Inspections

PunkinButter

We are putting an offer in on a house. Would you buy a house without a mold and/or foundation inspection? How much do these typically cost? TIA!

Tweetysvoice

No and never. Both of these issues are so major that they can involve gutting the home (mold) or replacing foundation - both very expensive repairs. Our general inspector did both a mold and a foundation inspection with the regular inspection after putting down the offer and it cost us $325. Very much worth the money in the grand sceme of the whole cost of the home and for peace of mind!

car_ramrod

We did a normal house inspection (no mold) and then the inspector found a crack in the foundation so we had a structural engineer out to look at the house.  If there had not been a crack we would not have done a seperate inspection for the foundation.  The regular inspection was $375 and the structural was $325 (including the report).  The costs will vary by location though.

SuwaneeGirl

You should always get an independent, qualified third-party inspector to inspect the home you are putting under contract. In my area, a thorough inspection will run $300-$500. It will cover mold, but only note its presence, where it was found, etc. It will not tell you what type of mold it is. A good inspector will go through a rubric of issues and will give you a report card-type list of the various major parts of the home and what he/she found. It is highly unusual to come out of an inspection with nothing being marked as "get this checked out further by a specialist" or whatnot. Usually there is something found--so don't freak out.

If you are concerned about mold or any type of bug infestation, like termites, I'd have a separate, qualified inspector come out and give a report. In my area, termite letters are usually $75 to $100. I don't know about mold.

A foundation inspection can usually be done by a foundation repair company. This is typically only an issue when a basement or crawlspace is part of the property (if you are looking at a home built on a slab, and the property is level, there's probably not a need for a separate foundation inspection). It may be free, since the company could possibly get a sale out of it. Or, you can hire a structural engineer to make a report. It really depends on your area. In my area, there are very reputable foundation repair companies that I'd have no problem with giving me a report (vs. hiring an engineer).

MrsW101109

My husband is a professional contractor who does foundation work primarily and I would not buy a house without a hired pro to inspect the house.

Besides, I think some mortgage companies may require it.

car_ramrod

SuwaneeGirl:

You should always get an independent, qualified third-party inspector to inspect the home you are putting under contract. In my area, a thorough inspection will run $300-$500. It will cover mold, but only note its presence, where it was found, etc. It will not tell you what type of mold it is. A good inspector will go through a rubric of issues and will give you a report card-type list of the various major parts of the home and what he/she found. It is highly unusual to come out of an inspection with nothing being marked as "get this checked out further by a specialist" or whatnot. Usually there is something found--so don't freak out.

If you are concerned about mold or any type of bug infestation, like termites, I'd have a separate, qualified inspector come out and give a report. In my area, termite letters are usually $75 to $100. I don't know about mold.

A foundation inspection can usually be done by a foundation repair company. This is typically only an issue when a basement or crawlspace is part of the property (if you are looking at a home built on a slab, and the property is level, there's probably not a need for a separate foundation inspection). It may be free, since the company could possibly get a sale out of it. Or, you can hire a structural engineer to make a report. It really depends on your area. In my area, there are very reputable foundation repair companies that I'd have no problem with giving me a report (vs. hiring an engineer).

I would be careful about having a foundation repair company come out unless you know of a respected one in the area.  A lot of them will find all kinds of things "wrong" just to make a sale.  If you know one personally that is fine.  Otherwise I would hire a third party that doesn't gain anything from the inspection.