The VA home inspection is required when the Department of Veterans Affairs helps you finance a home with a VA loan. The VA wants to make sure you get into a home that is going to be safe for you and function the way a house should. This is a very important part of the VA loan process. The VA has created a VA home inspection checklist to inspect before it deems the house livable. Keep reading to find out what they check so you’ll be prepared the next time you’re ready to buy a house.
The VA Home Inspection Checklist
- Structural check: A home inspector will check the foundation, roof, walls, floors, and ceilings to make sure they are all sound. The inspector will check for measures taken to prevent damage from natural disasters, like a strong foundation if you live in an earthquake zone or firm framing for protection against hurricanes.
- Exterior check: Houses are designed to keep some things in, like air conditioning and heat, and some things out, like bugs, wind, and rain. To ensure that the house does this, the inspector will check the windows, doors, trims, fences, drain systems, landscaping, and outdoor lighting.
- Plumbing check: To ensure that the plumbing will not get backed up and cause messes or flooding, an inspector will check for properly installed pipes and efficiently draining toilets, showers, and sinks. They will also check all the faucets to make sure they work properly.
- Systems check: This check deals with air conditioners, furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters, and septic tanks. The inspector checks to make sure that all the parts are functioning as they should and that they are operating safely.
- Roof and attic check: Next, the inspector will check the construction and framing of the roof and attic to ensure that the attic has proper ventilation and that the gutters drain well.
- Electrical check: The inspector will check the wires to make note of which kinds were used and if they are all in good condition. Frayed and worn-out wires can cause power outages and electrocution, so it’s important for the safety of the house and those who live in it to be meticulous about the wire conditions. The inspector will also check to make sure the lights work and that the electrical panel is hooked up properly.
- Appliance check: Finally, the inspector will check all the appliances, including dishwashers, stove tops and ranges, microwaves, refrigerators, garbage disposals, smoke detectors, washers and dryers, and other appliances.
Tips for a Seamless VA Home Inspection
If you are financing your new home with a VA loan, you won’t be able to close until the house has passed the inspection. In order to make sure your home passes inspection and to get yourself moved in as soon as possible, follow these quick tips.
- Before deciding to make an offer on a house, do an inspection yourself. Using the checklist above to ensure that everything in the house is in good condition and properly functioning can help save money. If you want to buy a house, and it doesn’t pass the inspection, you will have to spend money to repair anything that didn’t pass and then pay for the inspector to check the house again. Not only are you spending money on repairs, but you have to pay for another home inspection. The bill can rack up pretty fast.
- In addition to your personal home inspection, be sure to check for rodent and bug infestations, mold, mildew, lead, asbestos, and other chemical problems. These things are not included in the list of things checked by the home inspector. If your home passes inspection but still has mold or a rodent problem, that will open a whole new can of worms that can possibly make the home an unlivable money pit.
- Be sure to choose a guaranteed home inspector. If the home inspector guarantees his work, it means that if there is a problem, and it is something that the home inspector should have caught, the company will often pay to have the mishap redressed.
Low VA Rates wants to make sure you get a home you love and one that passes all the VA home inspection requirements. If you have questions about the VA loan home inspection requirements, give us a call now at 855-223-0705.
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