panel easier to locate, and also means the inspector won’t have to touch your artwork. If there is something big and heavy like a bookshelf or refrigerator blocking the panel, the inspector won’t be able to inspect the panel, which doesn’t help the buyer.
Clear areas below attic hatches. If your attic access is in your garage, remove vehicles, storage and personal belongings from the corresponding area. If the hatch is in a closet, empty some items and cover any clothes with a drop-cloth or sheet to protect them from dust and insulation particles that will inevitably fall from the hatch when it’s opened.
Clear out all kitchen and bathroom sink cabinets. Remove cleaning supplies & personal hygiene items from under all sinks is super helpful. Place these items in a box or hamper so plumbing components can be quickly and easily inspected.
Raise/open all blinds/window coverings. This will allow the inspector to open and close all windows while avoiding fidgeting with finicky blinds.
Empty your appliances so they can be tested! This includes emptying clothes from laundry machines, dishes from dishwashers, and any stored pots and pans from ovens. Not all inspectors test appliances but none will test them if they’re full of your belongings… and don’t worry, you don’t need to empty your refrigerator!
Provide quick access to all areas of the property. Make sure all rooms, gates, garages are unlocked so the inspector can get everywhere they need to.
Bonus points: Leave a note. If your home has peculiarities, ie. the hot water tank is in an unusual place, or the garage door lock requires a bit of a trick to unlock it, leave a brief note with an explanation. Your inspector will appreciate it!
Preparing your home for inspection in advance saves everyone time, allows the home inspector to work faster, and ensures the inspector doesn’t handle any of your belongings more than necessary.
