You have WON the bid, got the home of your dreams under contract, and first thing on the agenda now is get the inspection completed. Do I call an inspector?
This question will differ depending on where you live. In Colorado, we are very dry, so mold is usually not an issue, nor are termites usually found here. If there are any indications of either, the inspector will recommend contacting a professional in this field. For mold tests they can do either a swab test or an air test depending on the severity of the mold possibility. Also, if there are any structural questions, it is a good idea to have a structural engineer to have the home inspected. (There are some structural engineers that do home inspections too.) For rural properties, the well may need to be tested and will be a separate test.
A good home inspector will view the exterior of the home, including the lot & fence and the roof. Once inside they will check the outlets, switches, kitchen appliances, sinks and toilets and of course the mechanicals - furnace and water heater. They will inspect the crawlspace (if there is one) and the attic. The washer/dryer nor the sprinklers are tested.
There are a couple of other inspections I do recommend -
A Sewer scope for single family homes, and also for townhomes were the homeowner would be responsible. This is a huge expense if it needs to be repaired or replaced.
A Radon Test - for single family homes or townhomes on the ground floor. We see higher than accepted levels in most homes, and better when you ask the Seller to do the mitigation, rather than you when you go to resale the home.
This is the biggest hurdle of a transaction, and important to know what to expect when buying a home in Denver.
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