By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
I'm looking to buy an older home and would like to avoid needless expenses. Before hiring a home inspector, I'd like to learn if the house has any major problems. How can I make a preliminary evaluation of the roof to determine when it will need replacement? And how can I get a general impression of plumbing and the electrical conditions? -- Ramona
Dear Ramona,
The purpose of a home inspection is to determine the general and specific conditions of a property, including the roofing, plumbing, and electrical wiring. Instead, you're hoping to obtain equivalent information prior to the inspection itself. Shortcuts of this nature can be misleading, owing to countless and unpredictable variables; especially with older homes. In attempting a pre-inspection evaluation, who, besides a professional inspector, can you ask? If you review the property yourself, misinterpretations are likely to occur: Major problems could be deemed insignificant or could be overlooked entirely, while routine defects might appear worse than they truly are.
With electrical wiring in an older home, conditions can be substandard to varying degrees and in ways that would not be readily observable. Circuits could be functional but obsolete. The wiring might be partially or completely upgraded, and alterations could appear adequate and safe to the untrained eye, when quite the opposite might be true. Where upgrades have been performed, the workmanship could be substandard or in violation of code, and such defects might not be readily apparent. Prejudgments of the system could be contrary to the findings of the eventual home inspection.
As to the roof, there is no set answer to the question, "When does roofing need to be replaced?" Findings can vary according to the type of roof, the quality and age of the material, how well it was originally installed, prevailing weather conditions in the area, and so on. The only way to predict the remaining life of a roof is to have an on-site evaluation by a qualified professional.
At this stage of the purchase process, you're hoping to avoid the inspection fee on a property you might decide not to buy. Unfortunately, this approach is not practical. If you're serious about purchasing the home, the cost of comprehensive fact finding is a thoroughly justifiable expense. If the property appears to be generally acceptable and you feel reasonably sure about buying it, the time for a professional home inspection has arrived.
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